Fess Parker, TV's Davy Crockett, dies at 85

[kickingfrog]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/t...article1505319/

 

 

Fess Parker, TV's Davy Crockett, dies at 85

 

Fess Parker as Davy Crockett in an undated Disney photo. AP

Actor who launched a craze for coonskin caps was also TV's Daniel Boone and later a major California winemaker and developer

 

 

The Associated Press

Published on Friday, Mar. 19, 2010 12:26AM EDT

 

Last updated on Friday, Mar. 19, 2010 3:48AM EDT

 

 

.Fess Parker, a baby-boomer idol in the 1950s who launched a craze for coonskin caps as television's Davy Crockett, died Thursday of natural causes. He was 85.

 

Family spokeswoman Sao Anash said Parker, who was also TV's Daniel Boone and later a major California winemaker and developer, died at his Santa Ynez Valley home. His death came on the 84th birthday of his wife of 50 years, Marcella.

 

Parker was coherent and speaking with family just minutes before his death, said Anash. Funeral arrangements will be announced later.

 

“Fess Parker has been a role model and idol of mine since I first saw him on the big screen — he is a true Hollywood legend,” said California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in a statement. “As a talented actor and successful businessman, he was an inspirational Californian whose contributions to our state will be remembered forever.”

 

Former first lady Nancy Reagan said Parker was “a long-time friend to Ronnie and me ... He will be greatly missed.”

 

 

 

Paul Hiffmeyer/Disney/Getty Images

In December 2004, the 50th anniversary of his debut as TV's Davy Crockett, actor Fess Parker received the ultimate Disneyland honour when the Anaheim, Calif., park unveiled a tribute window.

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The first instalment of Davy Crockett, with Buddy Ebsen as Crockett's sidekick, debuted in December 1954 as part of the Disneyland TV show.

 

The 6-foot, 6-inch Parker was quickly embraced by youngsters as the man in a coonskin cap who stood for the spirit of the American frontier. Boomers gripped by the Crockett craze scooped up Davy lunch boxes, toy Old Betsy rifles, buckskin shirts and trademark fur caps. The Ballad of Davy Crockett (“Born on a mountaintop in Tennessee...”) was a No. 1 hit for singer Bill Hayes while Parker's own version reached No. 5.

 

The first three television episodes were turned into a theatrical film, Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier, in 1955.

 

True to history, Disney killed off its hero in the third episode, Davy Crockett at the Alamo, where the real-life Crockett died in 1836 at age 49. But spurred by popular demand, Disney brought back the Crockett character for some episodes in the 1955-56 season, including Davy Crockett's Keelboat Race.

 

“Like many kids growing up in the ‘50s, Davy Crockett was my first hero, and I had the coonskin cap to prove it,” said Disney CEO Bob Iger. “Fess Parker's unforgettable, exciting and admirable performance as this American icon has remained with me all these years, as it has for his millions of fans around the world. Fess is truly a Disney Legend, as is the heroic character he portrayed, and while he will certainly be missed, he will never be forgotten.”

 

Parker's career levelled off when the Crockett craze died down, but he made a TV comeback from 1964-1970 in the title role of the TV adventure series Daniel Boone — also based on a real-life American frontiersman. Actor-singer Ed Ames, formerly of the Ames Brothers, played Boone's Indian friend, Mingo.

 

After Daniel Boone, Parker largely retired from show business, except for guest appearances, and went into real estate.

 

“I left the business after 22 years,” Parker told The Associated Press in 2001. “It was time to leave Hollywood. I came along at a time when I'm starting out with Gary Cooper, John Wayne, Sterling Hayden and Gregory Peck.”

 

“Who needed a guy running around in a coonskin cap?” he said.

 

Parker had made his motion picture debut in Springfield Rifle in 1952. His other movies included No Room for the Groom (1952), The Kid From Left Field (1953), Them! (1954), The Great Locomotive Chase (1956), Westward Ho, the Wagons! (1956), Old Yeller (1957) and The Light in the Forest (1958).

