Meet Samantha Haggerty
74-year-old actor Dan Haggerty, better known for his role in the film and TV series “The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams” has passed after a short battle with cancer.
News outlets report, Haggerty –who was the son of actor and TV producer Don Haggerty –died at his home in California’s San Fernando Valley on Friday surrounded by friends and family.
Haggerty –who was born Gene Jajonski –was diagnosed with cancer just a few months ago after he underwent back pain surgery.
The 70’s star met up with family and friends at his home in days leading up to his death.
Dan Haggerty made his screen debut in a non-speaking role as a muscle man named “Biff.” The role suited him since Haggerty was a Muscle Beach bodybuilder in the early sixties.
His real fame came when he was casted as the nature-loving James Capen “Grizzly” Adams.
His background as an animal trainer enable him to get gigs as a stuntman and double for Hollywood actors who didn’t like working with animals. He was the real life friend of bears and wildcats.
He worked as a stunt consultant and animal handler for many films involving not only bears but tigers, mountain lions, and wild boar for films such as Tarzan and his own television and movie projects.
Dan Haggerty also had problems with the law, he was sentenced to 90 days in County Jail for furnishing cocaine to two undercover police officers. His career took a major setback at the time.
According to IMDb, he also opened a restaurant, “Haggerty’s Bistro” in Studio City, Ca. in 1991 and and sold a brand of barbeque sauce from his own recipe.
He was married twice. First wife was Diane Rooker (pictured below). The two began dating when they were still teenagers and later married in 1959 at just 17 at a wedding chapel in Las Vegas called Silver Slipper Hotel, the Daily Mail reports. He and Diane produced two children, daughters Tracey and Tammy. The couple divorced in 1984.
His second wife, was Samantha Haggerty (pictured below). She was married to Dan Haggerty for 24-years until her death in 2008. Samantha became the mother of the couple’s three children.
Samantha Haggerty first gave birth to a son, Dylan. Their second child is, daughter Megan. Third child is another son, named, Cody.
In 1991 her husband had spent time in a coma following a motorcycle crash but he recovered. The family suffered another motorcycle crash in 2008, where Samantha Haggerty tragically died.
Samantha Haggerty died of massive head injuries sustained in the freak motorbike accident in Los Angeles, California on August 10, 2008.
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