Living Grizzly - A Tribute To Dan Haggerty

Daniel Francis Haggerty was born on November 19th, 1942. Haggerty's birthplace has been given as both Los Angeles, AND Pound, Wisconsin. Haggerty's parents split when he was a mere three year old. Haggerty then grew up with a family that owned and operated a small wild animal attraction. While there, Haggerty helped raise the wild animals. These included a big black bear that would perform tricks. This training would come in VERY handy for Dan Haggerty later on in life. Haggerty, after he had graduated from High School, decided to try for an acting career. Haggerty's first role was a small non-speaking role as a body builder in the 1964 Frankie Avallone and Annette Funicello beach film "Muscle Beach Party". Haggerty also played a body builder in the 1965 release called "Girl Happy". The film was Elvis Presley's eighteenth feature film. The film received a fourth place Laurel Award in the category of Top Musical Of 1965 (Haggerty was uncredited for his role).

Haggerty then started appearing in various biker and wildlife films These included such films as "Easy Rider" (as "Man In Commune", another un credited role), "Angels Die Hard", "The Adventures Of Frontier Freemont" and "Terror Out Of The Sky". It was Dan Haggerty's experience with animals that helped him get a job as an animal handler and trainer at Walt Disney Studios. In addition, Haggerty also found work as a stunt man on the television "Tarzan" as well as getting work as a set builder. Haggerty worked with all sorts of animals in two projects. He worked with a white tiger, wolverines, eagles and even a wild boar in 1974's "When The North Wind Blows". Haggerty also worked with bears, foxes and hawks in the 1997 film "Grizzly Mountain". In 1981, Haggerty worked (briefly) in David Carradine's film "Americana" and also provided a trained dog for the production. Haggerty played the role of a dog trainer in the film, as well as assisting in set design and the restoration of an old dilapidated carousel which would feature prominently in the movie. Haggerty, a multi-talented man, had also designed the motorcycles for film "Easy Rider" where he played the role of a hippie in the movie as well. Haggerty later played leading roles in movies such as 1990's "Repo Jake" and "Elves" as well as in 1995's aforementioned "Grizzly Mountain" and "Escape To Grizzly Mountain" in 2000. Haggerty starred alongside Barbara Eden , Ralph Bellamy and Stuart Whitman in the film. Haggerty guest starred in an 1983 episode of "The Love Boat" and cameoed in 1987's "Terror Night", as well as horror films such as the Linda Blair film "The Chilling" in 1987.

Haggerty even performed in music videos for such perse artists as Rouges Of The Empire and Hank Williams Jr. and of course, Haggerty landed the role that he would be famous for in 1977's "The Life And Times Of Grizzly Adams"! It began as a feature film, which proved popular enough to go on to become a TV series on NBC. The series, while popular, only ran for one year: the 1977-1978 season. Haggerty became famous for his portrayal of the lead character of James Capen "Grizzly" Adams (this was in error, as the real James "Grizzly" Adams did not have a middle name. He DID have a younger brother by that name). "The Life And Times Of Grizzly Adams" featured Haggerty as an innocent man, forced to leave his daughter and home behind and take to the mountains and the wilderness. Adams saves a bear cub that he adopts and names "Ben". Adams discovers his ability to gain the trust of the fauna of the area as he helps, rescues and even tames many different species. The series concluded in a two hour movie called "The Capture Of Grizzly Adams". The film first aired on February 21st, 1982. In the film, a bounty hunter uses Adam's daughter in a kidnap/extortion ploy to lure Adams back to civilization. In the end, Adams manages to prove his innocence.

Haggerty, with his love of and ability to train animals, was tailor made for the role of Grizzly Adams! In his personal life, Haggerty was married twice. Once, in 1959 he married Diane Rooker, whom he married when they were seventeen. The couple had two daughters,Tracey and Tammy . The couple porced in 1984, and Haggerty married Samantha Hilton. The couple had three children: two boys, Dylan and Cody and a daughter named Megan. The couple were married until Hilton's death in a motorcycle accident on August 10th, 2005.

In 1977, Haggerty's beard caught fire from a careless patron carrying a flaming cocktail. Haggerty received third degree burns on his arms while trying to extinguish the flames. Haggerty was himself in a motorcycle accident in 1991. He was hospitalized and in a coma. Haggerty eventually revived and recovered. After undergoing back surgery in August of 2015, doctors discovered a tumor on his spine. Dan Haggerty died of spinal cancer on January 15th of 2016 in Burbank, California.

Mr. Bronze Age would like to thank Mr. Dan Haggerty for being yet another person who helped make his childhood awesome!! R.I.P. to Mr. Dan Haggerty.