Dan Haggerty, the actor who embodied the gentle mountain man Grizzly Adams alongside his beloved bear companion, Ben, in the 1974 film “The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams” and the NBC television series of the identical title, passed away on Friday 15 January 2016, California. He was 73 years old. His close friend and manager, Terry Bomar, revealed that the cause of death was cancer of the spine.
Haggerty worked as a stuntman and animal handler in Hollywood, he was unexpectedly offered a role as a woodsman in a film reshoot. This opportunity led to his iconic portrayal of Grizzly Adams, a California man falsely accused of murder who finds solace in the wilderness, forming a unique bond with the surrounding animals and raising an orphaned bear. Haggerty agreed to participate in the film under the condition that he could portray the character throughout the entire movie.
“The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams” became a success, grossing nearly $30 million at the box office after being remade with a budget of $165,000. It was later adapted for television, and in February 1977, Haggerty resumed his beloved role as the environmentally conscious guardian of the woods and a friend to all creatures. The series resonated with audiences, earning Haggerty the People’s Choice Award for the most popular actor in a new series in 1978.
Haggerty’s genuine and sentimental portrayal endeared him to viewers, and the “Grizzly Adams” franchise expanded with two subsequent productions: “Legend of the Wild” in 1978 (which had a theatrical release in 1981) and “The Capture of Grizzly Adams” in 1982, a TV movie where Adams is pursued by bounty hunters and ultimately clears his name.
Born on November 19, 1942, in Los Angeles, Daniel Francis Haggerty had a challenging upbringing, marked by his parents’ separation and several escapes from military school. He eventually settled in Burbank, California, to live with his father, an actor.
Haggerty’s acting career began with a role as Biff, a bodybuilder named Biff in the film “Muscle Beach Party” (1964), alongside Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello. He went on to play various minor roles in biker and wildlife films, often credited as characters like “Bearded Biker” or “Biker With Bandana.” He made a brief appearance in the iconic film “Easy Rider” (1969) as a member of the hippie commune visited by Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper’s characters.
Outside of acting, Haggerty lived on a small ranch in Malibu Canyon, where he cared for and rehabilitated wild animals. His expertise in handling animals led to roles as an animal trainer and stuntman on television shows such as “Tarzan” and “Daktari,” as well as occasional work in films. Haggerty expressed that many actors were uncomfortable with animals jumping on them during scenes in an interview with People magazine in 1978.
Throughout his career, Haggerty appeared in several outdoor-themed films, including “Where the North Wind Blows” (1974), where he portrayed a Siberian tiger trapper, and “The Adventures of Frontier Fremont” (1976). He played a dog trainer in the film “Americana” (1983), starring David Carradine. In “Grizzly Mountain” (1997) and its sequel “Escape to Grizzly Mountain” (2000), Haggerty portrayed characters reminiscent of Grizzly Adams.
During a fateful incident in 1977, an inattentive patron at a restaurant inadvertently ignited Mr. Haggerty’s iconic beard with a flaming cocktail. Desperately attempting to douse the flames, he suffered severe third-degree burns on his arms, necessitating hospitalization for an expected month-long treatment.
Recalling those initial days, he shared, “I spent the first couple of days lying in a dark room, replenishing myself with water, resembling a wounded wolf striving to heal.” He candidly mentioned how nurses offered him morphine and urged him to draw back the curtains, but he believed that sometimes animals possess a greater understanding of the healing process. Surprisingly, after just 10 days, he left the hospital of his own accord.
Let us remember and honor this exceptional talent, cherishing the memories and the immeasurable contributions he left behind. REST IN PEACE!