Dan Haggerty, Beloved Star of Grizzly Adams, Dies at 74
Dan Haggerty, best known for playing the gentle mountain man with a flowing beard and a bear sidekick named Ben in The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams, passed away Friday in Burbank, California.
Haggerty first made his mark in Hollywood as a stuntman and animal trainer. His big break came when a producer asked him to reshoot a few scenes for a low-budget film about a reclusive woodsman and his bear. But Haggerty had a bigger vision—he agreed to help, but only if he could star in the entire film.
That film, The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams (1974), told the story of a man falsely accused of murder who escapes into the wilderness. There, he bonds with the animals, including a bear cub he rescues and raises. The movie, based on a novel by Charles Sellier Jr., cost just $165,000 to make—but went on to gross nearly $30 million, becoming a surprise box office hit.
Its popularity led NBC to turn it into a weekly TV series, which premiered in 1977. Haggerty reprised his role as Grizzly Adams, a kind-hearted loner living in harmony with nature, defending wildlife, and befriending those who crossed his path. The show resonated with audiences and earned Haggerty a People’s Choice Award in 1978 as America’s “Favorite Actor in a New TV Series.”
The show featured a cast of memorable characters, including the gruff but lovable Mad Jack (played by Denver Pyle) and a wise Native American friend named Nakoma (played by Don Shanks). Episodes followed Adams and his bear, Ben, in their tranquil life in the mountains, surrounded by raccoons, deer, cougars, and other forest creatures. The New York Times described the premiere as something that “lukewarms the heart”—nostalgic and quietly emotional.
The Grizzly Adams story didn’t end with the series. Two follow-up movies were released: Legend of the Wild (aired in 1978 and released in theaters in 1981) and The Capture of Grizzly Adams (1982), where Adams is hunted down by bounty hunters and finally clears his name.
For many viewers, Dan Haggerty was more than a TV character—he was a symbol of kindness, wilderness adventure, and the idea that humans and animals could peacefully coexist. His role as Grizzly Adams left a lasting mark on American pop culture.
