Fess Parker

Fess Elisha "F.E." Parker, Jr. was an American film and television actor, best known for his portrayals of Davy Crockett in the Walt Disney 1955–1956 TV mini-series. According to Parker himself, when the Walt Disney Company was looking for an actor to play Davy Crockett, they originally considered James Arness for the title role. Parker had recently graduated to a contract weekly actor, but listened to his agent and appeared in a B movie called Them!, which required only one day's work. He had a small scene in the movie 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 a 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, then said goodbye. Several weeks later, he was told that he had been selected over Arness and several other actors for the role, including Buddy Ebsen, who eventually played Crockett's companion, George Russell.
Disney's three-episode version of Crockett depicted his exploits as a frontiersman, congressman, and tragic hero of the Alamo. It has been called the first television miniseries, though the term had not yet been coined. Davy Crockett (1955–1956) 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 also was a recurring guest-star on Mickey Mouse Club. He complained that they were all basically the same role. Disney refused to loan Parker for roles outside of that persona, such as The Searchers and Bus Stop.
Outside of Disney, Parker played the title role on NBC's Daniel Boone as well as the films The Hangman and Smoky.
He was named a Disney Legend in 1991 and honored with a commemorative window in Disneyland's Frontierland section above Pioneer Mercantile reading "Davy Crockett - Coonskin Cap Supply Co - Fess Parker Proprietor".
==Roles==
Tumblr mraizyuOhK1qiceiuo1 1280.jpg|Davy Crockett(Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier, Davy Crockett and the River Pirates)
Tumblr mraizyuOhK1qiceiuo2 1280.jpg|James J. Andrews(The Great Locomotive Chase)
Tumblr mraizyuOhK1qiceiuo5 r1 1280.jpg|John "Doc" Grayson(Westward Ho, the Wagons!)
Tumblr mraizyuOhK1qiceiuo3 r1 1280.jpg|Jim Coates(Old Yeller)
Tumblr mraizyuOhK1qiceiuo4 r1 1280.jpg|Del Hardy(The Light in the Forest)
==Gallery==
1954-disneyland-story-22.jpg|Parker performing "The Ballad of Davy Crockett" on "The Disneyland Story".
40d985bf842d3ae473ddbcf7435553bc.jpg
Fess Parker and buddy Ebsen on mickey mouse club.jpg|Parker on Mickey Mouse Club with Buddy Ebsen (left).
Behind the scenes with fess parker 3.JPG|Parker in "Behind the Scenes with Fess Parker".
Behind the scenes with fess parker 10.JPG|Parker with Great Locomotive Chase co-star John Lupton.
Behind the scenes with fess parker 12.JPG|Parker with Great Locomotive Chase co-star Jeffrey Hunter.
Along the Oregon Trail 11.JPG|L-R: Iron Eyes Cody, Fess Parker, Jeff York, Sebastian Cabot.
Bubby ebsen and fess parker on Disney Family Album.jpg
Fess parker mickey mouse club story.JPG|Parker in The Mickey Mouse Club Story.
WaltdisneyandFessParkerin1955.jpg
Category:Males
Category:1920s births
Category:2010s deaths
Category:Deceased
Category:People from Texas
Category:American people
Category:Actors
Category:Disney Legends
Category:Old Yeller
Category:The Great Locomotive Chase
Category:Westward Ho, the Wagons!
Category:Davy Crockett
Category:The Light in the Forest
Category:Mickey Mouse Club
Category:Articles with Wikipedia content