Fess Parker - wikipedia Fess Parker Fess Parker Parker in 1968 Fess Elisha Parker Jr. ( 1924 - 08 - 16 ) August 16, 1924 Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. March 18, 2010 ( 2010 - 03 - 18 ) ( aged 85 ) Santa Ynez, California, U.S. Resting place Santa Barbara Cemetery, Santa Barbara, California Alma mater University of Texas Hardin - Simmons University University of Southern California Occupation Actor Singer Winemaker Resort owner - operator Years active 1950 -- 2007 Known for Playing Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone Jim Coates in Old Yeller Home town San Angelo, Texas Television Daniel Boone Davy Crockett Spouse ( s ) Marcella Belle Rinehart ( m. 1960 -- 2010 ; his death ) Children Website www.fessparker.com Fess Elisha Parker Jr. ( born F.E. Parker ; August 16, 1924 -- March 18, 2010 ) was an American film and television actor best known for his portrayals of Davy Crockett in the Walt Disney 1955 -- 1956 TV miniseries and as Daniel Boone in a television series from 1964 to 1970. He was also known for being a winemaker and resort owner - operator. Contents 1 Early years 2 Career 2.1 Davy Crockett 3 After Walt Disney 3.1 Daniel Boone 3.2 Awards 4 Fess Parker Winery 5 Politics 6 Personal life 7 Death 8 Filmography 8.1 Television 9 See also 10 References 11 External links Early years Parker was born in Fort Worth, Texas, and raised on a farm in Tom Green County near San Angelo. His father, a tax assessor, had the same first name which had been given to him in honor of the educator and politician Simeon D. Fess. The middle name `` Elisha '' was chosen by the future actor himself, when he was a teenager ( around 1937 ), because it sounded rhythmic and matched his middle initial. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in the latter part of World War II, hoping to become a pilot. He was turned down because he was too tall at 6 feet 6 inches ( 1.98 m ). He then tried to become a radioman gunner, but he was found too big to fit comfortably into the rear cockpit. He was finally transferred to the Marine Corps as a radio operator and shipped out for the South Pacific shortly before the atom bomb ended the war. Discharged in 1946, he enrolled at Hardin -- Simmons University on the GI Bill. After an automobile collision, he was stabbed in the neck by the other driver during an argument. He was an active member of the H - SU Players Club and transferred to the University of Texas in 1947 as a history major and continued to be active in drama. Parker graduated from UT in 1950 with a degree in history. He had been initiated into the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. Having one year remaining on his GI Bill, he studied drama at the University of Southern California, where he studied for a master 's degree in theater history. Career Parker began his show - business career in summer 1951 when he had a $32 - a-week job as an extra in the play Mister Roberts, although he is credited with the voice of Leslie, the chauffeur, in the 1950 film Harvey. Within months, he was on location with a minor part in Untamed Frontier with Joseph Cotten and Shelley Winters. Parker became a contract player with Warner Bros., appearing in small roles in several films such as Springfield Rifle ( 1952 ), Island in the Sky, The Bounty Hunter and Battle Cry. In 1954, he appeared as Grat Dalton in the Jim Davis syndicated Western anthology series Stories of the Century in the episode `` The Dalton Brothers ''. Davy Crockett Main article : Davy Crockett ( TV miniseries ) 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 According to Parker himself, when the Walt Disney Company was seeking an actor to play Davy Crockett, James Arness, later cast as Marshal Matt Dillon on CBS 's Gunsmoke, was first considered for the title role. Parker had recently graduated to being a contract weekly actor, but listened to his agent and appeared in a Warner Bros. science fiction film about giant ants called Them !, which required only one day 's work. He had a small scene as a pilot put into an insane asylum after claiming his plane had been