Why Did WALT DISNEY Kill Off DAVY CROCKETT After Only Three Episodes?

One of the most well-known Disney-produced TV series was the 1954-1955 hit, Davy Crockett. Starring Fess Parker as Crockett and Buddy Ebsen as his friend George Russell, the show won an Emmy Award for Best Action / Adventure Series. Because of its popularity, many people believe that Davy Crockett was a lengthy TV series, but it was only three one-hour episodes shown over three months. Why did Walt Disney kill off Davy Crockett after only three episodes?
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[@NeutrinoParty]

I remember watching the show as a kid. I can't believe there were only 3 episodes. All the kids in the neighborhood had a Davy Crockett racoon skin cap. I'm soooo old.

[@microbusss]

so did my dad! & he still has a few things from the show Including a DC garbage can! 🤣

[@rogermoore5764]

Yea, I remember that stuff also, I was born in 53. I liked the movie Davey C. and the river pirates. Actually I still do, got it on dvd.

[@brucehutchinson9527]

Dittos, I was nine years old when the Davy Crockett came out. I did not recall it was only 3 episode series it seemed to me going back in my memory like it was a regular TV series. I had a coonskin cap. Kept it in my toy box for decades. Fess Parker retired to Santa Barbara got in the Hotel business bought and developed a hotel turned it into a resort. He and his son bought and developed Winery. These properties still exist. I lived in Isla Vista, Santa Barbara in the late sixties my parents moved there then bought a house and lived there into the 2000s. "..... King of the Wild Frontier ".

[@ianwalton284]

I came here to comment how the national parks had a rash of predators attacking kids wearing the caps, they thought was a baby raccoon. Mostly owls and hawks hitting kids hard on the back of the neck. Not good.

[@ronfisher5259]

I’ve still got my Davy Crockett wristwatch and yeah, I had a coon-skin cap too

[@hydrolito]

Fess Parker also starred in Daniel Boone that originally ran from Sept. 24, 1964, to May 7, 1970, for a total of 165 episodes some people get the two shows confused.

[@nikiTricoteuse]

Oh. I think you might be right. It does make sense. Also, l just googled both of them and he's dressed in almost identical outfits in both of them. Only remember the Davey Crockett theme song though.

[@debbiethomas2622]

That makes sense because I could have thought there were more than 3 episodes.

[@NeutrinoParty]

Yeah, that makes sense. 🙂

[@mikeries8549]

Yeah it's not just "some" people that got Boone mixed up with Crockett. The two characters are pretty much identical. Thanks to the same actor playing both roles.

[@1976jdk]

My parents (In their 70's) watch Daniel Boone every weekend.

[@DeltaDemon1]

It's weird, I used to watch the Wonderful World of Disney and I remember seeing this show but I always assumed there were dozens of episodes.

[@blondbowler8776]

Me, too. Had the hat and everything, and choot muzzle loading rifles to this day. Met Fess Parker on a publicity stop. He seemed enormous to this five year old kid. A regular giant.

[@oatnoid]

@@blondbowler8776 That was Daniel Boone.

[@blondbowler8776]

@@oatnoid He did that, too, but he was Crockett when I was five. Sorry.

[@JamesSavik]

They played it over and over. It only seemed like there were dozens of episodes.

[@Knards]

My memory as well. I was 5 during this time, and it seemed to me it went on for years lol

[@alancranford3398]

An interesting thing is that the movie "Back to the Future" featured Disney's The Ballad of Davy Crockett sung by Fess Parker! Even though thirty years had passed in that movie universe, Davy Crockett had impact.

[@apaulmcdonough2170]

"Marty" travels back to November 1955, which is peak time for the "Crockett Craze"

[@connieadams607]

We loved watching Davy Crockett show

[@Fargo2024]

@@connieadams607 so did we !

[@privatename5788]

Did you actually watch Back to the Future, or are you just quoting something you heard?

[@alancranford3398]

@@privatename5788 I've seen Back to the Future more than a dozen times. When Marty McFly arrives in town, a recording of the Ballad of Davy Crockett is part of the sound track--and I recognized Fess Parker's voice.

[@MomentsInTrading]

When Davy Crockett was in Congress, there was a famous play about him and his life that toured around. The actor that played Davy in the play wore a raccoon hat. Davy started wearing a raccoon hat himself because so many people had seen the actor wearing it in the play that it became his signature outfit.

[@treasuretom13]

A great review thanks! I always loved the Davey Crockett series and the acting of Fess Parker! I loved the followup Daniel Boone series Fess starred in later on. What was really amazing is that I met Fess Parker at Fort Sam Houston base hospital when i was a child. I had broken my leg and was in traction at the hospital when Fess came in to visit the children..he spent 10 minutes chatting with me and wishing me well, then he gave me a signed black & white pic called 'Old Smokey' of him at his ranch!!

[@RerunZone]

Wow, great story T Shively. Thanks for sharing it.

[@robertkarp2070]

After my stepmother and dad divorced and stepmother retired from teaching, she moved to Santa Barbara, CA, the apartments she lived in were owned by Fess Parker, she met him in a restaurant and he told my step mother's boyfriend at the time, "Hang on to this one she's a cutie." My stepmother was all tickled she was complimented by Daniel Boone.

