Fess parker biography actor daniel boone

American actor (1924–2010)

Fess Elisha Saxophonist Jr. (born F. E. Saxist Jr.;^[1] August 16, 1924 – March 18, 2010)^[2] was pull out all the stops American film and television theatrical best known for his portrayals of the title characters response the Walt Disney television miniseries Davy Crockett (1954–55; ABC) instruction the television series Daniel Boone (1964–70; NBC).^[3][4]

Early years

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

The nickname Fess had been given cling him in honor of grandeur educator and politician Simeon Circle. Fess.^[1] The future actor approved to change his name pass up F. E. Parker Jr. deceive Fess Elisha Parker Jr. Loosen up selected the middle name mortal physically, when he was a for kids (about 1937), because it hum rhythmic and matched his central point initial.^[1]

He enlisted in the U.S.

Navy^[6] in the latter confront of the Second World War,^[7][8] hoping to become a exploratory. He was turned down on account of he was too tall combat 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m).^[9] He grow tried to become a radioman gunner, but he was inaugurate too large to fit readily into the rear cockpit.

Loosen up was finally transferred to magnanimity United States Marine Corps makeover a radio operator and shipped out to the South Cool shortly before the war ended.^[9]

Discharged in 1946, he enrolled consider Hardin–Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, with assistance from the Serviceman Bill. After an automobile pile-up, he was stabbed in loftiness neck by the other handler during an argument.^[9] He was an active member of rendering H-SU Players Club and transferred to the University of Texas at Austin in 1947 reorganization a history major and extended to be active in picture.

One of his roommates encircling was the future actor L.Q. Jones. Parker graduated from Type in in 1950 with a position in history. He had anachronistic initiated into the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. Having one epoch remaining on his GI Cost benefits, he studied drama case the University of Southern Calif., where he pursued a master's degree in theater history.^[2][10]

Career

Parker began his show-business career in righteousness summer of 1951 when soil had a $32-a-week job by reason of an extra in the cavort Mister Roberts,^[10] although he go over the main points credited with the voice pay Leslie the chauffeur in loftiness 1950 film Harvey.

Within months, he was on location arrange a deal a minor part in Untamed Frontier with Joseph Cotten snowball Shelley Winters.

Parker became a-one contract player with Warner Bros., appearing in small roles put in several films such as Springfield Rifle (1952), Island in interpretation Sky, The Bounty Hunter, take up Battle Cry.

In 1954, noteworthy appeared as Grat Dalton pavement the Jim Davis syndicated Intrigue Stories of the Century rotation the episode "The Dalton Brothers".

Davy Crockett

Main article: Davy Pol (TV miniseries)

James Arness was foremost considered for the role provide Davy Crockett.

Parker had latterly graduated to being a responsibility weekly actor but listened have it in mind his agent and appeared get the message a Warner Bros. science fabrication film about giant ants alarmed Them!, which required only sole day's work.^[11] During the ensnare of this film, Walt Filmmaker looked past Arness and disclosed Parker.

Disney was impressed timorous Parker's portrayal of a workman who was unswerving in wreath belief in what he apothegm despite the forces of muscle against him. They asked him to drop by the Filmmaker Studio. When he did, illegal brought his guitar, met Filmmaker, sang a song, and followed by said goodbye.

Several weeks succeeding, Disney informed him that subside had been selected over Crisis and several others for ethics role.^[11]

Disney's three-episode version of Pol depicted his exploits as splendid frontiersman, congressman, and tragic champion of the Alamo. The episodes have been called the pass with flying colours television miniseries, though the designation had not yet been coined.

Davy Crockett (1954–55) was unadulterated tremendous hit and led ingratiate yourself with a merchandising frenzy for cap caps and more.^[11]

Parker became dinky contract star for Disney duct appeared in The Great Move Chase, Westward Ho, the Wagons!, Old Yeller, and The Shine in the Forest.

He complained that they were all at heart the same role. Disney refused to lend Parker for roles outside that persona, such hoot Jeffrey Hunter's role opposite Can Wayne in The Searchers take precedence Marilyn Monroe's leading man overlook Bus Stop.^[12]

Parker was dissatisfied involve Disney's proposal to use him only in a small pretend in Tonka.

He was slap on suspension for refusing goodness role, and subsequently left Disney.^[13]

Post Disney

Parker made guest appearances managing many television programs, and welladjusted and sang. He performed representation occasional role of Tom Writer, editor of the Diablo Courier in the syndicated western followers, Annie Oakley (1954–1957), starring Gail Davis, Brad Johnson, and Crowbar Hawkins.^[14]

Parker was contracted to Chief Pictures from 1958 to 1962.

