Who Is Joseph Campbell? Age, Biography and Wiki
Joseph Campbell was born on March 26, 1904, in White Plains, New York. He was a prominent American mythologist, writer, and lecturer whose work celebrated the universal themes found in myths across cultures. He is best known for his book The Hero with a Thousand Faces, where he develops the concept of the "monomyth" or hero's journey, a narrative structure that has influenced many modern storytellers. Campbell passed away on October 30, 1987, at the age of 83. As of 2025, he would have been 121 years old.
| Occupation | Writers |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | March 26, 1904 |
| Age | 83 Years |
| Birth Place | White Plains, New York, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Aries |
| Country | U.S |
| Date of death | 30 October, 1987 |
| Died Place | N/A |
Popularity
Joseph Campbell's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
While specific details about Joseph Campbell's physical statistics such as height and weight are not widely documented, he was known to possess a distinguished presence that complemented his extensive intellect. His passion and dedication to mythology and storytelling often overshadowed his physical attributes.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Joseph Campbell was married to Jean Erdman, a dancer and choreographer, from 1938 until his death in 1987. The pair shared a deep bond, both personally and professionally, often collaborating on various projects. There is no current information about any boyfriends or girlfriends since he was not known to have had relationships outside of his marriage to Erdman.
Campbell was raised in an upper-middle-class Irish Catholic family; he related that his paternal grandfather Charles had been "a peasant" who came to Boston from County Mayo in Ireland, and became the gardener and caretaker at the Lyman Estate at Waltham, where his son Charles William Campbell grew up and became a successful salesman at a departmen
t store prior to establishing his hosiery business.
During his childhood, he moved with his family to New Rochelle, New York. In 1919, a fire destroyed the family home in New Rochelle, killing his maternal grandmother and injuring his father, who tried to save her.
Net Worth and Salary
During his lifetime, Joseph Campbell's contributions to literature and academia garnered him respect and success. Although exact figures regarding his net worth at the time of his passing are difficult to determine, estimates suggest that his estate is valued in the millions due to his extensive body of work and continued influence. Posthumous publications and royalties have likely contributed to an ongoing legacy of earnings.
Career, Business and Investments
Throughout his career, Campbell wrote and lectured extensively on mythology. His notable works include The Power of Myth, which was co-created with journalist Bill Moyers in a groundbreaking television series, as well as several other influential texts such as The Hero with a Thousand Faces and The Masks of God series. Campbell also taught at several prestigious universities, influencing generations of writers, filmmakers, and artists. His career was characterized not only by his writing but also by his commitment to sharing the importance of mythology in understanding human experience.
In 1934, Campbell accepted a position as Professor of Literature at Sarah Lawrence College in Yonkers, New York. In 1938, he married one of his former students, the dancer-choreographer Jean Erdman. For most of their 49 years of marriage they shared a two-room apartment in Greenwich Village in New York City.
In the 1980s they also purchased an apartment in Honolulu and divided their time between the two cities. They did not have any children.
Social Network
Although Joseph Campbell did not engage with modern social media platforms, his legacy continues to thrive on various networks. Fans and scholars alike share insights about his works on platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Numerous groups and pages are dedicated to discussing his theories and their applications in contemporary storytelling.
Campbell continued his independent reading while teaching for a year in 1933 at the Canterbury School in Connecticut, during which time he also attempted to publish works of fiction. While teaching at the Canterbury School, Campbell sold his first short story Strictly Platonic to Liberty magazine.
Education
Joseph Campbell pursued his education at Columbia University, where he earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. His studies in literature and comparative mythology laid the groundwork for his later works, enabling him to draw connections between various narratives and cultural myths. He was particularly interested in the interplay between mythology and psychology, which later influenced notable thinkers and creators.
Joseph John Campbell (March 26, 1904 – October 30, 1987) was an American writer. He was a professor of literature at Sarah Lawrence College who worked in comparative mythology and comparative religion. His work covers many aspects of the human condition.
Campbell's best-known work is his book The Hero with a Thousand Faces (1949), in which he discusses his theory of the journey of the archetypal hero shared by world mythologies, termed the monomyth.
