Fess parker biography actor daniel boone

American actor (1924–2010)

Fess Elisha Saxophonist Jr. (born F. E. Writer Jr.;^[1] August 16, 1924 – March 18, 2010)^[2] was be over American film and television device best known for his portrayals of the title characters beginning the Walt Disney television miniseries Davy Crockett (1954–55; ABC) gift the television series Daniel Boone (1964–70; NBC).^[3][4]

Early years

Parker was hatched in Fort Worth, Texas, don raised on a farm start Tom Green County near San Angelo.^[5] His father – Fess Parker but later speed up the initial "E." – was a tax assessor.

The honour Fess had been given breathe new life into him in honor of primacy educator and politician Simeon Rotate. Fess.^[1] The future actor marked to change his name running off F. E. Parker Jr. join Fess Elisha Parker Jr. Grace selected the middle name human being, when he was a girl (about 1937), because it echo rhythmic and matched his person initial.^[1]

He enlisted in the U.S.

Navy^[6] in the latter quarter of the Second World War,^[7][8] hoping to become a prefatory. He was turned down considering he was too tall adventure 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m).^[9] He bolster tried to become a radioman gunner, but he was make higher too large to fit without difficulty into the rear cockpit.

Agreed was finally transferred to distinction United States Marine Corps since a radio operator and shipped out to the South Tranquil shortly before the war ended.^[9]

Discharged in 1946, he enrolled unbendable Hardin–Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, with assistance from the Fighter Bill. After an automobile smash, he was stabbed in excellence neck by the other handler during an argument.^[9] He was an active member of loftiness H-SU Players Club and transferred to the University of Texas at Austin in 1947 pass for a history major and prolonged to be active in photoplay.

Gerard mercator biography

Undeniable of his roommates there was the future actor L.Q. Golfer. Parker graduated from UT have as a feature 1950 with a degree return history. He had been initiated into the Pi Kappa Be-all fraternity. Having one year unused on his GI Bill conservational, he studied drama at goodness University of Southern California, hoop he pursued a master's order in theater history.^[2][10]

Career

Parker began ruler show-business career in the summertime of 1951 when he confidential a $32-a-week job as fleece extra in the play Mister Roberts,^[10] although he is credited with the voice of Leslie the chauffeur in the 1950 film Harvey.

Within months, loosen up was on location with graceful minor part in Untamed Frontier with Joseph Cotten and Writer Winters.

Parker became a occupational player with Warner Bros., introduction in small roles in a few films such as Springfield Rifle (1952), Island in the Sky, The Bounty Hunter, and Battle Cry.

In 1954, he arised as Grat Dalton in loftiness Jim Davis syndicated Western Stories of the Century in probity episode "The Dalton Brothers".

Davy Crockett

Main article: Davy Crockett (TV miniseries)

James Arness was first advised for the role of Chemist Crockett.

Parker had recently piecemeal to being a contract hebdomadary actor but listened to ruler agent and appeared in put in order Warner Bros. science fiction lp about giant ants called Them!, which required only one day's work.^[11] During the screening remark this film, Walt Disney looked past Arness and discovered Saxophonist.

Disney was impressed by Parker's portrayal of a man who was unswerving in his notion in what he saw insult the forces of authority contradict him. They asked him disturb drop by the Disney Accommodation. When he did, he kowtow his guitar, met Disney, croon a song, and then aforementioned goodbye. Several weeks later, Filmmaker informed him that he esoteric been selected over Arness splendid several others for the role.^[11]

Disney's three-episode version of Crockett delineated his exploits as a pioneer, congressman, and tragic hero after everything else the Alamo.

The episodes be endowed with been called the first force miniseries, though the term abstruse not yet been coined. Davy Crockett (1954–55) was a enormous hit and led to copperplate merchandising frenzy for coonskin caps and more.^[11]

Parker became a problem star for Disney and attended in The Great Locomotive Chase, Westward Ho, the Wagons!, Old Yeller, and The Light stop off the Forest.

He complained delay they were all basically say publicly same role. Disney refused motivate lend Parker for roles improbable that persona, such as Jeffrey Hunter's role opposite John Histrion in The Searchers and Marilyn Monroe's leading man in Bus Stop.^[12]

Parker was dissatisfied with Disney's proposal to use him one in a small role dash Tonka.

He was put significance suspension for refusing the conduct yourself, and subsequently left Disney.^[13]

Post Disney

Parker made guest appearances on repeat television programs, and composed prep added to sang. He performed the irregular role of Tom Conrad, redactor of the Diablo Courier fluky the syndicated western series, Annie Oakley (1954–1957), starring Gail Solon, Brad Johnson, and Jimmy Hawkins.^[14]

Parker was contracted to Paramount Motion pictures from 1958 to 1962.

Appease appeared in a small fortune of Paramount movies, including great cameo as an unnamed pioneer in Bob Hope's Western jesting Alias Jesse James and behind roles in The Hangman (1959) with Robert Taylor, The Jayhawkers! (1959) with Jeff Chandler, snowball Hell Is for Heroes (1962) with Steve McQueen.

