Dan Haggerty, known for portraying Grizzly Adams, passed away on Friday in Burbank, California. Haggerty played the peaceful mountain man with a luxurious beard and his bear companion, Ben, in the 1974 film The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams and the NBC series of the same name.

Haggerty, initially a stuntman and animal handler, was approached to perform in a reshoot for the film. He took on the role fully, and the movie, made for $165,000, grossed nearly $30 million. This led to the successful TV series, where Haggerty reprised his eco-friendly role as a protector of nature.

The show earned him the People’s Choice Award in 1978. Haggerty also starred in the spinoffs Legend of the Wild (1978) and The Capture of Grizzly Adams (1982). His portrayal of Grizzly Adams made him a beloved figure, capturing the hearts of viewers for years.