Fess Parker, who played Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone on TV, dies at 85

[Zomby Woof]

Fess Parker, whose star-making portrayal of frontiersman Davy Crockett on television in the mid-1950s made him a hero to millions of young baby boomers and spurred a nationwide run on coonskin caps, died Thursday. He was 85.

Parker, who played another pioneer American hero on television's "Daniel Boone" in the 1960s before retiring from acting a decade later and becoming a successful Santa Barbara hotel developer and Santa Ynez Valley winery owner, died of complications from old age at his home near the winery, family spokeswoman Sao Anash said.

Parker was a struggling 29-year-old actor in 1954, with rugged, boyish good looks and a soft Texas drawl, when Walt Disney was looking for someone to play the lead in a three-part saga about Crockett. The three hourlong shows were scheduled to air during the premiere season of Disney's weekly "Disneyland" TV show, which began on ABC that fall.

James Arness was one of the many actors considered for the role. But although Disney watched Arness during a screening of the science-fiction thriller "Them!" another young actor in a small part caught his eye: the 6-foot-6 Parker.


More:
http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-fess-parker19-2010mar19,0,3352776.story

[ColesCountyDem]

1. May he rest in peace. n/t

[Mari333]

2. 'killed him a B'ar when he was only 3'

Good Journey sir.

[eleny]

3. So many good memories sitting in front of the tv

RIP

[tonysam]

4. Yet another childhood icon is dead. They are dropping off

like flies.

[hlthe2b]

17. Yes.... I feel like the old folks of my youth, reading the obits each day

Even though I don't feel THAT old.... I sure have "known" a lot of those famous folks who have died lately.

[Ozymanithrax]

5. I have fond memories of those two series, and the Wodnerful World of Color...

where I saw him.

I used to have a coonskin hat.

Damn, I'm getting old.

[El Supremo]

6. The King of the Wild Frontier!

Bad news. One of my childhood heroes.

[Catshrink]

26. Daniel Boone was a man

Daniel Boone was a man,
Yes, a big man!
With an eye like an eagle
And as tall as a mountain was he!

Daniel Boone was a man,
Yes, a big man!
He was brave, he was fearless
And as tough as a mighty oak tree!

From the coonskin cap on the top of ol' Dan
To the heel of his rawhide shoe;
The rippin'est, roarin'est, fightin'est man
The frontier ever knew!

Daniel Boone was a man,
Yes, a big man!
And he fought for America
To make all Americans free!

What a Boone! What a doer!
What a dream come-er-true-er was he!

Daniel Boone was a man!
Yes, a big man!
With a whoop and a holler
he c'd mow down a forest of trees!

Daniel Boone was a man!
Yes, a big man!
If he frowned at a river
In July all the water would freeze!

But a peaceable, pioneer fella was Dan
When he smiled all the ice would thaw!
The singin'est, laughin'est, happiest man
The frontier ever saw!

Daniel Boone was a man!
Yes, a big man!
With a dream of a country that'd
Always forever be free!

What a Boone! What a do-er!
What a dream-come-er-true-er was he!

If you're feeling nostalgic and want to hear it:

http://www.danielboonetv.com/index.php?page=theme_song_lyrics

[lpbk2713]

7. Looks like they really do go in 'threes'.

Merlin Olsen, Peter Graves and now Fess Parker.


RIP all.

[Zomby Woof]

9. ...and Granny D

I would say death is more or less a constant.

[maddezmom]

8. RIP

he also had a great winery. :(

[Zomby Woof]

10. Yes

My wife has a set of wine glasses from there. I have never had his wine, but she says it is good.

[lpbk2713]

13. Not to derail the thread, but ...

I heard the Smothers Brothers have a vineyard. Ever tried their wine?

[Zomby Woof]

16. No, I haven't

I didn't know they had a winery. I wonder which wine mom likes best. :-)

[awoke_in_2003]

30. thanks for the chuckle

:hi:

[kskiska]

31. They've just filed for bankruptcy and Tom may retire

Don't know what's up at the winery, but…

Smothers Brothers calling it quits?
In court papers, Dick Smothers says Tom is retiring

Dick and Tom -- have one of the most enduring relationships in show business history.

ut if a filing included in Dick Smothers' Chapter 11 bankruptcy is correct, the comedic brothers may soon put an end to their nearly 50-year comedy act.

