Dan Haggerty, famously known for his role as the gentle mountain man with an impressive beard and his bear companion Ben in the 1974 movie “The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams” and the NBC television series by the same name, passed away on Friday in Burbank, California. He was 73 years old.
According to his friend and manager, Terry Bomar, the cause of death was cancer of the spine.
Before his iconic role, Dan Haggerty was making his mark in Hollywood as a stuntman and animal handler. His big break came when a producer asked him to act in some opening scenes for a movie about a woodsman and his bear. Based on Charles Sellier Jr.’s novel, the story revolves around a man falsely accused of murder who retreats to the woods, befriends animals, and adopts an orphaned bear.
Haggerty agreed to act, but on one condition – he wanted to be in the entire movie. The film was remade on a modest budget of $165,000 yet grossed nearly $30 million at the box office. This success led to the television series adaptation, and in February 1977, Haggerty returned to his role as the nature-loving protector of the wilderness.
The show resonated with audiences. As John Leonard of The New York Times noted in his review, “It lukewarms the heart. Man and bear hide out in a log cabin…there is a lot of communing with nature and a big lump in the throat.” Indeed, the series’ genial and heartfelt tone endeared Haggerty to many, earning him a People’s Choice Award in 1978 for being the most popular actor in a new series.
The show also produced sequels: “Legend of the Wild,” televised in 1978 and released in theaters in 1981, and “The Capture of Grizzly Adams,” a 1982 TV movie where Adams finally clears his name from the wrongful accusation.
Born Daniel Francis Haggerty on November 19, 1942, in Los Angeles, he faced a challenging childhood. After his parents separated when he was 3, he had a troubled youth, escaping from military school multiple times before moving in with his actor-father in Burbank.
Haggerty’s personal life included two marriages. He first married Diane Rooker at 17, but they later divorced. His second wife, Samantha Hilton, died in a tragic motorcycle accident in 2008. He is survived by his children Megan, Tracy, Dylan, Cody, and Don.
In his early career, Haggerty’s first film was “Muscle Beach Party” (1964) where he played a bodybuilder named Biff. He then took on smaller roles in biker and wildlife films, appearing in “Easy Rider” as a member of a hippie commune. He lived the part off-screen as well, residing on a small ranch in Malibu Canyon with various wild animals he had either tamed or rescued.
His animal handling skills translated into jobs as an animal trainer and stuntman for TV series like “Tarzan” and “Daktari.” He continued to take roles that showcased his connection with nature, such as “Where the North Wind Blows” (1974) and “The Adventures of Frontier Fremont” (1976). His affinity for wilderness roles led to appearances in films like “Grizzly Mountain” (1997) and “Escape to Grizzly Mountain” (2000), playing characters reminiscent of Grizzly Adams.
Later in his career, Haggerty appeared in several horror films, including “Terror Night” (1987) and “Elves” (1989). In 1985, he faced legal issues, receiving a 90-day jail sentence for selling cocaine to undercover police officers.
His life also had moments of tragedy. In 1977, while at a restaurant, a patron carrying a flaming cocktail accidentally set Haggerty’s famous beard on fire, resulting in third-degree burns on his arms. He was hospitalized and expected to stay a month, but he left after just 10 days, relying on his knowledge of animal healing.
Reflecting on his injury, he told People magazine, “The first couple of days I just lay in the dark room drinking water, like a wounded wolf trying to heal himself.”
