Fess Parker, RIP

I was saddened to read that one of my childhood heroes, Fess Parker, passed away. He was 85.

I just read a nice piece by Leonard Maltin on Fess Parker, which reminded me of how much the man in the coonskin hat meant to me as a kid.

I grew up watching Walt Disney programs on TV and and I loved watching Fess Parker as Davy Crockett, the King of the Wild Frontier.

I loved singing along with the famous Davy Crockett song (I still remember the lyrics), and like most children at the time, I wore a silly coonskin cap.

Many years later I took my wife and 10-year-old stepson to DisneyWorld, and even though there were many wonderful sights to see at the park, I was thrilled to view the authentic Davy Crockett rifle, coonskin cap, coat and knife from the TV show in a glass case. (The case also contained Zorro’s hat, cape and sword, which also pleased me, as I was a big fan of Guy Williams as Zorro as well).

Fess Parker retired from show business and was out of the public view for years, but I was pleased to read that he lived a long and happy life. He deserved to be happy, as he provided so many kids (and some adults) with much joy and happiness when he wore a coonskin cap on TV.