 

Several of Parker's films, including The Great Locomotive Chase and Old Yeller, came from the Disney studio.

 

It was Parker’s scene as the pilot who claimed his plane was buzzed by giant flying ants in the horror classic Them! that caught the attention of Walt Disney when he was looking for a Davy Crockett star. He chose Parker over another Them! actor, James Arness — who became a TV superstar in the long-running Gunsmoke.

 

After departing Hollywood, Parker got into real estate with his wife, Marcella, whom he had married in 1960.

 

He bought and sold property, built hotels (including the elegant Fess Parker's Wine Country Inn & Spa in Los Olivos and Fess Parker's Doubletree Resort Santa Barbara) and grew wine grapes on a 2,200-acre vineyard on California's Central Coast, where he was dubbed King of the Wine Frontier and coonskin caps enjoyed brisk sales.

 

After its inaugural harvest in 1989, Parker's vineyard won dozens of medals and awards. The Parkers' son, Eli, became director of winemaking and their daughter, Ashley, also worked at the winery.

 

Parker was a long-time friend of Ronald Reagan, whose Western White House was not far from the Parker vineyards. Reagan sent Parker to Australia in 1985 to represent him during an event, and when Parker returned he was asked by White House aide Michael Deaver if he was interested in being ambassador to that country.

 

“In the end, I decided I'd better take myself out of it. But I was flattered,” Parker said.

 

Parker also once considered a U.S. Senate bid, challenging Alan Cranston. But Nevada Sen. Paul Laxalt said it would be a rough campaign, and a key dissenter lived under the same roof.

 

“My wife was not in favour,” Parker said. “I'm so happy with what evolved.”

 

Fess Elisha Parker Jr. was born Aug. 16, 1924, in Fort Worth, Texas — Parker loved to point out Crockett's birthday was Aug. 17. He played football at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene but was injured in a nearly fatal road-rage knifing in 1946.

 

“There went my football career,” Parker had said.

 

He later earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas.

 

Parker was discovered by actor Adolphe Menjou, who was Oscar-nominated for The Front Page in 1931 and who was a guest artist at the University of Texas. Menjou urged him to go to Hollywood and introduced Parker to his agent.

[bow slayer]

my brother and I use to watch Daniel Boone everyday in the 70s after school on reruns. He had his coone skin hat and probably still does. RIP Fess.

Edited March 19, 2010 by bowslayer

[lew]

I was one of the origianal baby boomer kids and very vividly remember watching the old Davy Crockett show on our 8" TV. I was also one of about a gazillion kids running around the neighborhood wearing the buckskin coat and coontail hat

 

Good times back then !!!!

[JohnF]

I had a raft on the Thames when Crocket was kicking Mike Fink's evil butt so of course I always poled my raft. I had the rhythm all worked out for walking the length of it while pushing. It was all good except for when the damned pole stuck in the mud. Frontierland was always my favourite part of Disney World.

 

JF

[Roy]

One of my childhood heroes as well. Back then, bears were nervous and raccoons were nekkid. His was a lifestyle I would have enjoyed. Well, everything except being born on a tabletop in Tennessee of course. That would have sucked.....

[bigugli]

Had the coonskin cap. Loved watching Fess. Have the video set of the shows.

 

He was one of those reluctant hero rolemodels that were such a big part of the frontier legend. As kids we loved going out to shoot coons and, with the adults, hunt "barr". Dougt I could grin a "barr' to death like Davey

Edited March 19, 2010 by bigugli

[backbay]

Had the coonskin cap. Loved watching Fess. Have the video set of the shows.

 

He was one of those reluctant hero rolemodels that were such a big part of the frontier legend. As kids we loved going out to shoot coons and, with the adults, hunt "barr". Dougt I could grin a "barr' to death like Davey

haha, I had completely forgotten about "Barrs"

Davey Crockett, Bonanza, and the Forest Rangers were my tv staples many moons ago.....