downed by giant flying insects. Arness appeared in a larger role in the same film. During the screening of this film, Walt Disney looked past Arness and discovered Parker. Disney was impressed by Parker 's portrayal of a man who was unswerving in his belief in what he saw despite the forces of authority against him. Parker was asked to drop by the Disney Studio. When he did, he brought his guitar, met Disney, sang a song, and then said goodbye. Several weeks later, Parker was informed that he had been selected over Arness and several others for the role, including Buddy Ebsen, who eventually played Crockett 's sidekick, George Russell. Disney 's three - episode version of Crockett depicted his exploits as a frontiersman, congressman, and tragic hero of the Alamo. The episodes have been called the first television miniseries, though the term had not yet been coined. Davy Crockett ( 1954 -- 55 ) was a tremendous hit and led to a merchandising frenzy for coonskin caps and all things Crockett. Parker became a contract star for Disney and appeared in The Great Locomotive Chase, Westward Ho, the Wagons !, Old Yeller, and The Light in the Forest. He complained that they were all basically the same role. Disney refused to lend Parker for roles outside that persona, such as Jeffrey Hunter 's role opposite John Wayne in The Searchers and Marilyn Monroe 's leading man in Bus Stop. Parker was dissatisfied with Disney 's proposal to only use him in a small role in Tonka. He was put on suspension for refusing the role, and subsequently left Disney. After Walt Disney Parker made guest appearances on many television programs, and composed and sang. He performed the occasional role of Tom Conrad, editor of the Diablo Courier in the syndicated western series, Annie Oakley ( 1954 -- 1957 ), starring Gail Davis, Brad Johnson, and Jimmy Hawkins. Parker was contracted to Paramount Pictures from 1958 to 1962. He appeared in a small assortment of Paramount movies, including a cameo as an unnamed frontiersman in Bob Hope 's Western comedy Alias Jesse James and supporting roles in The Hangman ( 1959 ) with Robert Taylor, The Jayhawkers ! ( 1959 ) with Jeff Chandler, and Hell Is for Heroes ( 1962 ) with Steve McQueen. In 1962, he starred in the title role of the TV series Mr Smith Goes to Washington, portraying the same idealistic character that James Stewart had played in the 1939 film. Parker took to the stage in 1963, in a traveling production of Oklahoma ! as Curly. The movie roles he sought were elusive. In 1966, Parker starred in the movie Smoky, directed by George Sherman where he played the role of Clint Barkley, who finds a black stallion named Smoky a wild stallion who eventually becomes a wonderful cutting horse and the best friend an old cowboy could ever want. Daniel Boone Main article : Daniel Boone ( 1964 TV series ) Fess Parker as Daniel Boone with Brock Peters Parker 's Daniel Boone television series portraying another historic figure of America 's frontier days began filming in 1964. Over its six years ( 1964 to 1970 ) as one of the highest - rated shows of its time, Parker was not only the star of the series, but also the co-producer and director of five of its most popular episodes. Parker became interested in opening a Davy Crockett - themed amusement park. In the late 1960s, he optioned land in northern Kentucky at the confluence of Interstates 71 and 75, with the intention of building Frontier World. However, when the Taft Broadcasting Company of Cincinnati, Ohio, began building Kings Island Amusement Park in nearby Mason, Ohio, less than a 2 - hour drive from Parker 's site, financing for Parker 's venture dried up. Turning down the title role of McCloud, Parker retired from acting at the age of 49 after a sitcom pilot called The Fess Parker Show was broadcast on March 28, 1974, but was not subsequently picked up by the network. Awards Fess Parker was nominated for best new personality Emmy in 1954, but lost to George Gobel. He was never nominated again, nor was his show Daniel Boone. In 1991, he was named a Disney Legend. In 2003, Parker received the Texas