R.I.P. Peter Graves
another star from my childhood
Fess Parker, who starred as Davy Crockett in "Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier," becoming a lifelong star to young Baby Boomers, has died of natural causes, according to reports. He was 85.
Parker also delighted young viewers with his performances in "Old Yeller" and "Daniel Boone." In more recent years, he attained a second stardom as a winery owner of the sprawling Doubletree resort along beachfront Santa Barbara, Calif., and the Wine Country Inn & Spa in Los Olivos, Calif.
He was hugely popular among kids in the late 1950s, starring in such Disney films as "The Great Locomotive Chase," "Westward Ho the Wagons!" and "The Light in the Forest." He was named a Disney legend in 1991.
His appeal peaked with the nationwide Davy Crockett craze as little tykes bought the coon-skinned caps and belted out the popular refrains of "Davy Crockett." He went on to star in other Disney creations centering on Crockett, including "Alias Jesse James" (1959), in which he appeared as Crockett. His casting by Walt Disney as Crockett was a bit of a fluke: Disney had requested to screen a sci-film film "Them!" which starred James Arness, whom Disney was considering for Crockett. Instead, Parker caught his eye in a bit role as a man frightened by an alien encounter. Arness, of course, went on to star as Matt Dillon in the popular TV series "Gunsmoke."
"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."
Before attaining stardom with "Crockett," Parker appeared in a string of Westerns and family films, beginning with "Springfield Rifle" (1952), in which he appeared with Gary Cooper and Lon Chaney. His athleticism and size -- he was 6-foot-5 -- won him the role of a baseball player in "The Kid From Left Field" (1953), his first notable role. During the early '50s, he worked in TV and films, unusually in Western-related story lines, including such movies as "Untamed Frontier," "Thunder Over the Plains" and "The Bounty Hunter." He also played in such fare on TV, including the "Annie Oakley" series.
Following his late-'50s stardom, Parker roles became less frequent, reaching their high point with his portrayal of Daniel Boone in the TV series, which ran from 1964-69. Following the series, Parker was embroiled in a drawn-out suit against the show's producer, who, Parker claimed, reneged on the profits-percentage agreements.
During the 1960s, he made several guest-star appearances on TV, including stints on such shows as "Dragnet," "Death Valley Days," "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour," "Destry," "Burke's Law" and "The Andy Williams Show."