[@nikiTricoteuse]

Not gonna lie. I'm super jealous. Nice to hear he was cool enough to do that, even more so as it was before the days of social media swarms so, very few people would have even known he'd done it. Hope the leg is ok.

[@jepolch]

That theme song is a real ear worm. That will be stuck in my head all day!

[@Cutter-jx3xj]

I live in Comanche Texas and 12 miles north of my home, along a river that runs in to Lake proctor is a small, abandoned home. It is the child home, or one of the childhood homes of Fess Parker. I have walked to it several times. I even have metal detected the proptery and found small metal toys that are period to when he lived there. I can't say they belonged to him but it's awesome, holding them and thinking that they might have. 👍

[@arthurdevain754]

I was but a wee lad at the time, but I watched all three original broadcasts on my family's 14" Admiral Television. Within weeks everyone, Everyone, EVERYONE my age was wearing a Coon-Skin cap, and acting out scenes, complete with dialog from the three episodes we had seen only once. The most desired of toy firearms was an "Old Betsy" look-alike. We all knew the theme song and those of us with really good memories knew all the three different episode-specific lyrics as well. The good God certainly blessed me to allow me to live at so wonderful a time!

[@tkarlmann]

Me too! (See Above)

[@book3100]

Yup, I was there

[@ewetoobblowzdogg8410]

In living technicolor!

[@rongendron8705]

I was 9 in 1955 & my aunt bought me 12 verse LP version of "the Legend of Davy Crockett" instead of just the smaller 45! She dropped it coming home & broke it! Needless to say, I was mad for days! (By the way, my father & grandfather's name was Arthur!)

[@arthurdevain754]

@@ewetoobblowzdogg8410 The episodes were filmed in color, but in 1955 viewers could only watch in Black & White.

[@CinnamonGrrlErin1]

I'm one of the rare 80s/90s kids who grew up watching way more of the classic live action Disney than the animated films. Mostly because that's what my dad grew up with, but I think the old lady who owned the local video store made a point of getting movies like Davy Crockett, Zorro, and Toby Tyler. Either way, I greatly appreciate these movies, even more so now that they're quickly becoming forgotten, even by hardcore Disney fans.

[@tkarlmann]

You forgot about the "Swamp Fox" -- played by Leslie Nielsen -- who's real life person was named Francis Marion. This guy was a REAL hero, perhaps second only to George Washington in popularity at the time of the 1st American Revolution. Further, there are more towns in the U.S. named after him, then perhaps anyone else.

[@CinnamonGrrlErin1]

@@tkarlmann I didn't mention it only because it wasn't carried at the video store. I think it did get a dvd release years later, but I only first heard about it a couple of years ago here on KZbin.

[@SteveCarras]

Born in 1960, I naturally was exposed to ol davey thru rerunsn my records

[@JackHaveman52]

Toby Tyler....that's a name from the past. I had the book and I read it countless times. Life was sure different back then.

[@masonhook8803]

You and I have similar dads. We grew up a lot cooler than watching spongebob

[@aleciamiaric8799]

My dad is a Filipino who has always been fascinated with stories about the wild west. He introduced this show to us, his kids. I thought it was just one long movie as a kid. I can’t remember the series anymore but I still remember the tune of that song. 😊

[@majorneptunejr]

I heard that Fess Parker wanted to make Davy Crockett into a weekly show in the early 60's but Walt Disney own the rights and would not let him. So he portrayed Daniel Boone instead .

[@Leatherbark]

The show is still generating revenue. Old guys like me who were born in the 50's and grew up then became enamoured with muzzleloaders especially flintlocks. We've spent a ton of money on that stuff throughout our lives. Kids today need a good wholesome show like Davy Crockett or Daniel Boone.

[@Warcrimeenthusiast]

I watched then as a kid in the 80s , ive been addicted to flintlocks ever since

[@kenyork1107]

I love them old shows , then and now . I'm also into muzzle loaders and flint locks , I've got several in my collection as well as pistols . I'm into civil war swords as well .

[@karlheinzvonkroemann2217]

For better or worse this country isn't the same country it was back then. It's a very different place today. The population has been doubled with very different peoples. I doubt it would go over well today, but your sentiment is well accepted.

[@grassroot011]

yup, I even was moved to buy a Black Powder Squirrel rifle in '63 or so. Real enjoyable to shoot, but not so much cleaning it. .40 Cal w/ an octagon barrel. Booomer, and smoke.

[@cha5]

I wanted to have a Bowie knife as a kid, My Mom got me a plastic one, These days I own several real Bowie knives.

[@jameshorton7496]

One of the best things Disney ever did was to bring out their Disney Treasures video series. I Had the Davy Crockett one and it was great, Included all five episodes in color and complete form and some other extras and hosted by Leonard Maltin. Also have one of all the Goofy cartoons, and both seasons of Zorro.

[@KainDrake]

Disney had a much different vibe in the 90s. They wouldn't release that collection again today. I wish I could find those.