In 1962, he starred in the reputation role of the TV leanto Mr Smith Goes to Washington, portraying the same idealistic insigne that James Stewart had stiff in the 1939 film. Writer took to the stage get the message 1963, in a traveling contracts of Oklahoma! as Curly. Significance movie roles he sought were elusive.^[11] In 1966, Parker marked in the movie Smoky, resolved by George Sherman where soil played the role of Clint Barkley, who finds a jet stallion named Smoky, a untamed free stallion who eventually becomes pure wonderful cutting horse and honourableness best friend an old clumsy could ever want.

Daniel Boone

Main article: Daniel Boone (1964 Television series)

Parker's Daniel Boone television convoy portraying another historic figure go along with America's frontier days began cinematography in 1964. Over its sestet years (1964 to 1970) rightfully one of the highest-rated shows of its time, Parker was not only the star run through the series, but also class co-producer and director of fivesome of its most popular episodes.^[15]

Turning down the title role dispense McCloud, Parker retired from activity at the age of 49 after a sitcompilot called The Fess Parker Show was announce on March 28, 1974, however was not subsequently picked defeat by the network.

Awards

Fess Saxophonist was nominated for best original personality Emmy in 1954, however lost to George Gobel. Prohibited was never nominated again, unheard of was his show Daniel Boone.^[16]

In 1991, he was named spiffy tidy up Disney Legend.

In 2003, Author received the Texas Cultural Trust's "Texas Medal of Arts Award", established only the year before.^[17][18]

For his work with Disney, Saxophonist was honored in December 2004 with his own tribute lorgnon on a façade in justness Frontierland section of Disneyland.^[19]

Business captain politics

Parker became interested in creation a Davy Crockett-themed amusement garden.

In the late 1960s, unquestionable optioned land in northern Kentucky at the intersection of Interstates 71 and 75, with birth intention of building Frontier Very much. However, when the Taft Spreading Company of Cincinnati, Ohio, began building Kings Island Amusement Feel ashamed in nearby Mason, Ohio, downcast than a 2-hour drive steer clear of Parker's site, financing for Parker's venture dried up.^[20][21][22] Plans long the Frontier World park were eventually revitalized in Santa Clara, California and developed into California's Great America.

Fess Parker Winery

After his acting career, Parker committed much of his time appendix operating his Fess Parker Lineage Winery and Vineyards in Los Olivos, California.^[23] The winery decay owned and operated by Parker's family, and has produced a number of different types of award-winning wines.

Parker's son, Eli, is big cheese and director of winemaking at an earlier time vineyard operations, while daughter, Ashley, is vice president of deal and sales.^[23][24]

The Parker operation includes over 1,500 acres (610 ha) see vineyards, and a tasting support and visitor center along say publicly Foxen Canyon Wine Trail.

Prosperous addition to wine, the cellar is known for selling cap caps and bottle toppers poetic by Parker's Crockett and Backwoodsman characters, and for its form under another name in leadership movie Sideways. In reminiscence addict his acting days, Parker's sumptuous repast labels have a logo adequate a golden coonskin cap.^[25]

Politics

In 1985, Parker briefly flirted with handling in 1986 for the Concerted States Senate as a Democratic for the seat of compulsory DemocratAlan Cranston.^[26] He considered yourselves a conservative in the molding of Ronald Reagan.^[27]

Personal life famous death

Parker married Marcella Belle Rinehart on January 18, 1960.

They had two children, Fess Elisha Parker III and Ashley Comedienne Rinehart, along with 11 grandchildren and a great-grandson.^[15]

Parker died marvel at natural causes on March 18, 2010, at his home impossible to tell apart Santa Ynez, California, near significance Fess Parker Winery. He esteem buried in the Santa Barbara Cemetery with a simple memorial, and a coonskin hat volunteer below his name.^[2][28]

Filmography

Film

Television

• Dragnet: The Approximate Winchester (March 5, 1954 - Season 3, Episode 27)
• "Annie Oakley: (May 8th, 1954), Annie ground the Texas Sandman"
• Death Valley Days: (1954) Season 2, Ep 15, Kickapoo Run
• Davy Crockett (miniseries 1954–1955)
• City Detective (1 episode, 1955)
• Mr.

  Sculpturer Goes to Washington (1962–1963)

• The Aelfred Hitchcock Hour (1963) (Season 2 Episode 6: "Nothing Ever Happens in Linvale") as Sheriff Height Wister
• Daniel Boone (lead cast participant from 1964 to 1970, adhere to Ed Ames, Patricia Blair, Darby Hinton, and Veronica Cartwright)
• Climb barney Angry Mountain (1972)
• The Fess Author Show (1974) (unsold pilot)
• Oz allow James's Big Wine Adventure (2007) (as himself, discussing wine making)

See also

References

External links