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Fess Parker, who starred as both Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone, died yesterday at age 85 of natural causes at his home in the Santa Ynez Valley. Parker was also a major California winemaker and developer. His death came on the 84th birthday of his wife of 50 years, Marcella. Parker was coherent and speaking with family members just minutes before he died.

Fess Elisha Parker Jr. was born August 16, 1924, in Fort Worth, Texas. (Davy Crockett’s birthday was August 17!) He played football at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene but was nearly killed in a road-rage knifing in 1946. Parker was discovered by actor Adolphe Menjou, who was a guest artist at the University of Texas, where Parker later earned a degree.

The children of the 1950s embraced 6-foot 6-inch Parker as the man in the coonskin cap, who embodied the spirit of the American frontier. There were coonskin caps, Davy Crockett lunch boxes, Old Betsy rifles, and anything else they could sell. “The Ballad of Davy Crockett” (Born on a mountaintop in Tennessee…”) became a number 1 hit for singer Bill Hayes, and Fess Parker’s version reached number 5.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said, in a statement:

“Fess Parker has been a role model and idol of mine since I first saw him on the big screen — he is a true Hollywood legend. As a talented actor and successful businessman, he was an inspirational Californian whose contributions to our state will be remembered forever.”

Former first lady Nancy Reagan said that Parker was “”a longtime friend to Ronnie and me … He will be greatly missed.”

Parker left show business after 22 years. His movies included: “Springfield Rifle” (1952),” “No Room for the Groom” (1952), “The Kid From Left Field” (1953), “Them!” (1954), “Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier” (1955), “The Great Locomotive Chase” (1956), “Westward Ho, the Wagons!” (1956), “Old Yeller” (1957) and “The Light in the Forest” (1958).

After leaving Hollywood, Parker bought and sold property, built hotels (Fess Parker’s Wine Country Inn & Spa in Los Olivos and Fess Parker’s Doubletree Resort Santa Barbara [1]) and grew grapes for wine on a 2,200-acre vineyard on California’s Central Coast, where he was dubbed King of the Wine Frontier, and coonskin caps enjoyed brisk sales. Parker’s vineyard won dozens of medals and awards after its inaugural harves in 1989. Fess Parker’s son Eli became director of winemaking and their daughter Ashley also worked at the winery.

Parker turned down an opportunity to become ambassador to Australia during the Reagan administration.

-Bill at

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