[@penelopelopez8296]

Disney doesn’t have any treasures….they produced pure garbage i can’t even look at today. After seeing ole yeller as a child and crying as I left the theater, my hatred for Disney began and I still hate his movies today….all of them.

[@silentotto5099]

@@penelopelopez8296 Now that you mention it... Crockett... Bambi's mother... Dumbo was brutally sad... And, of course, the aforementioned Old Yeller. Your right! I hate Disney too!

[@voyager4441]

there were actually five episodes...."Davy Crockett, Indian Fighter", "Davy Crockett Goes to Congress", "Davy Crockett at the Alamo", "Davy Crockett's Keelboat Race" and "Davy Crockett and the River Pirates" between 1954 and 1955 shown on ABC's DISNEYLAND, a weekley series in the 1950s

[@arthurdevain754]

"Keel Boat" and "River Pirates" were produced in response to the incredible "demand for more" from the public. I am certain that no-one was more surprised by the popularity of Davy Crockett than Walt Disney himself.

[@jamescampbell39]

let us not forget Fess also played Daniel Boone on TV for a bit.

[@Decrepit_Productions]

I bet that's why so many people remember Davy Crockett as having more episodes than it does, myself included.

[@picklerix6162]

I remember my junior high played all of these Davy Crockett episodes in the school auditorium during lunch break in 1971. The kids loved each episode and sang and clapped with the theme song. I never understood why Davy Crockett was so popular in the 50’s until then.

[@brianthomas2434]

Disney didn't kill "Colonel " Crockett. Santa Ana did.

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

Sort of, Disney could have held that episode off for later, as there was probably more that could have been done with his life up to that point. But yes, once that particular part of his life was depicted, there wasn't much that could be done, as he didn't survive the actual battle.

[@aaronstandingbear]

@@SmallSpoonBrigade They coulda done it...Look how Star Wars was presented with an later segement of the story and the next episodes were back in the history of it.

[@thisismagacountry1318]

If you've ever visited The Alamo, you'll understand why a female comic said he escaped through the gift shop.

[@danieldravot341]

When the final scene faded out, with the theme song playing and Davy still swinging Old Betsy at the Mexicans, I wept as only a five year year old can weep . . .

[@sethkaicer319]

The rerun Zone boldly goes where no man has gone before.

[@kenkaplan3654]

The show was a perfect storm of legend, history, charisma and marketing. It still affects me to this day. Crockett did become a symbol of the American frontier as in his rime dime novels churned out by the dozens of things like "Davy Crockett fixes the sun". If Crockett had not died at the Alamo, not sure his legendary stature would be so great. Disney was a genius and give him credit for staying truthful to Crockett's opposition to the Indian Removal Act. Crockett had real Presidential aspirations but ran into the buzz saw of Jackson, a greater national hero. Those aspirations got him killed in Texas. Crockett actually disliked "Davy", preferring David as he took politics seriously. Billy Bob Thorton did an outstanding underrated job portraying him in the 2004 movie "The Alamo" which is the most historically accurate version of the siege and final assault. The Crockett phenomenon, which took even Disney by surprise was the first great expression in the modern media era of tying marketing items to a television show or movie. It paved the way for everyone else. One thing that was also genius, the song. I watched a DVD that included a 45 minute segment on the song's influence and it said the song weaves through the series like a thread tying everything together and providing cohesion, heightening its legendary aspects. Whatever one may think of Disney, especially in limiting more artistic animation expressions, he was a genius and a true reflection of American commercialism but also American initiative, creativity and ingenuity. It is no accident that the company he founded is the most powerful entertainment company in America and despite its commercialism has turned out some astonishing works of art. Old Yeller was another Disney phenomenon of that period. Disney has so many of them.

[@terryv]

At 0:45, the narrator said that Crockett "represented Tennessee in both houses of Congress", which would be the House of Representatives and the Senate. Untrue; while he served three terms in the House, he never served in the Senate.

[@petesmith9472]

I’d have bet my house on an entire tv series over a couple of years. As a kid I LOVED this program and knew the theme song off by heart.

[@RobertEWaters]

And you would have won.

[@markgrove2030]

EVERY kid knew the song. Don't recall any girls wearing the cap but most boys had or coveted one. And did we all cry when Davy died fighting at the Alamo? YES! A great icon was Mr. Parker; his story mirrored our own in the great 1950s.

[@bigblue6917]

I remember watching Davy Crockett when I was a kid in the 50s. Enjoyed it very much but it did take me awhile to work out what a burr was.😀

[@paulsto6516]

My brother was into this series in the mid 60's. I would have guessed there were 30 or 40 episodes!

[@noahlarch9696]

You might be thinking of Daniel Boone. Fess Parker had the lead in that show, and it went for many seasons in the 60s.

