Hot on Facebook

Guy Buys $123 Safe on eBay, Finds $26,000 Inside Seller tries to get half the cash back, fails »

Showbiz Bear Kills Trainer

Bear in Will Ferrell movie bites trainer's neck

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Apr 23, 2008 4:26 AM CDT

(Newser) – A grizzly bear used in movies attacked and killed its trainer yesterday in California, the Los Angeles Times reports. The 700-pound bear, which appeared in a recent Will Ferrell movie Semi-Pro, lunged at the 39-year-old man and bit him in the neck. Staff at the animal training center managed to subdue the animal with pepper spray. The trainer was pronounced dead at the scene.

The facility where the bear was housed, Predators in Action, trains animals, including grizzlies, lions, tigers and wolves, for showbiz appearances, and had a perfect safety record until now. It's not known why the 5-year-old bear, Rocky, attacked. The facility is owned by the dead trainer's cousin, a stuntman who wrestled Rocky himself in Semi-Pro. The bear's fate is yet to be decided.

[Images (3)]

[Videos (1)]

Rocky the grizzly bear is seen at the Forever Wild animal sanctuary in Phelan, Calif. in Nov. 2007. (AP Photo/Christina Bush)

Rocky the bear wrestles Will Ferrell's stand-in in 'Semi-Pro.' (bdnfilm)

Rocky the grizzly bear is seen at the Forever Wild animal sanctuary in Phelan, California. Rocky killed a 39-year-old trainer with a bite to his neck. (AP Photo/Christina Bush)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

Clip from 'Semi-Pro' showing Will Ferrell with the bear. (bdnfilm)

View larger videos >>

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next »

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

Bear Attack Survivor: I Thought I Would Die

Teens recount Alaska terror

(NEWSER) - The teenagers were doing everything right, just as they'd been taught during their 24 days at Alaska's National Outdoor Leadership School: They were yelling to alert bears in the area of their presence as they crossed a river in a single file line. Then: "Bear! Bear!" yelled Joshua Berg, 17. The snarling grizzly rushed them—it "came really fast," which is "super unusual," says the program director—and before they had time to pull out their bear deterrent spray, the angry creature was upon them . Though they had been taught to play dead in such a situation, "natural instincts" took over instead, says Sam Gottsegen, 17: The boys ran. More»

As Grizzly Charged, Man Told Wife to Run

Bear in Yellowstone attack has not been located

(NEWSER) - The grizzly bear who fatally mauled a hiker yesterday is still roaming Yellowstone National Park, though officials have closed campgrounds and trails near the scene of the attack. The 57-year-old victim and his wife actually encountered the bear twice during their hike, a park spokesperson says, but the first time they simply continued on. The next time, however, the grizzly charged as the victim yelled for his wife to run. More»

Cyclist Survives Grizzly Attack

Playing dead saves Alaska man's life

(NEWSER) - An Alaskan cyclist survived a grizzly bear attack with just minor injuries after playing dead. The pharmacist was riding his bike to work along a trail in an Anchorage park when he surprised a bear, who charged him. He played dead while the bear—a mother with her cub—swatted him and bit him once, leaving him with a torn ear and lacerations to his calf, the Anchorage Daily News reports. More»

Probe Launched Into Fatal Grizzly Attack

Man died from single bite; showbiz bear may have been playing

(NEWSER) - California safety officials have launched an investigation into the death of an animal trainer killed by a showbiz grizzly bear. The 39-year-old man died from a single bite to the neck while wrestling the 700-pound bear Rocky for a promotional video for a social networking start-up. The company he was filming for at the Predators in Action center will be probed for health and safety violations, the AP reports. More»

Woman Fights Off Bear to Save Dog

One punch to the nose sent beast packing

(NEWSER) - Quick, what's the most badass thing you've ever done? Was it as badass as punching a full grown black bear in the face? Because that's what Alaska native Brooke Collins did this weekend, when she saw a bear about to make a meal out of her beloved dog, Fudge. Collins, a purple-haired 22-year-old woman, had just let her dog out Sunday night when she heard it emit a horrifying bark. Looking outside, she saw a black bear holding Fudge in its paws and biting his neck. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Showbiz Bear Kills Trainer