Bunny Allen
Frank Maurice Allen known as "Bunny Allen" (17 April 1906, in Upton Cum Chalvey, Buckinghamshire, England – 14 January 2002, in Lamu Island) was a renowned white hunter and safari guide in Kenya.
Biography
Allen earned the nickname "Bunny" from a Gypsy hunting companion in England for his proficiency in snaring rabbits in Windsor Forest.[1] He was educated at Sir William Borlase's Grammar School, Marlow, Buckinghamshire.[2]
He arrived in Kenya in 1927 to join his two brothers. He found work managing a farm for Mervyn Soames where he took guests out shooting. His bush expertise drew respect from the locals and he became a hunting partner of Denys Finch Hatton. He took part in three Royal Safaris including one where he captured cheetah by driving alongside them as they ran and jumping on their backs.[3]
During World War II he enlisted and was later commissioned in the
He was the subject of a short film directed by Peter Hort and Mark Macauley in 1996 called A Gypsy in Africa.
Film work
Allen returned to hunting in 1946 and through his famous clients on safaris was discovered by Hollywood where he acted as a
Books
- Allen, Bunny & Claassens, Harry The Wheel Of Life: A Life Of Safaris And Romance Safari Press, 2005 He also wrote First Wheel and Second Wheel, both published by Amwell Press in New Jersey. They were signed, numbered slipcased limited editions of 1,000 copies each.
See also
- List of famous big game hunters
Notes
- ^ "Professional Hunter Bunny Allen (1906 - 2002)". www.africahunting.com. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011.
- ^ "Bunny Allen".
- ^ Daily Telegraph Obituary
- ^ "Bunny Allen". IMDb.
External links
- Last of the Great White Hunters https://web.archive.org/web/20110629113345/http://www.salon.com/wlust/feature/1998/03/19feature.html