[@mikemesser4326]

@@noahlarch9696 Agreed. For me it was the 70's. Strict parents who never let us watch TV - except during dinner. Walt Disney was the go to show for us to watch. I guess I am as guilty as any one of getting the shows mixed up. LOL, that darned scene of Boone throwing an hand axe and splitting a pole nearly got me to blind myself with an axe. So glad noone saw me actually pull that stunt. (Ran under a clothes line waving the axe and trying to thrown it. Didn't mind where I was. Line caught the hatchet ... and I saw stars when the back of the hatchet caught my right eye. Thank God for a hard skull. Lots of blood, but superficial damage. Had to sneak past my Mom to get to a sink where I could wash away all the blood and make sure I could still see before freaking my Mom out.

[@fred5399]

There was a prequel called Davy Crockett and Mike fink

[@noahlarch9696]

@@mikemesser4326 I'm 27 years old, but Disney re-released the feature film version of Davy Crockett along with the River Pirates movie on vhs when I was little. I watched these near constantly in the late 90s and early 00s

[@majorneptunejr]

@@noahlarch9696 I have every episode on DVD. I think there are 5 total .

[@MikeUIibarri]

Wow. I've been singing this song all my life. Only three seasons?

[@StevenTorrey]

Three programs--not three seasons which is about 3 years. (I never understand TV talk. I do not really know what entails a television season. In the 1950s, a TV season consisted of about nine months--from September to June; but by the 1990s or earlier, a TV season meant something like sixteen weeks (from September to January, and another season from April to June, with re-runs during the time between the seasons.)

[@henryquenin6580]

I was living in the home of the Alamo, San Antonio Texas when this was on TV. I was five years old and my parents bought me a coonskin hat and buckskin jacket. One day, Fess Parker and Buddy Ebson came to town and my mom took me to the movie theater to see them. The theater showed the three episodes as a continuous feature film movie. In my memory it seems like every kid in the packed movie house was wearing a cookskin hat. I remember that Fess Parker and Buddy Ebson came out on stage after the movie, dressed up in their movie clothes. The crowd went wild. They told the kids that they really didn't die at the end and that Davy and his sidekick lived on.

[@silentotto5099]

That was always my mental dialogue when I was a kid. After all, they only showed Crockett wading into the hoard of Mexicans swinging his rifle, they didn't actually show him die. What's interesting is that historians are now fairly well convinced that Crockett did survive the actual battle. It's believed he was captured by the Mexican army and then executed.

[@brianthomas2434]

"Let's find out, in History book? What is THAT?" Alternatively, the KZbin channel for Elementary school drop outs !

[@RSEFX]

I imagine that Fess Parker was forever appreciative to his having been cast as the (deemed) "crazy guy" Crotty in the SF film THEM. (Not sure of the spelling of that character's name, but Parker definitely made that small part come to life!)

[@GoGreen1977]

I'm a Boomer, but wasn't born until 1955. I don't recall the original Davy Crockett episodes, but instead, I grew up with Fess Parker as Daniel Boone. I don't recall seeing original Howdy Doody shows, either. Romper Room and Captain Kangaroo were my childhood favorites.

[@theabristlebroom4378]

I was born in late 1966, and those were my favorite morning TV shows, along with Sesame Street, Electric Company, and ZOOM!

[@marbleman52]

I was born in 1952 and remember watching Davy Crockett, and then later, Daniel Boone. When I was in the 4th grade...61-62 I think....our class put on a play and I got to play Davy Crockett, complete with a coonskin cap. I was so thrilled to wear the coonskin cap that when the play was over and we had to get ready to go to lunch, the other kids tried to tell me to take off the cap but I wouldn't listen to them and I wore that coonskin cap to lunch...no one was gonna make me take it off...!!

[@Armstrong.N]

'52 was a good year ; )

[@Allen-yv3ue]

A lot of us had that Cap -

[@13thwho]

The very first record I ever had was a 78 rpm version of “The Ballad of Davy Crockett”. My father bought it during his lunch break from work.

[@tricivenola8164]

Thanks for this. Davy Crockett was a member of our family, for gossakes. Only three episodes? We must have watched them as a family and talked about them around the dinner table, oh those familial '50s. I'm not surprised to learn that he was pro-Indian. That may be why our parents encouraged us to learn about him. To this day I know every word of the song, and I'm sorry to say that like every other kid I knew, I had a coonskin cap. I think, to my horror, that they were actual raccoon tails.

[@francesrude3007]

To bad you dont still have the coonskin cap now..

[@TokyoXtreme]

Part of the Davy Crockett theme song is still played as part of a larger Disney medley for the morning exercise song at Japanese nursery schools. His name is clearly sung as the part begins, so even Japanese children know of this guy. The ballad was always my favorite Disney song by far.

[@robertbeattie1061]

I wore a Davy Crockett sweater when I was a boy in the 1950s! The show was a big hit.

[@wayneyadams]

Yup, my brother and i both had our Davy Crockett coon skin caps. My father was a career navy man, and we were living in Barcelona when we got the news over the Armed Forces Radio Network that we should put away our caps because the Davy Crockett craze was over. We did not comply. ;-)

[@thisismagacountry1318]

Living in Barcelona during its prime must have been amazing. I remember visiting Barcelona during my Navy days and seeing the beautiful architecture. Palma de Mallorca is a bucket list spot to revisit.

[@wayneyadams]

@@thisismagacountry1318 The Navy sent us over on the SS Independence, twin sister ship to the SS Constitution which was in the movie "An Affair to Remember". I was home schooled for the second half of second grade, and attended a private boys school for third grade, all paid for by the Navy because there were no English speaking schools. Because the exchange rate was so high, we shared a huge luxury apartment (4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 sitting rooms, and two maid's quarters with separate bathroom) with another Navy family. It was on Avenida Diagonal. The city was amazingly beautiful, although the people were snobbish and took every opportunity to make fun of our Spanish. Loved the city, disliked the people. There are so many things to see that are just beautiful.

[@fw1421]

I remember watching Davy Crockett when I was a kid. It was very popular at that time,late 50’s to mid 60’s.

[@toochangz]

When I was a kid they sold VHS with the 1st and 3rd episodes as a movie and the RiverBoat 2nd episode as a sequel film. Loved watching them

[@ShiftingDrifter]

Growing up in the Appalachians of Western Virginia as a kid, I couldn't get enough of Davy Crockett, Daniel Boone and other great frontiersmen like Simon Kenton (who once saved Boone's life). It's a part of American history that needs to be retold factually in films and TV. In the past 50 years, I think "Last of the Mohicans" is the only story that's been made into a movie (and even then grievously inaccurate historically). If I had the money to produce a series of films, I'd bring in the best talent and tell the amazing accounts and extraordinary true stories of fearless men and women who blazed the early eastern frontier of colonial America.

[@TheGuitologist]

Great stuff. I remember watching this Crockett series on satellite Disney channel in the 80s. The song is an earworm.

[@DCMarvelMultiverse]

I was born long after this show but I watched the episodes when they aired sporadically alongside the Daniel Boone episodes. Love your channel btw.

[@RerunZone]

Thank you so much.

[@Britspence381]

I had the raccoon hat as a child. I still have the 45 Ballad of Davy Crockett record. Wow, this is a trip wayyy back, thanks for posting. :)

[@hairydogstail]

I still have my hat..

[@myfavoritemartian1]

Yes, I had the record. Yes, I could sing the song. (Still remember 2 verses) Yes, I own a real flintlock rifle. (I am 70 now) Fess Parker could do no wrong. I loved him as Dan'l Boone. This is one of my good childhood memories.

[@brandonpage7087]

I remember seeing the 3 episodes made, on the wonderful world of Walt Disney, when I was a kid. Fess Parker also played Daniel Boone. Would love to see a video over that series.

[@markadams7597]

Interesting that this quick review doesn't seem to know about Fess Parker as Daniel Boone on TV for several seasons. Parker made Boone "the most famous frontiersman" after Disney's brief Crocket phase. It was Fess' 2nd signature piece.

[@charlesgallagher1376]

I watched Daniel Boone and still remember the theme song.

[@tomcurran1538]

Yes, Fess Parker as Dan'l Boone. I think people may conflate the two historical characters. I was born in PA where Boone was and now live in NC where he explored.

[@libertyauto]

That was my thought too Mark Adams. Came to comments looking to see if anybody else was puzzled by this.

[@mehameha4453]

I had a metal school lunch box with Daniel Boone (Fess Parker) and the thermos bottle too as a kid growing up. We could only watch the show if we did all our chores and homework and kept our rooms clean. TV was only for adults back then.

[@dontaylor7315]

@@mehameha4453 I had one of those lunchboxes too. Edit: Oops I remembered it wrong; my Fess Parker lunchbox was a Davy Crockett. By the time Daniel Boone went on the air I was in highschool and not carrying lunchboxes.

[@MrEmpireBuilder0000]

Crockett led a very interesting life. He did die at the Alamo. The thing was that Sam Houston who led most of the army down there, did order them to leave the Alamo. But the captain in charge decided to stay and defend along with Jim Bowie and Crockett. Militarily, you can tell Houston wanted Santa Ana to stretch out his supply line which is exactly what happened. By the end of it, Santa Ana got defeated because he overran his supply lines and was defeated there at San Jacinto some miles from modern day Houston city. There is controversy surrounding Crockett's death. Some say he fought to the death. That's the romantic version. Realisitcally, they might have surrendered because it was classic honor in the military to fight nobly but not to the death. He was a smart man. He's also a canny politician. Accounts say Santa Ana's generals wanted to honor that tradition and treat military foes with respect if they surrender. (Safe passage, good treatment and possible ransom) They say Santa Ana showed no mercy that day.

[@majorneptunejr]

I am just curious. Why does everyone remember Santa Ana's victory at the Alamo, but hardly anyone remembers Houston's victory at San Jacinto ?

[@RobertEWaters]

I'm inclined to accept the "romantic" version because the only witnesses who had actually ever met Crockett said that they saw his body among the others. The only ones who claimed to have seen him executed had never actually seen him before.

