Bruno (bear actor)

This article is about the American black bear actor who appeared in the U.S. TV series Gentle Ben. For the Eurasian brown bear killed in Bavaria in 2006, see Bear JJ1.
Bruno
Bruno and Paul Newman in The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972)
Other name(s)Ben, or Gentle Ben
SpeciesNorth American black bear
SexMale
Born1962
Near White Lake, Wisconsin, U.S.
Diedc. 1981
Acton, California, U.S.
OccupationBear Actor
Years active1965 - late 1970s
OwnerRalph Helfer
Weight600–800 lb
(272–363 kg)
Heightapprox. 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m)

Bruno, also called Ben or Gentle Ben (1962− c. 1981), was a male black bear actor best known for playing the leading role of Ben the bear in the 1967-1969 CBS television series, Gentle Ben.[1] He also played the adult Ben in the feature film prelude to the TV series, Gentle Giant (1967).[2] In 1968, Bruno received a first-place PATSY Award for his work on the Gentle Giant film and a second-place award for his work on the TV series.[3] After the Gentle Ben series ended, Bruno made another well-received appearance in the 1972 John Huston-directed film The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean, starring Paul Newman.[4]

He is not related or otherwise connected to the earlier bear actor also named "Bruno the Bear" who appeared in several Mack Sennett comedies and similar comedy films, such as Her Week-End starring Gale Henry, during the 1910s and 1920s.[5]

  1. ^ TV Guide News, "Who Were the Stars of Gentle Ben?", TVGuide.com, November 15, 2005, accessed May 26, 2015.
  2. ^ UPI, "Gentle Ben," Independent Press-Telegram (Long Beach, Cal.), April 30, 1967, Tele Vues section, p. 9.
  3. ^ Beck, Ken, and Jim Clark. The Encyclopedia of TV Pets: A Complete History of Television's Greatest Animal Stars. Rutledge Hill Press, 2002, p. 90-92 & passim. ISBN 1-55853-981-6.
  4. ^ Mavis, Paul. "The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (Warner Archive)" (DVD review), Dvdtalk.com, September 6, 2012, accessed May 26, 2015.
  5. ^ Balducci, Anthony. The Funny Parts: A History of Film Comedy Routines and Gags. McFarland and Co., 2011, p. 48. ISBN 978-0-7864-6513-2.