Dan Haggerty, who gained widespread recognition for his portrayal of the kind mountain man with a striking beard and his bear friend Ben in the NBC television series and 1974 film “The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams,” passed away on Friday in Burbank, California. His age was 73 years.
Terry Bomar, his manager and friend, stated that spinal cancer was the cause of death.
Dan Haggerty was creating a name for himself in Hollywood as an animal handler and stuntman before landing his famous part. When a producer requested him to appear in a few opening moments for a film about a woodsman and his bear, it was his big break. The plot, which is based on a novel by Charles Sellier Jr., centers on a man who flees to the woods after being wrongfully convicted of murder, becomes friends with the local wildlife, and takes in an abandoned bear.
Haggerty accepted to do the part, but he had one requirement: he had to appear in the whole film. Despite having a relatively low budget of $165,000, the film’s remake brought in close to $30 million at the box office. Because of this popularity, a television series was created, and in February 1977, Haggerty went back to playing the character of the wild and outdoorsy wilderness guardian.
The audience responded well to the show. It lukewarms the heart, as The New York Times’ John Leonard observed in his review. A large lump in the throat and a lot of communing with nature are experienced when a man and a bear hide out in a log cabin. Haggerty won a 1978 People’s Choice Award for being the most well-liked actor in a new series because of the series’ warm and sympathetic tone, which won over a lot of viewers.
The series also yielded two follow-ups: “Legend of the Wild,” which was broadcast on television in 1978 and eventually released in theaters in 1981, and “The Capture of Grizzly Adams,” a 1982 television film in which Adams ultimately exonerates himself of the false charge.
Born in Los Angeles on November 19, 1942, Daniel Francis Haggerty had a difficult upbringing. He had a turbulent childhood, breaking out of military school several times before coming home with his actor-father in Burbank when his parents divorced when he was three years old.
Haggerty was married twice in his personal life. When he was 17, he got married to Diane Rooker, but they later got divorced. In 2008, he lost his second wife, Samantha Hilton, in a horrific motorbike accident. His children, Don, Megan, Tracy, Dylan, and Cody, survive him.
In his debut motion picture, “Muscle Beach Party” (1964), Haggerty portrayed bodybuilder Biff. After that, he played supporting parts in motorcycle and wildlife movies. He was a hippie commune member in “Easy Rider.” He also played the role off-screen, living with a variety of wild creatures he had either tamed or rescued on a small ranch in Malibu Canyon.
His expertise with animals led to positions as an animal trainer and stuntman for television shows including “Daktari” and “Tarzan.” He kept taking on parts like “Where the North Wind Blows” (1974) and “The Adventures of Frontier Fremont” (1976) that highlighted his affinity for the natural world. His love of outdoor parts brought him roles evoking Grizzly Adams to movies like “Grizzly Mountain” (1997) and “Escape to Grizzly Mountain” (2000).
Haggerty had appearances in a number of horror movies later in his career, such as “Terror Night” (1987) and “Elves” (1989). He was involved in court in 1985 and was given a 90-day jail sentence for distributing cocaine to police officers who were undercover.
Tragic incidents also occurred in his life. Haggerty suffered third-degree burns to his arms when a diner carrying a burning drink unintentionally caught his renowned beard on fire in 1977 when he was dining. Despite being admitted to the hospital and supposed to stay for a month, he left after just ten days, claiming to have expertise of curing animals.
“The first couple of days I just lay in the dark room drinking water, like a wounded wolf trying to heal myself,” he said, reflecting on his injury, to People magazine.
Paris Hilton Is Finally Revealing Her Daughter’s Face But People Are Pointing Out the Same Issue
Paris Hilton has delightfully introduced her 5-month-old daughter, London, to the world, bringing an end to the excited anticipation. While fans celebrated the mother of two, many couldn’t help but discuss a particular detail they observed.
The socialite shared adorable photos of London on her Instagram, introducing her with the caption, ’’Introducing London Marilyn Hilton-Reum. I’ve dreamed of having a daughter named London for as long as I can remember […]’’
Additionally, in the caption, she revealed that her experience as a mother has inspired her to release a song titled “FAME WON’T LOVE YOU,” featuring Sia, scheduled to be released just in time for Mother’s Day.
The snapshots captured Paris donning a pastel pink dress adorned with yellow flowers, radiating maternal bliss. In one frame, she cradled her daughter London, who sported an adorable pink headband.
Other photos showcased Paris with her son Phoenix, and with her husband Carter Reum.
A few days later, Paris shared a video of herself holding London, giving us a glimpse of the song “FAME WON’T LOVE YOU” that she had mentioned earlier.
But many people online also noticed that the star’s kids don’t seem very accustomed to her. One person remarked, ’’If you look at those pictures, all four of them look like they are meeting each other for the first time. Weird,’’ while another added, ’’they seem very detached and posed.’’ A third person wrote, ’’Looks incredibly awkward. Are the kids looking at the nanny?’’
We fully agree with fans that Paris has adorable kids who take after their mom. Just a few days ago, the socialite also stunned on the red carpet and showcased her beauty in a daring black dress. Check out her photos here.
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