[@josephdoonan7864]

@@majorneptunejr It's not remembered as Santa Ana's victory, which was a minor one considering how outnumbered the defenders were, but rather for the sacrifice of the men who died there. Sometimes its the losses that become more famous than the victories - Little Big Horn, Pearl Harbor ect. San Jacinto is remembered in Texas as it established the Republic of Texas as an independent nation. It didn't become part of the US until 1845, 9 years later.

[@michaelmcgregor7374]

I don't know where you got you're information, but Houston wanted the Alamo defended to buy him time to form his Army!!!

[@OGMaverickGaming]

There's another one, Crockett and Santa Ana were both Freemasons. Crockett knew Santa Ana was a Freemason and gave a specific sign that he himself was one. Supposedly Freemasons aren't allowed to knowingly harm one another.

[@davidpennington1127]

I remember watching it when I was young and it first aired on TV. Never forgot the Alamo episode and my mom giving me the nickname of Crockett. Buddy Ebsen was perfect as the best friend and I still remember him telling Crockett to "Give them what fer". My little sister found the complete collection about 30 years ago and bought it for me and I still have it today. Haven't watched it in years and since I have the time (retired a few weeks ago) I think I will get it out and watch all the episode once more.

[@davidpennington1127]

I also have all the Daniel Boone episodes. Enjoyed most of the characters it featured too.

[@derrickbailey5167]

I must have the memory of an elephant but I even remember the theme song Davey, Davey Crockett, king of the wild frontier 😲😲😲🤔🤔🤔🎯🎯🎯

[@josephkavanagh7055]

I saw it in reruns on the Wonderful World of Disney as a kid in the mid sixties. It is one of my earliest memories.

[@4knanapapa]

I enjoyed the series as a kid and made sure I got lots of Davey Crockett items for birthdays and Christmas, my greatest memory though was convincing my son's to watch it in the 80s, they complained about it being old but I convinced them to watch, they sat through all three origional episodes and didn't make a peep, they loved it, some things are timeless.

[@steveholder1956]

I was a big Davy Crockett fan in my childhood , had the hat and rifle as well as a flint lock pistol . I'm 65 years old now and kids nowadays don't even know who Davy Crockett was . I live not to far from were some of the movie was filmed in the Smoky Mtn . Like to see these movies again !

[@TheBcambron]

I remember it. I loved it!!! That actor is how I still see Davy Crockett.

[@darrenrenna]

I was born in the early 1980's and the Disney Channel was still regularly running shows like this, thankful this was part of my childhood!

[@jazzvictrola7104]

I was in elementary school when this came out and I thought that song would never go out of style until it did.

[@judypierce7028]

I had the record of the song. It was beautiful. I loved the movies and have them. Love Fess Parker!!

[@pulsarstargrave256]

WOW! I can't believe you left out the conclusion of this story: namely that Fess Parker left Disney to go on to play another American hero: DANIEL BOONE!

[@bolt4694]

Born 1950. I had ALL the merchandise. Wish I still had my Davey Crockett lunchbox.

[@jaylittleton1]

Perhaps if Disney started a fourth episode with Mrs. Crockett discovering Davy in the shower and realizing his death was just all a dream.

[@michaelmcgregor7374]

Let's JUST PRETEND the Alamo never happened!!! Davy's wife died long before he ever went to Congress, and NEVER remarried!!! And they DID NOT have showers back in the early 1800's!!!

[@RockReynolds]

I listened and listened to that record. Born on a mountain top in Tennessee. Greenest state, in the land of the free. Played in the woods, 'til he knew every tree. Killed him a bear (pronounced "bar"), when he was only three. Davyyyyyyy, Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier.

[@tkarlmann]

I think it was "... killed a timber bar, when he was only three ...".

[@RockReynolds]

@@tkarlmann I was known to mis-hear lyrics in those days. NOW I find out. "Davy Crockett", though, had to share time, with "Back in the Saddle Again", by Gene Autry.

[@jimturpin]

I still remember the first time I met Davy Crockett back in 2002. He worked at a Radio Shack in the tri-cities area of Tennessee and gave me his business card so I would know he was the real deal, lol! He confided in me apparently the name was common and there were a LOT of Davy Crockett's in that part of the country.

[@dalehall2067]

Not Fess Parker

[@jimturpin]

@@dalehall2067 Didn't Fess Parker move on to become Daniel Boone for a LOT longer time?

[@johnnyv.5142]

I find it strange that there hasn't been a definitive big budget film about Davy Crockett to date. His story has it all; humble beginnings; a two term member of Congress in the House; political advisor; author; famed man on the frontier; and a member of the resistance force at the Alamo!

[@CrustyAbsconder]

I did not start watching tv seriously until 1970 when I was six years old. But I mostly just remember Daniel Boone, although I am certain I saw every episode of Davey Crockett numerous times. By my era, sci-fi was the big thing with shows like Time Tunnel and Land of the Giants, and many others that are long forgotten.

[@onlyrick]

Me and my brother sure were proud of our "coonskin" caps. I don't think I want to know what they were actually made of! I remember when the show Disneyland changed names, but I remember the new show as "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color". Guess we can't trust my memory on that. Hell, I don't even remember where I lost my "coonskin" cap.

