Movie-Star Grizzly Bear Kills Trainer

Bear gave off no reasons for concern before trainer's death

4/23/08

BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif. (AP) â?? The grizzly bear that wrestled Will Ferrell's character in the recent film "Semi-Pro" seemed to obediently follow cues â?? which made its killing of its trainer with a bite to the neck all the more stunning.

Three experienced handlers were working with the grizzly Tuesday at the Predators in Action wild animal training center when the bear attacked Stephan Miller, 39, said San Bernardino County sheriff's spokeswoman Cindy Beavers.

Stephan Miller is the cousin of training center owner Randy Miller, she said.

Pepper spray was used to subdue and contain the bear, and there were no other injuries, Beavers said. Paramedics arriving shortly after the initial emergency call around 3 p.m. were unable to revive Stephan Miller.

The state Department of Fish and Game and Occupational Safety and Health Administration were investigating the incident.

Fish and game spokesman Harry Morse told the San Bernardino Sun Tuesday his department would not decide whether the bear will be euthanized because the attack occurred outside its jurisdiction during a training session on facility grounds.

Morse speculated that the county animal care officials may decide the bear's fate. A call placed early Wednesday to the county's Animal Care and Control Program was not answered.

Sheriff's Sgt. Dave Phelps said the bear was a 5-year-old male named Rocky. The Predators in Action Web site said Rocky is 7 1/2 feet tall and weighs 700 pounds.

The site, which was off-line early Wednesday due to overtaxed bandwidth, identified Rocky as the animal that appeared with Ferrell's character in the scene from "Semi-Pro." Randy Miller doubled for Ferrell in the bear wrestling match, according to the site.

Calls seeking comment from Randy Miller were not immediately returned Tuesday evening.

The center, located in the San Bernardino Mountains east of Los Angeles, has two grizzlies, and also trains lions, tigers, leopards, cougars and wolves for uses ranging from film and TV to advertising and education.

In a February interview, Randy Miller called Rocky "the best working bear in the business," the San Bernardino Sun reported on its Web site Wednesday. But, the paper quoted him as saying, "If one of these animals gets a hold of your throat, you're finished."

Randy Miller has 25 years of experience training animals and his facility has had a perfect safety record, according to the site.

Randy Miller won a World Stunt Academy Award for his work wrestling tigers in the 2000 blockbuster "Gladiator" and performed stunts with his animals in films like "The Postman," "The Island of Dr. Moreau," and "The Last Samurai." He also helped recreate animal attacks for National Geographic documentaries and the Discovery Channel.

It was not immediately known how long Rocky has been at the facility.

The attack prompted actress Virginia McKenna, founder of the international wildlife charity Born Free, to call for the entertainment industry to stop using wild animals.

"The movie industry urgently needs to use its technological and creative imagination to put an end to the use of live wild animals in commercials and movies," McKenna, who starred in the 1966 wildlife film "Born Free," said in a printed release.

"Hollywood is a dream factory â?? this time the dream has become a nightmare."

Denise Richards, who works with wild animals at Moonridge Zoo, a sanctuary for injured and homeless wildlife in nearby Big Bear Lake, said trained animals that turn on their handlers are often destroyed.

"You can train them and use as many safety precautions as you can, but you're still taking a chance if you're putting yourself in contact with them," Richards said. "It's still a wild animal. Even though it may appear that the bear attacked for no reason, there was a reason. I'm sure Randy understands why it happened. They're not cold-blooded killers."

Native grizzly bears are extinct in California.

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Originally Posted by Breukelen advocaat

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Denise Richards, who works with wild animals at Moonridge Zoo, a sanctuary for injured and homeless wildlife in nearby Big Bear Lake, said trained animals that turn on their handlers are often destroyed.

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haha, destroy...funny word for this instance.


I say if you are gonna play with fire, there is a chance you will get burnt. Don't take it out on the bear, but instead on the idiots/trainers who try to tame them. Bears arn't actors.

wow, thats fcked up. Kill an animal for acting on instict.
Besides we dont have the full story. There's a reason for everything

They haven't killed him yet, just saw it on that horse face Gretta's show.
That being said I am sure his agents are trying to cut him a deal, besides it's not like the bear cut the guys head off and rode around in a bronco, or shot his wife at a restaurant, it was pretty Innocent from what I heard. But it is in San Bern County not L.A., so he may not get away with it we'll see.
Ah well, fuck him. Survival of the fittest.
You know what sucks, this story in national news, not a mention of 2008 Cannabis Hemp Initiative here in Cali or that limp wrist-ed turd Barney Franks Bill to resched to level 2. But fuck "Bear Bites Man" is news! No fucking shit, a grizzly bear killed some guy, that's the craziest thing I never heard, sweet feathery Jesus!:mad:
Like the new avatar Brooklyn, had to switch mine back to my old favorite.

Big Bear Lake, that's funny. That's where Tito Ortiz trains, maybe the Grizzly's people can get with Zuffa Entertainment and get a Pay Per View going! Sweet can't wait to watch in online the next day!:thumbsup:

ok , i see ... dont mess with bears
especially huge grizzly bears ...
and if you do come across a huge grizzly bear
dont provoke it in a WWF style match
because that bear .. might watch wrestling :jointsmile: