A new friend joins us this week and we welcome Chris from Oxford.
FIRST PICTURE: King of the Wild Frontier, Davy Crockett
SECOND PICTURE: Anyone remember this magazine ‘Fabulous’ I am sure I don’t?
Fess Parker
After the death of Fess Parker, known to all us lads as Davy Crocket, in March Griff thought that I should take a look at his career might be interesting. The television series Davy Crockett was made by Disney and was first screened in 1954. Fess Parker got the part after Walt Disney had seen him earlier that year in the science fiction film Them!, in which he played a pilot who was sectioned after claiming that his aircraft had been attacked by giant flying ants. As Davy Crockett, the 6ft 6in tall Fess Parker was immediately idolised by young boys the world over, who ran around their gardens in fur hats made from old fur coats bought I the local Jumble Sale and carrying replicas of the Davy Crockett’s rifle, "Old Betsy".
Meanwhile, the title song – The Ballad of Davy Crockett – went to No 1 in the charts for Bill Hayes, and a version by Fess Parker himself reached No 5. In 1955 the three television episodes were blended into a film, Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier, and a second movie, Davy Crockett and the River Pirates, came out the following year. Here in Britain, the television episodes were screened by ITV.
Although Disney stuck to the historical facts by allowing Davy Crockett (in the third episode) to be killed at the battle of the Alamo (1836), such was the public outcry that the TV show was resurrected, with further Davy Crockett exploits, in 1955-56.
After this success, Fess Parker might well have sunk without trace, were it not for his portrayal in another television series – between 1964 and 1970 – of the other great folk hero of the American frontier, Daniel Boone. He then abandoned his acting career to go into the property business, and later became one of California's best-known wine makers.
He was born Fess Elisha Parker into a farming family on August 16 1924 at Fort Worth, Texas. (Davy Crockett had been born a day later, on August 17, in 1786). In the Second World War he served with the US Marines, then studied History at Texas University. His life nearly ended in 1946, when he was stabbed by a drunk driver after a traffic accident. After deciding on a future in acting, he took a drama course at the University of Southern California, and in 1952 made his debut on the big screen in Springfield Rifle, an American Civil War drama starring Gary Cooper.
Among his other films were The Kid From Left Field (1953); The Great Locomotive Chase (1956); Westward Ho, the Wagons! (1956); Old Yeller (1957); The Light in the Forest (1958); and Hell for Heroes (1962), with Steve McQueen and James Coburn.
In the late 1980s he established a 2,200-acre vineyard at Los Olivos, California, and went on to win many awards for his wine. Needless to say that at the vineyard's gift shop he sold Davy Crockett memorabilia. He was a close friend of Ronald and Nancy Reagan and in 1985 he was sent to Australia to represent the President at a ceremony. He was subsequently asked by the White House if he would like to serve as American ambassador in Canberra, but declined. He is survived by his wife, Marcella, whom he married in 1960, and by their son and daughter.
Take care
Yours
Peter
DUSTYKEAT@aol.com
Pj.keat@ntlworld.com
You Write:
Anida Writes :
Wow! Forgotten all about the play, yes I was the cow in Noah and I don't want any comments relating to my future behaviour!!! I had a rather unflattering brown fabric all in one body with a papier mache head and recall getting into a bit a flap when one of my horns broke.
Now if anyone has any photographs of 'Trial By Jury', that would be another theatrical triumph!!
Mary Writes:-
I remember the Ship in Cosham High Street at Christmas time. A huge Christmas tree was nearby and the Sally Army used to play carols. My father often parked the car outside the pub as it was handy for shopping. We would get some food in Gaimens as my mother had taught David Gaimen during the war. She always got a big welcome from him. We bought fruit and veg from a proper veg shop. We also grew veg in our garden, and so did our grandparents. We always had a box of veg every Saturday from Grandad, who was an amazing gardener. We kept chickens in Farlington, and there is nothing like collecting new laid eggs! Later when we moved to the Denmead/Hambledon area we kept chicken, ducks, pigs and even a goat and when I remember looking after these animals it’s with a great deal of happiness
News and Views:
Who remembers Don Partridge? He was the Bournemouth born one-man band busker who had a big hit with ‘Rosie’ in 1968. After a few years as a professional musician he decided that was not the life for him and went back to working on the streets. Recently a friend showed me a head and shoulders picture he had taken of Don whilst he was performing. In the conversation afterward Don told my friend that he did not mind his picture being taken but please don’t publish were he is now because working the way he does now, unknown, makes him happy these days.
On this day 2nd July 1960-1965
On 01/01/1965 the number one single was I Feel Fine - The Beatles and the number one album was Beatles For Sale - The Beatles. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was The Sound of Music. A pound of today's money was worth £11.69 and Manchester United were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.
On 02/07/1961 the number one single was Runaway - Del Shannon and the number one album was South Pacific Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was Harpers West One (ATV) and the box office smash was One Hundred and One Dalmations. A pound of today's money was worth £13.25 and Tottenham Hotspur were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. The big news story of the day was Author Ernest Hemingway commits suicide.
On 02/07/1962 the number one single was Come Outside - Mike Sarne with Wendy Richard and the number one album was West Side Story Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was Lawrence of Arabia. A pound of today's money was worth £12.89 and Ipswich Town were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.
On 02/07/1963 the number one single was I Like It - Gerry & the Pacemakers and the number one album was Please Please Me - The Beatles. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was The Great Escape. A pound of today's money was worth £12.64 and Everton were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.
On 02/07/1964 the number one single was It's Over - Roy Orbison and the number one album was Rolling Stones - The Rolling Stones. The top rated TV show was Club Night (BBC) and the box office smash was Dr Strangelove. A pound of today's money was worth £12.24 and Liverpool were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.The big news story of the day was President Johnson signs Civil Rights Act.
On 02/07/1965 the number one single was I'm Alive - Hollies and the number one album was The Sound of Music Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was The Sound of Music. A pound of today's money was worth £11.69 and Manchester United were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions
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