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.
Keith Urban: A Musical Fairytale
The adored Australian musician Keith Urban has won over admirers all around the world. But what really enthralled us all was his enchanted romance with actress Nicole Kidman. These two lovebirds met in a story out of a fairytale, despite all the odds.
It all started in 2005 when they met at a star-studded celebration of Australian accomplishments called “G-Day LA.” Many people were unaware at the time that Kidman was secretly engaged to someone else. But destiny had other ideas for her. After that accidental encounter, Kidman and Urban became engaged in three months.
Kidman reflected on their brief romance, saying, “There was a great attraction at first, and after three months, we got engaged, and then we got married really quickly.” However, we weren’t actually acquainted. They were able to fully explore the depths of their connection through marriage.
Kidman continued, “I think that meeting at a certain age makes a difference.” “And I believe in my instincts. I had the impression that I had found my home the moment I laid eyes on him. And he experienced the same emotion.
Raising two beautiful girls, they have created a beautiful life together. However, there have been difficulties along the way. Robert, Keith Urban’s father, had a big influence on the guy he turned out to be. Sadly, Robert’s fight against prostate cancer was lost.
In 2018, Keith Urban went to the Toowoomba It’s A Bloke Thing luncheon to commemorate his father’s memory and to spread awareness about prostate cancer. He made it apparent that his devotion to this cause was steadfast, even in the face of worries from his admirers regarding his wellbeing.
Keith Urban was personally impacted by prostate cancer, as his uncles and other family members were also impacted by the illness. It is simply amazing how committed he is to raising awareness and helping people who are affected.
Urban graciously consented to perform for free during the benefit, which helped raise an unprecedented $2,024,000. This deed of kindness demonstrates his genuine nature as a talented musician, a kind partner, a committed parent, and a person with a golden heart.
Keith Urban is a very blessed person who uses his position for good in the world. Let’s spread the news about his amazing effort by forwarding this article to our family and friends on Facebook.
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