Dick Smothers "has no stable source of income at the present as his brother, the other half of his comedy act, is contemplating a complete cessation of his entertainment work, and bookings for future shows are inconsistent," Sarasota bankruptcy attorney John Cole Jr. wrote in a Monday filing on behalf of his client.

The new filing helps to explain why Smothers, who made $45,300 per month in the past from his Smothers Brothers comedy shows in concert halls across the country, said that he expected to see his income fall to $7,400 per month in the future.

A message left for the Smothers Brothers at their California headquarters was not returned.

more…
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20100224/ARTICLE/2241053/2416/NEWS?Title=Smothers-Brothers-calling-it-quits-

[lpbk2713]

34. Thanks for the update.

They just made a recent appearance near me a few days ago. Link: http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/mar/12/smothers-brothers-and-more-tap-today-strawberry-fe/


Sorry to hear about Tommy's bad luck.

[sharp_stick]

11. That he did

the wine there is truly tasty stuff. Fortunately he built it up well and it should continue

[maddezmom]

33. hope so, it's become a family tradition for big events

:)

[DrDan]

12. how sad . . . Rest in Peace

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

14. Them!

I just watched that last week on some late night channel.. and had forgotten Fess Parker was in it.
He was great for the few minutes he was on screen. Disney chose correctly.

Of course then so did James "Matt Dillon" Arness!

RIP, Fess... you're one of my fondest childhood memories....

[KansDem]

32. The irony is that James Arness is the brother of Peter Graves

...who just died a few days ago. :(

[Deep13]

15. King of the wild frontier.

I watched his show as a little kid at the beginning of the 1970s.

[era veteran]

18. There was a great painting of him as Dan'l Boone

Was in the old Saratoga Restaurant in Lexington. He had autographed it. RIP

[Xolodno]

19. That sucks....

The wine club BBQ and release is going to be less festive. He wrote a letter in the last wine club updating everyone on his health....seemed to be upbeat.

And yes, their wines are awesome.

[old mark]

20. NOW I'm feeling old.....Thanks, Fess - great memories of early TV....nt

[Liberal_Dog]

21. This Is Very Sad News

The "Davy Crockett" shows were among the first things that I remember watching.

RIP Fess Parker and Thanks You for some great memories.

[madrchsod]

22. he was one of my heroes.....

dam i`m getting old......:cry:

[frazzled]

23. He had a pretty nice winery, too

I haven't drunk any of his wines in a long time, but we used to, back in the '90s.

Bye, Fess. I used to watch Davy Crockett a lot when I was a girl.

[proteus_lives]

24. I loved that show.

RIP Mr. Parker.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

25. ...was a man, yes a biiiiiiiiiiiiiiig man.

There, now you have an earworm. No need to thank me.

[Catshrink]

27. Here is a link to the song:

http://www.danielboonetv.com/index.php?page=theme_song_lyrics

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

29. I watched that show when I was four. I didn't understand jack shit. But I liked the song.

And that trick with the axe. That was awesome. Almost as awesome, in my view, as the "fade into comics" effect in Wild Wild West.

[MuseRider]

28. I loved Fess Parker/ Davy Crockett!

Only one I loved as much as Lloyd Bridges in Sea Hunt (da da daaaaaah). And then there was Daniel Boone. Oh so sad to see them all go.

[laststeamtrain]

35. "Killed in a bar when he was only three." - King of the Wild Frontier.

Born on a mountain top in Tennessee,
Greenest state in the land of the free.
Raised in the woods so's he knew every tree,
Killed in a bar when he was only three.

Davy, Davy Crockett King of the Wild Frontier.

[spanone]

36. killed him a bear when he was only three....davy, davy crockett

i grew up on davy crockett & daniel boone

R I P