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. Bruno, also called Ben or Gentle Ben (1962− c. 1981) was a male American black bear actor best known for playing the leading role of Ben the bear in the 1967-1969 CBS television series, ''Gentle Ben''.〔TV Guide News, ("Who Were the Stars of Gentle Ben?" ), TVGuide.com, Nov. 15, 2005, accessed May 26, 2015.〕 He also played the adult Ben in the feature film prequel to the TV series, ''Gentle Giant'' (1967).〔UPI, "Gentle Ben," ''Independent Press-Telegram'' (Long Beach, Cal.), Apr. 30, 1967, Tele Vues section, p. 9.〕 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.〔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.〕 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.〔Mavis, Paul. ("The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (Warner Archive)" (DVD review) ), Dvdtalk.com, Sept. 6, 2012, accessed May 26, 2015.〕 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.〔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.〕 ==Early life== Bruno was acquired by Ralph Helfer's Africa U.S.A. animal ranch sometime before 1965. Africa U.S.A., at that time located in Soledad Canyon near Saugus, California, provided trained animals to Hollywood for film and television work, including many Ivan Tors productions.〔Amory, Cleveland. ("Animal Kingdom, USA: Out in California flourishes a wild animal domain located just this side of Unbelievable." ) ''TV Guide'', Apr. 23, 1966, p. 4, archived online at daktaritvshow.wordpress.com, accessed May 26, 2015.〕 According to Ken Beck and Jim Clark, Bruno and a brother were orphaned in Wisconsin as cubs, and later acquired by Helfer from a private party.〔 It was reported during the ''Gentle Ben'' series run that Bruno (who at that point had been renamed "Ben" for the run of the show〔"'Gentle Giant' Star Changes Name For Marquee Lure", ''Daily Republican'' (Monongahela, Penn.), Feb. 16, 1968, p. 10.〕) had been "discovered" in White Lake, Wisconsin and that he was 6 years old in 1968, making his birth year 1962.〔Penton, Edgar. "'Gentle Ben' Is Believable Bear: CBS-TV Program Clicks", ''El Paso Herald-Post'', Feb. 24, 1968, Showtime section, p. 11.〕〔"Pair a Natural: Bear, Boy Pals Work For Series", ''Daily Courier'' (Connellsville, Penn.), Jan. 13, 1968, p. 13.〕 Ralph Helfer confirmed in 1970 that one of the bears who appeared in ''Gentle Ben'' was obtained from Ivan Walters' game farm in White Lake.〔("Pelky Dies; Had Raised Bear on 'Gentle Ben' Show," ) ''Milwaukee Journal'', Jan. 10, 1986, Part 2, p. 4.〕 Anthony "Tony" Pelky, owner of the Chain Lake Game Farm near Lakewood, Wisconsin, and his son claimed during Pelky's lifetime and in his 1986 obituaries that Pelky was the "man who raised Gentle Ben" from a cub. According to Tony Pelky, "Gentle Ben" and his two brothers were born near Lakewood in 1962. Shortly after their birth, their mother was killed by a hunter and the cubs were adopted and bottle-fed by the hunter's son. A local game warden took the cubs as wards of the state and offered one cub to Pelky. (According to the ''Milwaukee Journal'', the other two cubs were given to a game farm near Langlade, Wisconsin and eventually appeared on the Ivan Tors-produced TV series ''Daktari'', which was filmed primarily at Africa U.S.A. using its animals.) Pelky said that the cub, which he named "Smokey", was "the tamest bear he ever saw" although the bear had no training. Smokey, who eventually grew to an adult size of 650 pounds, would allow a man to put an arm in his mouth without biting and would back away from a dog rather than fight.〔Joslin, Jean T. ("Ben Was Gentle Smokey Before He Left Wisconsin," ) ''Milwaukee Journal'', Jan. 7, 1970, "Green Sheet" section, p. 1.〕 According to the Pelkys, Africa U.S.A. trainers heard about the bear, were impressed by his docile temperament and large size, and purchased him from Pelky for either $500 or $600.〔"Rub Elbows With Deer", ''The Post-Crescent'' (Appleton, Wisc.), Jul. 12, 1970, p. E-3.〕 The Pelkys said that they later recognized the bear shown in the opening theme sequence of ''Gentle Ben'', which was Bruno, as the bear they had sold.〔〔UPI, ("Original Owner of Gentle Ben Dies," ) Jan. 10, 1986, archived at www.upi.com/Archives, accessed May 25, 2015.〕 However, Pelky also said that the sale took place in 1968 whereas Bruno was reportedly acquired by Africa U.S.A. in 1962 and was living at the Africa U.S.A. ranch by 1965.〔〔 A 1967 interview with ''Gentle Ben'' actor Dennis Weaver refers to a bear named "Smokey" that "alternate() with Bruno as Gentle Ben" in the series.〔Stone, Judy. "Umm, That's a Real Bear Hug," ''The New York Times'', Sept. 17, 1967, p. D27.〕 After Bruno arrived at Africa U.S.A., he was declawed and his teeth were removed,〔Goodavage, Maria. ("Zoo Bear Once Was Stand-in For Television's 'Gentle Ben'," ) ''Sun-Sentinel'', June 10, 1985, available online at sun-sentinel.com, accessed May 29, 2015.〕〔UPI, "All You Need Is a Coke and Stout Heart", ''Redlands Daily Facts'', Dec. 31, 1965, p. 2.〕 and he was trained for acting work using Helfer's "affection training" system, a method which seeks to establish a bond between animal and trainer by the trainer giving affection and attention, rather than relying on physical punishment or food rewards.〔〔Woolery, George W. ''Children's Television: The First Thirty-Five Years, 1946-1981, Part II: Live, Film and Tape Series.'' Scarecrow Press, 1983, p. 193. ISBN 0810816512.〕〔Helfer, Ralph. ''The Beauty of the Beasts.'' Open Road Media, 2014 (originally published by Tarcher, 1990). ISBN 978-1-4976-4341-3.〕 Throughout his career, his weight (which may have fluctuated) was reported at different levels between 600 and 800 pounds, and his height has been variously stated as 7, 7 1/2. or just over 8 feet tall.〔〔〔〔〔〔Boyle, Hal. "'Gentle Ben' Star Promising Actress," ''Daily Chronicle'' (Centralia, Wash.), Mar. 15, 1968, Editorial section, p. 4.〕〔TV Acres staff, ("Grizzly & Wild Bears: Gentle Ben" ), TVAcres.com, accessed May 27, 2015.〕〔Molloy, Paul. "'Melting' Star Is Problem For 'Gentle Ben' Producer", ''San Antonio Express'', Oct. 15, 1967, TV magazine section, p. 13.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Bruno (bear actor)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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