Cultural Trust 's `` Texas Medal of Arts Award '', established only the year before. For his work with Disney, Parker was honored in December 2004 with his own tribute window on a façade in the Frontierland section of Disneyland. Fess Parker Winery The Fess Parker Winery in Los Olivos, California Fess Parker in 1985 After his acting career, Parker devoted much of his time to operating his Fess Parker Family Winery and Vineyards in Los Olivos, California. The winery is owned and operated by Parker 's family, and has produced several different types of award - winning wines. Parker 's son, Eli, is President and Director of Winemaking and Vineyard Operations, while daughter, Ashley, is Vice President of Marketing and Sales. The Parker operation includes over 1,500 acres ( 610 ha ) of vineyards, and a tasting room and visitor center along the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail. In addition to wine, the winery is known for selling coonskin caps and bottle toppers inspired by Parker 's Crockett and Boone characters, and for its appearance under another name in the movie Sideways. In reminiscence of his acting days, Parker 's wine labels have a logo of a golden coonskin cap. The Fess Parker Winery is one of the wineries along the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail. Politics In 1985, Parker briefly flirted with running for the US Senate as a Republican for the seat of incumbent Democrat Alan Cranston. He considered himself a conservative in the mold of Ronald Reagan. Personal life Parker married Marcella Belle Rinehart on January 18, 1960. They had two children, Fess Elisha Parker III and Ashley Allen Rinehart, along with 11 grandchildren and a great - grandson. Death Parker died of natural causes on March 18, 2010, at his home in Santa Ynez, California, near the Fess Parker Winery. The handprints of Fess Parker in front of Hollywood Hills Amphitheater at Walt Disney World 's Disney 's Hollywood Studios theme park Filmography Parker as Daniel Boone George Sanders with Parker as Boone ( 1966 ) Year Title Role Notes 1950 Harvey Leslie ( voice, uncredited ) 1952 No Room for the Groom Cousin Ben uncredited Untamed Frontier Clem McCloud Springfield Rifle Jim Randolph uncredited 1953 Man on a Tightrope Checkpoint Soldier uncredited Take Me to Town Long John uncredited The Kid from Left Field McDougal Island in the Sky Fitch 's Co-Pilot uncredited Thunder Over the Plains Kirby 1954 Dragonfly Squadron Texas Lieutenant uncredited Them ! Alan Crotty The Bounty Hunter Wild Cowboy at Finale uncredited 1955 Battle Cry Pvt. Speedy Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier Davy Crockett 1956 The Great Locomotive Chase James J. Andrews Davy Crockett and the River Pirates Davy Crockett Westward Ho, The Wagons ! John ' Doc ' Grayson 1957 Old Yeller Jim Coates 1958 The Light in the Forest Del Hardy 1959 The Hangman Sheriff Buck Weston Alias Jesse James Davy Crockett uncredited The Jayhawkers ! Cam Bleeker 1962 Hell Is for Heroes Sgt. Pike 1966 Daniel Boone : Frontier Trail Rider Daniel Boone Smoky Clint Barkley 1972 Climb an Angry Mountain Sheriff Elisha Cooper - Television Dragnet : The Big Winchester `` Annie Oakley : ( May 8th, 1954 ), Annie and the Texas Sandman '' Death Valley Days : ( 1954 ) Season 2, Ep 15, Kickapoo Run Davy Crockett ( miniseries 1954 -- 1955 ) City Detective ( 1 episode, 1955 ) Mr. Smith Goes to Washington ( 1962 -- 1963 ) Alfred Hitchcock Hour `` Nothing Ever Happens in Linvale, '' as Sheriff Ben Wister ( 1963 ) Daniel Boone ( lead cast member from 1964 -- 1970, with Ed Ames, Patricia Blair, Darby Hinton, and Veronica Cartwright ) Climb an Angry Mountain ( 1972 ) The Fess Parker Show ( 1974 ) ( unsold pilot ) Oz and James 's Big Wine Adventure ( 2007 ) ( as himself, discussing wine making ) See also Biography portal Film portal Television portal List of celebrities who own wineries and vineyards References ^ Jump up to : Weaver, Tom. Sci - Fi Swarm and Horror Horde : Interviews with 62 Filmmakers, p. 148 ( McFarland 2012 ). ^ Jump up to : ( March 18, 2010 ) Daniel Boone Actor Fess Parker Dies at 85 '' CBS News Accessed March 18, 2010 Jump up ^ Obituary London Guardian, March 19, 2010. Jump up ^ Obituary London Independent, March 25, 2010. Jump up ^ `` Disney Legends Award : Fess Parker - 1991 '' Disney.com Jump up ^ `` Davy Crockett actor Fess Parker dies, aged 85 ''. BBC. 19 March 2010. Jump up ^ Duke, Alan ( March 18, 2010 ). `` ' Daniel Boone ' star Fess Parker dies ''. CNN. ^ Jump up to : Seale, Avrel ( July -- August 2003 ). `` Playing the Hero ''. The Alcalde. University of Texas. 