It took almost 50 years for films to get Davy Crockett right, when the latest Alamo film came out, Billy Bob Thornton came the closest to capturing the real Crockett. It's not Fess Parker by any means.
But you ask any kid who was a baby boomer what his conception of Davy Crockett was you will inevitably find some 6 to 10 year old who back in the day insisted his parents get him a coonskin cap like Fess Parker wore on the Wonderful World of Disney. For better or worse its Fess Parker who is the image of the frontier scout who fought in the Creek War, went to Congress, and then died at the Alamo.
Crockett's name is inevitably linked with the other legends of Texas who died in that mission in March of 1836. Of the group of them he was probably the best of the lot. He wasn't a compulsive womanizer like Travis, nor a land swindler/slave trader like Bowie.
Davy Crockett was an ordinary fellow, Mr. Average Man, on the frontier who had a good record in the volunteer militia. Liked by his neighbors he got himself elected to local office and then, running as a supporter of Andrew Jackson, ran and won for Congress in 1826.
Jackson himself, was the titular head of the Democratic political machine in Tennessee and at that time he had a lot of followers who competed for his favor. Crockett whatever else he was, never really learned the political game. He got outmaneuvered in the Jackson camp and eventually broke with Jackson when Jackson became president in 1828.
Before he lost his seat in Congress for good in the 1834 off year elections, Crockett had drifted into the nascent Whig Party and was anti-Jackson. One issue that drove them apart was the Jacksonian Indian policy. Crockett fought the Indians, but felt we ought to respect treaty rights. Not a popular position to take on the frontier. He was an honest man.
He drifted to Texas looking to pick up the pieces of his life after his political career ended in Tennessee. The part of the film devoted to that aspect was somewhat real, though Fess Parker was way to kind to Jackson here. In real life Crockett said some really nasty things about his former commander.
Davy Crockett made Fess Parker although he could never escape the type casting. Eventually he gave in and became another coonskin hero Daniel Boone in a long running television series. The film also marked something of a comeback for Buddy Ebsen. Playing Georgie Russell, Crockett's sidekick, revived Ebsen's career. Ebsen eventually got two long running television series himself, The Beverly Hillbillies and Barnaby Jones.
Walt Disney couldn't let the Crockett mania go even with Davy getting killed at the Alamo so he produced Davy Crockett and the River Pirates the following year. By that time the Crockett mania died down and Disney and Parker went their separate ways.
Don't look at this film and think you're seeing the real Davy Crockett. But for the kid in all of us who once pestered their parents for a coonskin cap, it sure takes you back.
But you ask any kid who was a baby boomer what his conception of Davy Crockett was you will inevitably find some 6 to 10 year old who back in the day insisted his parents get him a coonskin cap like Fess Parker wore on the Wonderful World of Disney. For better or worse its Fess Parker who is the image of the frontier scout who fought in the Creek War, went to Congress, and then died at the Alamo.
Crockett's name is inevitably linked with the other legends of Texas who died in that mission in March of 1836. Of the group of them he was probably the best of the lot. He wasn't a compulsive womanizer like Travis, nor a land swindler/slave trader like Bowie.
Davy Crockett was an ordinary fellow, Mr. Average Man, on the frontier who had a good record in the volunteer militia. Liked by his neighbors he got himself elected to local office and then, running as a supporter of Andrew Jackson, ran and won for Congress in 1826.
Jackson himself, was the titular head of the Democratic political machine in Tennessee and at that time he had a lot of followers who competed for his favor. Crockett whatever else he was, never really learned the political game. He got outmaneuvered in the Jackson camp and eventually broke with Jackson when Jackson became president in 1828.
Before he lost his seat in Congress for good in the 1834 off year elections, Crockett had drifted into the nascent Whig Party and was anti-Jackson. One issue that drove them apart was the Jacksonian Indian policy. Crockett fought the Indians, but felt we ought to respect treaty rights. Not a popular position to take on the frontier. He was an honest man.
He drifted to Texas looking to pick up the pieces of his life after his political career ended in Tennessee. The part of the film devoted to that aspect was somewhat real, though Fess Parker was way to kind to Jackson here. In real life Crockett said some really nasty things about his former commander.
Davy Crockett made Fess Parker although he could never escape the type casting. Eventually he gave in and became another coonskin hero Daniel Boone in a long running television series. The film also marked something of a comeback for Buddy Ebsen. Playing Georgie Russell, Crockett's sidekick, revived Ebsen's career. Ebsen eventually got two long running television series himself, The Beverly Hillbillies and Barnaby Jones.
Walt Disney couldn't let the Crockett mania go even with Davy getting killed at the Alamo so he produced Davy Crockett and the River Pirates the following year. By that time the Crockett mania died down and Disney and Parker went their separate ways.
Don't look at this film and think you're seeing the real Davy Crockett. But for the kid in all of us who once pestered their parents for a coonskin cap, it sure takes you back.