R.I.P. Fess

There have been quite a few celebrity deaths lately, but none have compelled me to create a post, especially such a large one like this.

The information below is for visitors to this site who know nothing of this American icon. Old farts such as myself will already know it.

Fess Parker

August 16, 1924 – March 18, 2010

From Wikipedia

Fess Elisha Parker, Jr. was an American film and television actor best known for his 1950s portrayals of Davy Crockett for Walt Disney and his late 1960s portrayals of Daniel Boone. He was also known as a wine maker and resort owner-operator.

Parker was born in Fort Worth, Texas, and grew up on a small farm outside San Angelo. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps at the end of World War II. He joined to become a pilot, but was turned down for being too tall (six feet, six inches) to fill such a position.

After being discharged, he was stabbed in the chin by a drunken driver during a post-collision argument. Parker required many months of rehabilitation, and was unable to participate in sports to the extent he desired.

Parker graduated from the University of Texas in 1950 with a history degree, and then moved to California, where he studied drama at the University of Southern California.

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From National Enquirer

The legendary Fess Parker, who starred on the TV series "Davy Crockett" and "Daniel Boone" in the 1950s and I960s has gone hunting in the Great Unknown.

The much-beloved thesp died today at his home in the Santa Ynez Valley, Calif. He was 85.

After a career as a journeyman actor appearing in such films as Them!, Parker made it big with Walt Disney starring in a series of hit shows for the fledgling Disney empire.

After Davy Crockett mania swept the nation the likes of which had never been seen, Walt realized they had killed the goose that laid the golden egg in the 2nd installment depicting Davy's death at the Alamo.

Disney quickly rushed a prequel into production of Davy battling and later teaming with Mike Fink and his band of riverboat cutthroats.

The nascent boomers bought anything with the Davy label leading to a shocking shortage of raccoons in the mid -1950s as their pelts became scarce as every kid in the US had to have a Davy Crockett coonskin cap.

Despite a long standing friendship with Disney, Parker went on to to do his own spin-off - one that he produced - as Daniel Boone which ran on NBC in the mid sixties and was a tremendous success - for this time Parker made sure he had a cut of the merchandising.

Parker ultimately left show business for a career in business and real estate in the 1970s.

He not only opened mobile home parks and a luxury hotel in California but also made "sweet moonshine' with the Fess Parker Winery.

Fess's other flicks include his debut in Springfield Rifle, No Room for the Groom , The Kid From Left Field , The Great Locomotive Chase, Westward Ho, the Wagons!, Old Yeller and The Light in the Forest.

Sadly, Fess died on the 84th birthday of his wife of 50 years, Marcella. "She's a wreck," a family member said, adding Parker was coherent and speaking with family just minutes before his death.

Funeral arrangements will be announced later.

The Ballad of Davy Crockett



When I was a kid, I so wanted one of those coonskin caps. They were expensive, so I had to settle for these.


Daniel Boone Theme Song



The tv show was ok, but for me it was a letdown from Davy Crockett, a true Texas hero. (even though he was from Tennessee) I remember some alternative (playground) lyrics to the theme song, but they're not fit to reprint in this blog. (and Boone was a "big man" in the altered lyics)