R.I.P. Fess Parker, TV's Davy Crockett & Daniel Boone

b.c.molin

b.c.molin

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For many of us who grew up watching him, Mr Parker made us aware of knives and guns and 'America's Wild Frontier.' Thank you.

"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 the Fort Worth native, who was also TV's Daniel Boone and later a major California winemaker and developer, died at his Santa Ynez Valley home.

Fess Elisha Parker Jr. was born Aug. 16, 1924, in Fort Worth – Mr. Parker loved to point out Crockett's birthday was Aug. 17.

Mr. Parker grew up in San Angelo and graduated from the University of Texas in 1950 with a degree in American history. The first installment of Davy Crockett, with Buddy Ebsen as Crockett's sidekick, debuted in December 1954 as part of the Disneyland TV show.

Mr. 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.

In 1957, Mr. Parker starred in Old Yeller, made by Disney.

Just as suddenly it had taken the country by storm, the craze subsided. Mr. Parker's career then leveled off before 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.

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

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcon...arkerob_19met.ART.State.Edition1.4be89a7.html
 
I was a huge fan of Davy Crockett when I was a kid; we watched the Disney episodes as well as the full-length films. I have fond memories of "Ol' Betsy" .....
I think every kid in America had a coonskin cap....

I never got into Daniel Boone as much, but I do remember the hatchet-throwing incident on the Johnny Carson show with Ed Ames..
 
Sadly, another of my childhood heroes passes on. I loved that show in the 50's, and, yes, I did have a coonskin hat.

Rest in peace, Mr. Parker.
 
Lord knows, I loved Fess Parker and The Davy Crockett movies and the Daniel Boone show. I'll never forget the night I went to the rodeo and touched Daniel Boone's hand as he rode around the rodeo ring.

This loss of one of my childhood heroes really hits me hard.

RIP, Fess Parker. You were loved and treasured many millions.
 
I was born in '58. When I was a kid, Disney still showed Davy Crockett every couple of years and the Daniel Boone series was a huge hit for me and my friends. Most of the boys in my neighborhood had toy Kentucky rifles and coon skin hats. I still have the rifle. We'd play in the woods all day pretending to be Boone and company.

Kids had real heroes they could look up to back then.

I plan to drink some of Parker's wine in his honor. ;)

Rest in peace, Fess.
 
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