As a lover of wildlife and all things natural, Dan Haggerty was the best possible actor to play the titular character in The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams. With previous experience as a stuntman and an animal trainer, he was fully prepared for whatever wild scenes the series threw at him.

According to an interview with the Grand Forks Herald, Haggerty's passion for nature began at an early age, as did his rebellious streak.

"I always liked animals," said the actor. "I always drew animals in school. I was in boarding school from the third grade on. I kept running away, but there was nowhere to go, so I'd always return."

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Born in Wisconsin, Haggerty later moved to California with his father, where he began his career as both an actor and stuntman. Haggerty also worked as an animal trainer for several feature films.

Still, one thing that Haggerty never quite got used to was the fame that television thrust upon him. The actor felt more at home in the forest than on a red carpet.

"The thrill of being an actor hasn't swept me off my feet," said Haggerty.

Instead of getting caught up in the thrall of fame, Haggerty kept his head out of the clouds and gave respect where he felt it was due.

"I've got to take my hat off to the animals, because they got me to where I'm at," said the actor. "They've been good to me, so I've got a warm spot for them."