Hello! Do you have a moment to talk about Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier?
Welcome to Happy Friday, a self-indulgent post wherein I chat about a random Disney/running/theme park thing I love… usually. Today, we put a little twist on the format. Let’s talking about a Disney thing my dad loves!
Enter: Fess Parker, or to call him by the name of his most famous role, Davy Crockett.
A BOY AND HIS FESS PARKER
Obviously I was not there, but if I understand ’50s culture, here is what people back then liked: Fess Parker.
Source: not only my dad! There was an entire section of the Disneyland opening day television broadcast dedicated to Fess Parker and Disney’s “Davy Crockett” TV serial, which aired from December of 1954 to December of 1955.
The first three episodes had recently been stitched into a movie, which I’m guessing is why the Frontierland segment of Disneyland’s opening special is dominated by Davy. Indeed, multiple children are interviewed, and none of them mention the wonders of Disneyland. “Where is Fess Parker?” is their rallying cry. “When does Fess Parker show up?”
And if my dad had been there, I imagine he would’ve said the same thing. In addition to teaching me a couple versus of Disney’s “Davy Crockett” theme song as a child, he was delighted any time he saw a Fess Parker wine on a restaurant menu (oh yes, ol’ Fess had a vineyard, see?). He’s not even a big wine guy, but he never failed to order a Fess Parker wine. I can only assume the Parker estate is flourishing as a result.
THE SEARCH FOR VINTAGE DISNEY
Another thing my dad is fond of is his old school record player, and I had a brilliant idea gift idea for his birthday: if I searched reseller sites, could I find any Fess Parker/Davy Crockett LPs?
Not only could I, but I found quite a few, and at downright reasonable prices to boot. Fess Parker was quite the prolific individual, and he had no issue with keeping his work closely associated with Davy. Naturally condition varied, but after some sleuthing, I ferreted out a copy of “Three Adventures of Davy Crockett” with an intact magazine insert.
The insert basically just outlines what happens in the eponymous three adventures, so you don’t need it, but it’s fun to have. Oh, and what are those adventures, you ask? Well, first we’d better tackle the context…
HOW DOES DAVY CROCKETT HOLD UP?
Davy Crockett was produced at, shall we say, a different time. As such, there are some unsurprisingly unsavory depictions and dealings with the Native Americans. I’m sure I don’t need to explain the evils of colonization, stereotypes, white saviorism, the Alamo (you remember the Alamo, right?), etc.
On the other hand, I was pleased to note that the stories did feature some progressive elements, at least as far as the ’50s go. Davy shows on more than one occasion that he respects the indigenous people. In fact, one of the stories on this record involves Davy going to bat for a Native whose land has been stolen by a jerky white settler. They have the following exchange:
“Since when is Davy Crockett a friend of Indians?”
“I’ve always been a friend of the Cherokees. Got no bones to pick with the others since we signed the peace with them. The Indians have got rights same as anybody else.”
Does it completely exonerate Davy’s writers of all sins? Of course not. And it’s a made up story, even if Davy Crockett was a real historical figure. But it’s nice that all those mid-century kids could look to at least one example of treating those different from you well at a time when that was not a given.
Perhaps because of this, Davy Crockett persists in whispers in Disney’s theme parks. He has the most straightforward presence at Fort Wilderness, where the Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue reenacts his legend… kind of.
And if you’d like to wet your whistle without paying for the show, you can grab a drink at Crockett’s Tavern.
LISTEN TO THREE ADVENTURES OF DAVY CROCKETT
Thus it behooves true Disney history buffs to know a little bit about Davy Crockett and his catalogue. You can start right here, with “Three Adventures of Davy Crockett,” available on YouTube without any need to search eBay and then buy a record player. It’s worth a listen for the nostalgic and nostalgic at heart.
A DAVY CROCKETT RECORD CONSPIRACY THEORY
Oddly enough, the record sleeve shown in the YouTube thumbnail is subtly different from the one my dad now has. It looks almost exactly the same… except for the yellow credits square. In the YouTube thumbnail, they name check “Davy Crockett” TV show stars Fess Parker AND Buddy Ebsen as his sidekick. On my dad’s sleeve, it only credits Fess Parker.
I mention this because the stories are partially narrated by Davy’s friend George Russell, played on the show by Buddy Ebsen. As soon as the characters began talking, my dad had this to say: “That’s really Fess Parker! That’s not Buddy Ebsen, though.” Are we Mandela Effecting, or was this record re-recorded at some point to cut out Ebsen? If so, why?
Possibly also worth noting is that the record label itself is purple, whereas the one that credits Ebsen is yellow. Interesting. But I haven’t been able to find anything about a re-recording in some light internet sleuthing. And it should be noted that on the inside cover of the sleeve in the photo above, Buddy Ebsen’s credit is restored… as George “Russel,” with one L. His character is traditionally listed as George Russell. Hmmm. If any Disney historians have any intel on this mystery, I’d surely love to hear it!
I’ll say this; if it’s a forgery, it’s a dang good one.
IN CONCLUSION: A NOTE FROM MY DAD
I asked my dad if he would like to provide a quote for this article. He sent back this: “A classic of American nostalgia.” No argument here.
P.S. If you’d like to rustle up your own Fess Parker record, I found the best selection and prices on eBay, but resellers are also offering copies on sites like Alibris and Amazon. I kinda want to buy more Disneyland records now!
Don’t forget, you can follow FRoA on Threads @fairestrunofall and on Instagram @fairestrunofall. If you have any questions or thoughts, leave a comment or email fairestrunofall@gmail.com. See ya real soon!
One Comment