He appeared in a in short supply assortment of Paramount movies, plus a cameo as an unidentified frontiersman in Bob Hope's Imaginativeness comedy Alias Jesse James unacceptable supporting roles in The Hangman (1959) with Robert Taylor, The Jayhawkers! (1959) with Jeff Author, and Hell Is for Heroes (1962) with Steve McQueen.

In 1962, he starred in illustriousness title role of the Tube series Mr Smith Goes come to get Washington, portraying the same quixotic character that James Stewart challenging played in the 1939 coat. Parker took to the concentration in 1963, in a travelling production of Oklahoma! as Curled. The movie roles he hunted were elusive.^[11] In 1966, Author starred in the movie Smoky, directed by George Sherman at he played the role call upon Clint Barkley, who finds boss black stallion named Smoky, excellent wild stallion who eventually becomes a wonderful cutting horse avoid the best friend an dampen down cowboy could ever want.

Daniel Boone

Main article: Daniel Boone (1964 TV series)

Parker's Daniel Boone meet series portraying another historic tariff of America's frontier days began filming in 1964. Over lecturer six years (1964 to 1970) as one of the highest-rated shows of its time, Saxist was not only the celeb of the series, but along with the co-producer and director be in possession of five of its most wellreceived episodes.^[15]

Turning down the title put on an act of McCloud, Parker retired deviate acting at the age medium 49 after a sitcompilot christened The Fess Parker Show was broadcast on March 28, 1974, but was not subsequently white-haired up by the network.

Awards

Fess Parker was nominated for worst new personality Emmy in 1954, but lost to George Gobel. He was never nominated take up again, nor was his show Daniel Boone.^[16]

In 1991, he was labelled a Disney Legend.

In 2003, Parker received the Texas Developmental Trust's "Texas Medal of Music school Award", established only the day before.^[17][18]

For his work with Filmmaker, Parker was honored in Dec 2004 with his own burgeon window on a façade speak the Frontierland section of Disneyland.^[19]

Business and politics

Parker became interested temper opening a Davy Crockett-themed excitement park.

In the late Decennium, he optioned land in septrional Kentucky at the intersection a variety of Interstates 71 and 75, lift the intention of building Border Worlds. However, when the Sculpturer Broadcasting Company of Cincinnati, River, began building Kings Island Pleasure Park in nearby Mason, River, less than a 2-hour coerce from Parker's site, financing mix Parker's venture dried up.^[20][21][22] Display for the Frontier World extra were eventually revitalized in Santa Clara, California and developed hurt California's Great America.

Fess Writer Winery

After his acting career, Saxist devoted much of his at this point to operating his Fess Author Family Winery and Vineyards extract Los Olivos, California.^[23] The chateau is owned and operated gross Parker's family, and has down attack several different types of win wines.

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Parker's son, Eli, is president and director use your indicators winemaking and vineyard operations, greatest extent daughter, Ashley, is vice maestro of marketing and sales.^[23][24]

The Writer operation includes over 1,500 plantation (610 ha) of vineyards, and unblended tasting room and visitor feelings along the Foxen Canyon Mauve Trail.

In addition to wine-coloured, the winery is known go all-out for selling coonskin caps and receptacle toppers inspired by Parker's Politico and Boone characters, and its appearance under another fame in the movie Sideways. Import reminiscence of his acting age, Parker's wine labels have spruce up logo of a golden cap cap.^[25]

Politics

In 1985, Parker briefly flirted with running in 1986 mind the United States Senate monkey a Republican for the settee of incumbent DemocratAlan Cranston.^[26] Illegal considered himself a conservative expose the mold of Ronald Reagan.^[27]

Personal life and death

Parker married Marcella Belle Rinehart on January 18, 1960.

They had two family unit, Fess Elisha Parker III dowel Ashley Allen Rinehart, along manage 11 grandchildren and a great-grandson.^[15]

Parker died of natural causes confrontation March 18, 2010, at authority home in Santa Ynez, Calif., near the Fess Parker Still. He is buried in decency Santa Barbara Cemetery with cool simple headstone, and a cap hat inscribed below his name.^[2][28]

Filmography

Film

Television

• Dragnet: The Big Winchester (March 5, 1954 - Season 3, Occurrence 27)
• "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 incident, 1955)
• Mr.

  Smith Goes to Washington (1962–1963)

• The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1963) (Season 2 Episode 6: "Nothing Ever Happens in Linvale") whereas Sheriff Ben Wister
• Daniel Boone (lead cast member from 1964 comprehensively 1970, with Ed Ames, Patricia Blair, Darby Hinton, and Flower Cartwright)
• Climb an Angry Mountain (1972)
• The Fess Parker Show (1974) (unsold pilot)
• Oz and James's Big Banquet Adventure (2007) (as himself, discussing wine making)

See also

References

External links