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.
Micheál Neeson was only 13 when he lost his star mother
The love story of these two stars began when they starred together in Anna Christie on Broadway in 1993, where sparks flew despite the actress being married at the time.
Eventually, her marriage ended, and she and the actor married in 1994, raising two sons together.
The couple’s deep connection was evident early on, with the describing an undeniable chemistry between them that carried through to their performances.
Even the actress said herself years later that she was unfazed that the actor was known for being a ladies man, commenting: “I’m pleased that women fall in love with him because I know why,” per Country Living.
Their love only grew stronger after marriage, and they embraced parenthood, welcoming their first son in 1995, followed shortly by a second son 18 months later.
However, heartbreak struck when the actress, Natasha Richardson, sustained a head injury while skiing in 2009. Initially dismissing the fall, she soon deteriorated, and doctors determined she was brain dead.
Neeson, recalling a pact they’d made, made the difficult decision to take her off life support after allowing family and friends to say their goodbyes.
Their eldest son, Micheál, later followed in her footsteps in acting, appearing in movies and TV series like Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, Vox Lux, Big Dogs, Broken Symphony, and Paradise.
Years later, Micheál also decided to pay tribute to his mother by changing his surname to Richardson.
He explained: “It was mainly like a homage to my mother, a way to carry her with me,” per The Times.
This touching gesture earned the admiration of his father, who said: “It was a lovely gesture. Natasha’s family, mother, and sisters were very touched by it. I’m proud of it.”
Neeson, proud of his son’s decision, found comfort in how Micheál carries on Natasha’s legacy through his name and career.
Micheál has since carved his path in the acting world, working alongside his father in several films, including Cold Pursuit and Made in Italy, continuing the family tradition of powerful performances while keeping his mother’s spirit close to his heart.
What a lovely story! I just know Natasha Richardson would be so proud of her son and all that he has achieved!
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