Fess Parker facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Fess Parker
Parker in 1968
Born	(1924-08-16)August 16, 1924 Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.
Died	March 18, 2010(2010-03-18) (aged 85) Santa Ynez, California, U.S.
Resting place	Santa Barbara Cemetery
Alma mater	Hardin-Simmons University University of Texas (BA) University of Southern California (MA)
Occupation	Actor singer winemaker resort owner-operator
Years active	1950–2007
Known for	Playing Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone Jim Coates in Old Yeller
Television	Daniel Boone Davy Crockett
Spouse(s)	Marcella Belle Rinehart ​ (m. 1960)​
Children	2

Fess Elisha Parker Jr. (born F. E. Parker Jr.; August 16, 1924 – March 18, 2010) was an American actor. He was famous for playing two important historical figures. These were Davy Crockett in the Walt Disney TV series and Daniel Boone in another long-running TV show. Besides acting, he also owned a winery and a resort.

Early Life and Education

Fess Parker was born in Fort Worth, Texas. He grew up on a farm in Tom Green County. His father was a tax assessor. Fess Parker Jr. later changed his name to Fess Elisha Parker Jr. He picked "Elisha" because he liked how it sounded.

During World War II, he joined the United States Navy. He wanted to be a pilot, but he was too tall. He then tried to be a radioman gunner, but he was too big for the cockpit. Finally, he became a radio operator in the United States Marine Corps. He was sent to the South Pacific just before the war ended.

After the war, in 1946, he went to Hardin–Simmons University in Abilene. He later moved to the University of Texas in 1947. He studied history and was very active in drama. He graduated in 1950 with a history degree. He then studied drama at the University of Southern California.

Acting Career Highlights

Parker started his acting career in 1951. He had a small job as an extra in a play. Soon after, he got a minor part in a film called Untamed Frontier. He then signed a contract with Warner Bros.. He appeared in small roles in several movies.

In 1954, he played Grat Dalton in the TV series Stories of the Century. He also appeared in Death Valley Days. In one episode, he played a cowboy marshal. In another, he was a reverend trying to bring peace to a wild town.

Becoming Davy Crockett

Fess Parker as Davy Crockett addresses the city of Philadelphia in the Walt Disney television miniseries

With Sandra Warner in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Walt Disney was looking for an actor to play Davy Crockett. James Arness was first considered for the role. Fess Parker had a small part in a science fiction film called Them!. In this movie, he played a pilot who claimed his plane was downed by giant insects.

Walt Disney saw Parker in Them! and was very impressed. He liked how Parker played a man who believed what he saw, even when others didn't. Disney asked Parker to visit his studio. Parker brought his guitar, sang a song, and left. A few weeks later, he learned he got the part. He was chosen over Arness and Buddy Ebsen. Ebsen later played Crockett's friend, Georgie Russell.

Disney's Davy Crockett was a three-episode TV series. It showed Crockett's adventures as a frontiersman and a hero at the Alamo. This series was a huge hit! It made coonskin caps and other Crockett items very popular.

After Davy Crockett, Parker became a star for Disney. He appeared in movies like The Great Locomotive Chase, Westward Ho, the Wagons!, and Old Yeller. However, he felt he was always playing the same type of character. Disney didn't want him to take roles outside this image. Parker was unhappy and eventually left Disney.

After Disney Films

After leaving Disney, Parker appeared on many TV shows. He also sang and wrote songs. He had a role in the Western series Annie Oakley.

From 1958 to 1962, Parker worked for Paramount Pictures. He had small roles in movies like Alias Jesse James and Hell Is for Heroes with Steve McQueen.

In 1962, he starred in the TV series Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. He played a character similar to the one James Stewart played in the 1939 film. In 1963, Parker performed in the musical Oklahoma!. In 1966, he starred in the movie Smoky. He played a cowboy who befriends a wild black stallion.

Playing Daniel Boone

Fess Parker as Daniel Boone with Brock Peters

Parker's TV series Daniel Boone started in 1964. This show was about another famous American frontiersman. It ran for six years, from 1964 to 1970. It was one of the most popular shows at the time. Parker was not only the star but also a co-producer and director for some episodes.

After Daniel Boone, Parker decided to retire from acting. He was 49 years old. He had a TV show pilot called The Fess Parker Show in 1974, but it was not picked up by a network.

Awards and Recognition

In 1954, Fess Parker was nominated for a new personality Emmy Award. He did not win, and his show Daniel Boone was never nominated.

In 1991, he was honored as a Disney Legend. This award recognizes people who have made important contributions to The Walt Disney Company.

In 2003, Parker received the "Texas Medal of Arts Award." This award celebrates artists from Texas.

In December 2004, Disneyland honored Parker. They placed a special tribute window with his name in the Frontierland section of the park.

Business Ventures

Parker once thought about opening a Davy Crockett-themed amusement park. He bought land in Kentucky for a park called "Frontier Worlds." However, another park, Kings Island, was being built nearby. Because of this, Parker could not get enough money for his park.

Fess Parker Winery

The Fess Parker Winery in Los Olivos, California

Fess Parker in 1985

After his acting career, Parker focused on his Fess Parker Family Winery and Vineyards. It is located in Los Olivos, California. His family still owns and runs the winery today. They have made many award-winning wines. His son, Eli, manages the winemaking. His daughter, Ashley, handles marketing and sales.

The Parker winery has over 1,500 acres of vineyards. It also has a tasting room for visitors. The winery is known for selling coonskin caps, like the one Davy Crockett wore. The winery was also featured in the movie Sideways. Parker's wine labels have a golden coonskin cap logo, a nod to his famous roles.

Politics

In 1985, Parker thought about running for the United States Senate. He was a Republican and considered himself a conservative. He decided not to run.

Personal Life and Legacy

Fess Parker married Marcella Belle Rinehart on January 18, 1960. They had two children, Fess Elisha Parker III and Ashley Allen Rinehart. They also had 11 grandchildren and a great-grandson.

Fess Parker passed away on March 18, 2010, at his home in Santa Ynez. He is buried in the Santa Barbara Cemetery. His headstone is simple, with a coonskin hat carved below his name.

The handprints of Fess Parker in front of Hollywood Hills Amphitheater at Walt Disney World's Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park

Film and Television Roles

Parker as Daniel Boone

George Sanders with Parker as Boone (1966)

Television Series

• Davy Crockett (miniseries 1954–1955)
• Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1962–1963)
• Daniel Boone (lead cast member from 1964–1970)
• Oz and James's Big Wine Adventure (2007) (as himself)

See also

In Spanish: Fess Parker para niños

• List of celebrities who own wineries and vineyards