6 Animal Film Stars With Tragic Histories

The muscular bear featured in one of Bond's biggest movies had a career that lived up to his mighty moniker. Sadly, following a string of noteworthy appearances, Hercules went down for the count when an on-set injury halted him in his track toward stardom.

Hercules and his married owners (Andy and Maggie Robin) were international celebrities during the seventies and eighties. The large actor was an entertaining partner for wrestler Andy, stood out in commercials for Kleenex and Hofmeister Beer, and landed the cover of Time magazine. His Octopussy scenes with the late Roger Moore gained him attention in the film industry but his disappearance garnered even more. The Scottish bear went missing while he was filming a Kleenex commercial in 1980 and was found twenty-four days later, tranquilized and returned to his owners in fine shape.

His second mishap on set had far greater consequences. While on location for the documentary Eyewitness Bear, a fall resulted in a slipped disc in his back. A veterinarian even suggested putting him to sleep. His crippled body meant the end of a profitable career and his health never fully recovered. He endured months of exercise therapy but lost the use of his legs.

Though his owners took excellent care of Hercules until his death in 2000, the speedy commencement of his career mirrors the short shelf life of thousands of human actors. He retired with a considerable fortune but one unfortunate day ended everything he worked for.