Celebrity grizzly bear. Born in the Highland Wildlife Park, near Aviemore, but the park couldn't keep him and he was threatened with being euthanised. However, he was adopted by Perthshire-based wrestler Andy Robin (1935 - 2019) and his wife Maggie, and was accommodated in a compound in the garden of their home. Hercules grew into an 9-foot 70-stone adult, was trained to wrestle with Robin and became a much-loved member of his family, eating his meals with them and enjoying the occasional pint of beer.
Hercules made his wrestling debut on 26th August 1977, appearing with Robin at Perth Ice Rink.
In 1980, while filming on Benbecula in the Western Isles, Hercules managed to escape and went on the run for 24 days. A massive search effort failed but eventually he was spotted by a local crofter, re-captured and flown by helicopter back to his home. These adventures gained international media attention and Hercules became a global celebrity. It was remarkable that the bear had lost half its body weight rather than killing sheep, cattle, or any of the local wildlife and this endeared him all the more to the public and enhanced his celebrity status.
He was named Scotland's Showbusiness Personality of the Year in 1981 and went on to star as The Big Softie in Kleenex tissue adverts, appeared in the James Bond film Octopussy (1983), caddied for comedian Bob Hope at Gleneagles, met Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and even received a telegram from US President Ronald Reagan. Hercules spent two years in California, starring in a number of minor film roles, children's documentaries, and appearing on chat shows.
Hercules died of old age and was initially buried at the Robin's house at Sheriffmuir, but when they moved to a smaller property in 2015 was reburied in Langass Woodland on North Uist. Robin missed his friend immensely and when he died in 2019, he was buried alongside the bear.
