Word out today we have lost Davy Crockett .,.,  When I was a youngster it was cool to have a coonskin cap with ringed tail..  R.I.P.  Mr.  Parker

I had the coonskin cap, the toy rifle... when we first visited Disneyland in February 1956, we went into a shop on Main Street so my parents could buy me a Mickey Mouse watch. In the store, I saw a Davy Crockett watch, packaged in a powderhorn. I wanted (and got) the Davy Crockett watch.

When the comic book for the Great Locomotive Chase film was on the comic book rack in the grocery store:



I grabbed it, ran to my mom, yelling "Fess Peeker's parking out the window!"

Yup, I held the Disneyland episodes of Davy Crockett as creating a real hero to me. Hidden in a box somewhere in this house I have a complete set of the Disney Davy Crockett bubble gum trading cards.


"Always be sure you are right, then go ahead."

I am sure Fess and Walt will have a grand time swapping old stories.


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From the Disney Parks blog:

Fess Parker was also a childhood hero to blog author and Walt Disney World photographer Gene Duncan. Gene shared a unique photo and touching story after learning of the news and we’re sharing it with you tonight — unedited.



“I photographed Fess Parker at Disneyland during the 35th Anniversary press event. I photographed him at the train station, prior to the parade, mingling and shaking hands with those celebrities who had been a part of the opening of Disneyland- Milton Berle, Bob Cummings, Art Linkletter, Ronald Reagan and many more…..After the parade on Main Street, U.S.A., I spent the afternoon inside the office of Dick Nunis, President of Disney Parks, photographing various executives and others with Ronald Reagan. One of those was Fess Parker, who, for me, was a childhood hero. (I have a photo of myself wearing a coonskin cap)……

In 2004, I noted that Fess Parker and his son were to be present during the Epcot Food and Wine Festival- they owned a very successful winery inn the Santa Barbara area, and were slated to conduct a workshop at Epcot, as well as host a special dinner. I called out to Disneyland, where the 1990 negatives were archived, and asked for a couple of them to be scanned, which were then sent to me. I wondered whether Mr. Parker had ever seen the photos.

On October 1, 2004, I was assigned to photograph him, autographing wine bottles for guests. Just prior to doing that, I approached his son, introduced myself, and indicated that I had some prints for him to give his father. He waved to his dad and asked him to come over, which he did. I introduced myself, and he asked me to sit down with him in the workshop area. As he pulled the 8 x 10’s from the envelope, he became teary-eyed, and announced to me that he had never seen these images. We sat for nearly fifteen minutes, talking about all things Disney, Reagan and wine. His meaningful dialogue at the time involved his first encounter with Ronald Reagan. It seems that his very first screen audition ended the morning of, with Parker getting a call from the studio canceling his screen test, announcing that they had awarded the role ( don’t know which one ) – to Ronald Reagan.

As I photographed him later that evening, during the fantastic Fess Parker dinner, I observed a man truly bigger than life, lighting up a room when he appeared.

I am so sad…Gene.”

Here

S' Long, Davy

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Davy Crockett was filmed in color, but broadcast in black and white. The Disneyland show (as well as the Mickey Mouse Club) were packaged to ABC and in turn ABC backed Disney for the loans to buy the acreage and build the Disneland park. After Disney's contract with ABC was completed, the Disney weekly show moved to NBC because NBC would show it in color (Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color). When they reran the Davy Crockett episodes, it was the first time they were shown in color.

Disney edited the first three Davy Crockett shows into a feature-length film, shown in theaters and on TV (as a film). The success of the first three shows (and the film made from them) cause the Disney show to film two more Davy Crockett episodes, both with the Mike Fink character, aired the year after the first three.

The DVDs show the color footage, although there were moments where the footage is in black and white. I assume the color stock was lost of these scenes.

This is a little off the subect of Fess Parker, but I find it interesting that (because the Disneyland Park was such a risk) no bank would loan Disney the money for the park. Only by finding third-rated ABC to cosign the loans (with Disney's commitment to the weekly and daily shows) could Disney afford to hire Stanford Research Institute to find the best location and develop the plan to buy the acreage, buy the land, and hire the workers and build the park.

Now Disney owns ABC and all its related businesses.

The two seasons of Zorro were filmed in black and white. The color versions available were made using colorization (ala Ted Turner). Walt wanted season three to be filmed in color, ABC refused to fund it. Walt stopped production and started shopping Disneyland and MMC to other networks. NBC wanted Disneyland, but not MMC or Zorro. So the Disneyland show became Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color. There were both color and black and white portions of the ABC shows (except for Zorro).