91 ( 6 ) : 34 -- 37. Retrieved 19 March 2010. ^ Jump up to : McLellan, Dennis ( March 18, 2010 ). `` Fess Parker, who played Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone on TV, dies at 85 ''. The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 18, 2010. ^ Jump up to : Richard Severo ( March 19, 2010 ) `` Fess Parker, Who as Davy Crockett Set Off Coonskin Cap Craze, Dies at 85 '', New York Times Accessed March 19, 2010 Jump up ^ Fess Parker Interview Playset Magazine # 34 Jump up ^ http://www.michaelbarrier.com/Interviews/Parker/interview_fess_parker.htm Jump up ^ `` Annie Oakley ''. tvacres.com. Archived from the original on February 4, 2013. Retrieved January 11, 2010. ^ Jump up to : Official Website Biography Page Accessed March 18, 2010 Jump up ^ Tom O'Neil ( March 18, 2010 ) `` Fess Parker had that cool coonskin cap -- who needs an Emmy ? '', Los Angeles Times, Accessed March 19, 2010 Jump up ^ Associated Press ( 7 February 2003 ). `` Talented Texans to be Honored ''. The Houston Chronicle. p. 2. Retrieved 2008 - 01 - 22. Jump up ^ ( March 18, 2003 ) `` 2003 Texas Medal of Arts Award Winners to Be Celebrated Tuesday, March 25 '' PRNewswire, Accessed March 19, 2010 Jump up ^ Heather Hust Rivera ( December 18th, 2009 ) `` Did You Miss It ? Davy Crockett 's Window in Frontierland '' Disney Accessed May 25, 2010 ^ Jump up to : Official Fess Parker Website fessparker.com Jump up ^ Eric Lindberg ( March 18, 2010 ) `` Fess Parker, famed actor and hotelier, dies at 85 '', The Daily Sound, Accessed March 19, 2010 Jump up ^ Los Angeles Times, Fess Parker Has Eye on Senate Jump up ^ `` People Magazine '', He Died as Davy Crockett at the Alamo, but Actor Fess Parker Lives Oh as a California Hotel Baron Jump up ^ Orange County Register, Fess Parker dies -- played Davy Crockett Jump up ^ Climb An Angry Mountain 1972, YouTube External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fess Parker. Fess Parker at The Interviews : An Oral History of Television Official bio and winery information Fess Parker Facebook Fanpage Fess Parker on IMDb BNE : XX1674855 BNF : cb14041120p ( data ) GND : 141523352 ISNI : 0000 0001 1765 5888 LCCN : n95070665 MusicBrainz : 36093bcd - 4f38 - 4260 - 8c89 - 7fd322266dd3 SNAC : w6h17cx4 SUDOC : 145764834 VIAF : 59284981 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fess_Parker&oldid=847745289 '' Categories : 1924 births 2010 deaths American male film actors American male television actors Western ( genre ) television actors Male actors from Fort Worth, Texas People from San Angelo, Texas Male actors from Santa Barbara, California Businesspeople from California RCA Victor artists University of Texas at Austin alumni USC School of Dramatic Arts alumni American military personnel of World War II United States Marines Hidden categories : Infobox person using alma mater Articles with hCards All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from September 2017 Articles using Template : The Interviews name Wikipedia articles with BNE identifiers Wikipedia articles with BNF identifiers Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with ISNI identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers Wikipedia articles with SNAC - ID identifiers Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Asturianu تۆرکجه Dansk Deutsch Español فارسی Français Italiano Nederlands Norsk Português Simple English Suomi Türkçe 5 more Edit links This page was last edited on 27 June 2018, at 13 : 50 ( UTC ). 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Question: who played davy crockett in the tv series
Answer: Fess Elisha Parker Jr.