[@4CardsMan]

I was in the sixth grade then. The marketing was overwhelming. You couldn't get away from it.

[@richardsmith2879]

I’m English, and I had a Davey Crockett hat too. I was a small boy, but this was exciting. All I can remember now is the hat, and the song. Oh dear.

[@waynemaclean2227]

I as a kid loved this show and Daniel Boone tv show . My mom bought me a fake racoon cap. And seeing Daniel Boone back in the 60s throwing a axe . Had me throwing a axe even now for fun at 65 . Making a game of it to play with a friend for points .

[@tazmod7272]

I am old enough to remember seeing the show. As a kid wanted one of them hats.

[@JPFalcononor]

I went to D+ to give this a rewatch and forgot how they treated kids with respect and did not dumb down the story nor avoid tragic moments. This is when the family unit would discuss what they saw and help children understand what real life is all about, the good and the bad. This show could never be produced today and I am not just referring to the stereotype moments but the overall theme in general. By the way, I found the disclaimer D+ posted before the show began to be quite interesting on multiple levels. A: The font size was very small. B: There was quite a bit of text to read. C: Reading this small font paragraph was on a short count down timer. D: You could not pause it to read it at your pace. So it was like they felt obligated to issue this disclaimer but really did not want you to read it....

[@Mopar-Pioneer]

My Dad bought me the original 78 wax record of the Davey Crocket theme song sung by Fess Parker. I always loved the flip side " Farewell to the Mountains " as much as the Davey theme. Anyone else have that record ?????

[@ArmenianBishop]

I first watched it in 1959 or 1960, when they did a featured Davy Crockett rerun of the 1955 Mini TV Series. I was only 4 or 5 years old, but I remember well watching it, the first time.

[@melaniesmith1313]

Fess Parker was fantastic as Crocket and Daniel Boone. Back when Disney still had integrity.

[@abrahamdozer6273]

What can you do after the Alamo? Wait! the Alamo was all a DREAM and Davey's back for another season!

[@Name-ps9fx]

I don't remember watching this'in the mid-70's but I shor' do remember how popular the theme song was!

[@jamesmilichich6693]

I remember when the original 3 episode series ended, and I remember being happy with the follow on episodes.

[@Henry-sk2dr]

Fess Parker was as charismatic as he was tall at 6'6"". I believe he got into selling real estate in the later part of his life. "Give 'em what fur Davy".

[@gothboschincarnate3931]

I just knew yesterday i would come across a young Buddy Ebsen....

[@PeterDad60]

I remember our small 8", maybe 10" B&W TV and Davy Crockett along with Science program's brought the world into our home. I was 4 years old in 1954. This is a very important and special time in my life an I really enjoyed it.-Peter age 72

[@despayre3914]

As a kid (mid to end 70's) I had a comic book (Dutch) with 3 stories in it.....Davy Crockett (adapted from this series), Treasure island (the movie) and Lady and the Vagabond......it had a very torn cover and I've read it to death Years later I found a great intact copy with Fess Parker on the cover intact. It's because of that book I'm quite familiar with the story of the Alamo as a non-American. Only last year I finally got my hands on a dvd of this movie (series actually)....glad I finally found it.

[@michaelmakes1225]

Some Fess Trivia..he was doing some radio interviews ,promoting the DVD release of Daniel Boone series..talk switched to his Disney years,and he told a story of when working on ''The Great Locomotive Race'',co star Jeffrey Hunter came up to him and said ''I guess I should thank you for ''The Searchers''.'' Fess asked him what he meant by that.So Hunter told him that John Ford had said that he originally had wanted Fess for the role of Martin,but Walt Disney declined to ''loan him out'',for whatever reason. This was news to Fess,but he said that he never broached the subject with his old boss,whom throughout the interview he invariably referred to as ''Mr.Disney'',and the warm feelings he had for Walt were obvious. By the way,there is a chance that John Ford made up the whole thing ,just to push Jeffrey Hunter's buttons.He could be a weird guy..

[@Tonetwisters]

I LOVED this show as a kid ...

[@samueldelgado1458]

I know Fess Parker from Daniel Boone. My girls and I watched every episode, we still sing the theme.... DANIEL BOONE WAS MAN, HE WAS A REAL MAN.

[@miklosernoehazy8678]

...nice review... ...your next video should be about the infamous vicar, Dr. Syn -the Scarecrow of Romney Marsh...

[@interwebtubes]

Nice piece buddy 👍👍👍

[@charlescolemansr-pq3ig]

I watched Davy Crockett as kid

[@donwelch6612]

i was friends with the guy who played his youngest son.....charlie whitetree. we were boyhood friends. charlie and i were inseparable. his father was deaf but i loved the entire family. that was outside of clio,mi. 6th grade. 1959-1960.

[@hemaccabe4292]

These were still being rerun by Disney in the seventies when I was a kid.

[@markfreeman-uv7si]

Fess Parker acted in "Them" and "Hell is for Heroes" with Steve McQueen.

