Gentle Giant

Based on Walt Morey’s novel &NFi;Gentle Ben&NFi_; — also the title of the film’s television spinoff — this family drama set in the Florida Everglades follows the adventures of 7-year-old Mark Wedlow (Clint Howard) and his oversized pet, a grizzly bear named Ben. When poachers kill Ben’s mother, Mark befriends the cub, and it’s not long before the gentle giant becomes a part of his family. Dennis Weaver and Vera Miles star as Mark’s parents.