In a tale that defies all conventional wisdom, a Scottish couple chose an extraordinary path to parenthood, raising a colossal grizzly bear as their son for more than two decades. The story of Hercules, a 70-stone bear who enjoyed pints at the local pub and starred in a James Bond film, remains one of Britain's most remarkable animal legends.
An Unconventional Family Begins
Wrestler Andy Robin and his wife Maggie first encountered Hercules in 1974 when he was born into captivity at the Highland Wildlife Park in Kingussie. Upon learning the young bear faced being put down due to limited space, the couple from Sheriffmuir near Dunblane intervened. They paid £50 to adopt him, a decision that would forever alter their lives.
Bringing the cub home, they integrated him fully into domestic life. Hercules roamed their house freely, dined at the dinner table, and developed a particular fondness for spaghetti carbonara. He grew at an astonishing rate, reaching 30 stone in weight after just one year. Despite warnings from global experts that 'Herc' would inevitably turn on them, the trio formed a profoundly close, happy family unit.
From Pub Crawls to Hollywood Stardom
The couple's bond with Hercules was so deep that they sacrificed having human children to devote themselves to him. Their life together was far from ordinary. Hercules became a regular at their local pub, where he was known to enjoy pints of beer. "He was a happy drunk," Maggie told the MailOnline in 2015, noting he was always careful indoors.
Andy, dreaming big for his furry son, embarked on making him a star. They toured as a wrestling double act, and Hercules soon became the face of Kleenex. His fame skyrocketed in August 1980 during an advert shoot in the Outer Hebrides, when he swam across a lake and vanished. A massive search was called off after three days, but a distraught Andy continued alone. Hercules was found 24 days later, having lost 15 stone, as he was unused to hunting and disliked raw flesh.
This escapade fuelled his celebrity, leading to his casting in the 1983 James Bond film Octopussy alongside Roger Moore and a Channel 5 documentary titled Hercules the Human Bear.
A Peaceful End and Lasting Legacy
Hercules's career ended abruptly in 1997 when he suffered a slipped disc while filming a BBC documentary. Andy refused to give up, using their savings to build a swimming pool for hydrotherapy. For six months, Andy walked Hercules in the pool daily, successfully rehabilitating him. However, the following winter, the bear peacefully passed away just before hibernation at the age of 25, the normal life expectancy for his species.
Andy died six years ago at 84, but Maggie, now running a boutique in Auchterarder called Bear Necessities, keeps their story alive. A new play about Hercules ran from September to October this year, and a BBC2 documentary, Hercules the Bear: A Love Story, airs on Tuesday 29 December. Reflecting on their unique family, Maggie said their lives were greatly blessed by Hercules, a companion who could never be replaced but will always be remembered.
