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.
Plus-Sized Model Claps Back at Trolls: “Look Away”
Plus-sized influencer Abby Bible isn’t letting cyberbullies get to her. Abby brushes off the criticism directed at her audacious bikini images, in which she flaunts her size 22 figure. She thinks plus-size bodies are gorgeous and have wonderful bikini bodies.
In a society where women are frequently under pressure to meet unattainable beauty standards, role models like Abby Bible are essential in advancing body positivity and self-love. At six feet one inch, 25-year-old influencer Abby defies the “toxic” standards of society. She disavows the notion that being petite, delicate, adorable, and soft-spoken equates to femininity.
Abby hasn’t had an easy time coming to terms with who she is. She endured cruel remarks about her size and battled with her weight since she was a little girl. In an attempt to find happiness, she even went as far as losing 100 pounds at one time. But she quickly discovered that accepting oneself—regardless of one’s physical appearance—is the key to finding true happiness.
Abby is now on a mission to spread the word that plus-size bodies may be just as attractive as any other. She answers a troll who claims that “fat people shouldn’t wear string bikinis” in a recent TikTok video. With assurance, Abby labels the video, saying, “Look away if you don’t like it.” Her carefree demeanor and jovial glance convey a strong message: she doesn’t give a damn what people think.
Even though Abby has a lot of followers who thank and admire her for her confidence, there are still internet trolls who make fun of her. Some criticize her decision to accept her body and claim she lacks self-respect. However, Abby is unfazed by these disparaging remarks.
It’s crucial to remember that having a larger frame can have negative health effects. Because of her weight, Abby is more prone to certain illnesses, such joint and cardiac trouble. Some who are worried contend that body positivity advocacy shouldn’t downplay these grave health hazards.
But Abby is more concerned with her contentment and acceptance of herself. She wants everyone to know that being smaller doesn’t make someone superior to her. She will always be content with herself and is pleased to be an unapologetic obese girl.
In the end, Abby’s tale serves as a reminder that contentment ought to come first. We should encourage Abby in her quest for self-love as long as she is content and takes good care of her health. How do you feel about Abby’s narrative? Let us know what you think, and let’s carry on the discussion!
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