[@tylerclifford9436]

Well remembered, and beloved. Such a wonderful show. Worth every minute. I hate to say it but Mike Fink kinda steals the show in the river pirates, but there will never be a better Davey than Fess Parker. R.i.P

[@TermiteUSA]

Born in 1953, I had the fake coon skin cap and the pop gun with the cork on a string. I saw the working flintlock rifle but am not so sure about the production portrait of Fess with the percussion cap pistol. Good time for a '50s kid and good good music to grow up with.

[@nikiTricoteuse]

Good grief. Absolutely stunned there were only 3 episodes. I'm from New Zealand and watched it here in my childhood. Pretty much all of the TV we watched in the early days of transmission here in the 60s was American or British. Absolutely LOVED all the early westerns we were shown and from memory all of my puppy love crushes were cowboys.

[@waterbourne9282]

Sunday evenings Wonderful World of Disney in front of the telly in NZ, good memories.

[@nikiTricoteuse]

@@waterbourne9282 Oh yes. I remember the feeling of hoping that it would be my favourite "land" but l can't remember which one WAS my favourite, Frontierland, Tomorrowland, Adventureland or Fantasyland. They all seemed so exciting.

[@dudester873]

I was one of those clamoring for a racoon tail cap; one of my favorite episodes was the River Pirates.

[@TrayDyer38]

“Davey… Davey Crocket king of the wild frontier.” Because of that show, every kid wore that Raccoon tail hat in 1955.

[@rongendron8705]

I was 9 in 1955 when the popularity of Davy Crockett was at its highest! I believe that even Walt Disney himself, had not imagined how successful the character would be and had already scheduled his demise in only three episodes! When the furor hadn't died down, he quickly tried to 'resurrect' him with two more "Mike Fink" prequel episodes in 1956, but the damage had already been done! Later, he introduced new historical characters, i.e. Texas John Slaughter, Elfego Baca, etc. & left them to 'run their course' with the public!

[@chrisoliver5302]

I had no idea James Arness was up for this role. I'm a huge Gunsmoke fan, so this was very cool to find out. I watched this as a kid in the 80s but I guess I'll have to re-watch.

[@Isilzhatheta1]

Yes and both Arness and Parker were in the scifi movie "THEM!" which I still have and watch. Fess Parker's role was small but well performed.

[@chrisoliver5302]

@@Isilzhatheta1 I had no idea Arness was in that movie either I'm definitely going to have to check it out!

[@jeffsmith2022]

Man, we all loved him as kids of the 50s. I still have the buckle from my Davy Crockett belt...sadly, not the flint lock pistol...

[@sharonvalandingham7692]

I always loved Dave’s Crockett. I also always thought it was many episodes. I loved the Daniel boone series also. Just loved all the old historical shows Disney put out.

[@gillygil8747]

I liked this show. I always wondered the same. Talk about a Tennessee Volunteer! It might be time for a real Davey Crocket show. I had a raccoon cap. I also had a Pennsylvania cap lock rifle.

[@brucerazor5202]

I still remember it with fond memories

[@alancranford3398]

Wasn't it obvious? Walt was making a mini-series and wanted to complete the story of Day Crockett within the limited budget of his studio. Three episodes--and The End. Nobody anticipated a runaway hit--that was Zorro later. If Walt had anticipated Davy Crockett being a hit series, I'm guessing that Walt would have made 30 or more Davy Crockett television shows instead of just three one-hour television presentations.

[@RerunZone]

Walt was more focused on getting Disneyland up and running at the time as his TV show was just a glorified advertising platform for his theme park. Like you said, no one saw this hit coming and if Walt had, it would've run for many seasons instead of what amounts to a mini series.

[@babuddha]

[Accepting the narrator's representations as accurate,] what is obvious to me is that television was a new medium in its infancy. The idea that Disney was retelling a "modestly fictionalized" history of Crockett and Walt's question -- "What else did he do?" -- suggest that Walt did not yet understand the creative license that episodic tv would take each week to create new fictions that fit neatly into the timeslot with room for tv's purpose: Commercial advertising. Agreed, had Disney better understood the product he was creating, he would not have told the story of Crockett's death in the third episode.

[@RobertEWaters]

It isn't accurate. There were three SERIES.

[@babuddha]

Heh... glad I included that disclaimer about the reliability of the narrator!!! Read the wiki and it doesn't surprise me a bit that Disney quickly course [corrected] from his early mistake and decided that pulp fiction was more important than historical fact. Apparently, the 3-episode series ended with Crockett facing death at the Alamo. The series was turned into a feature film for theatrical release. Disney did in fact produce two additional episodes, which were again combined into a threatrical release. Apparently the third series is a reboot over 30 years later with a different actor in the role. Might say that the concept of historical accuracy on television jumped the shark with Davy Crockett's Return From the Alamo -- the Sequel.

[@babuddha]

@Whammer79 Heh... So... I earned extra credit on the pop quiz?!?!?

[@gardengnome3249]

Prior to watching this vid I could have sworn Davy crockett ran longer than it did. I was not born when it first aired but remember it fondly when I first saw it on Disneyland Presents on sunday nights at 7 pm on channel 7.

[@Tadicuslegion78]

That's the fascinating thing about old school Disney was just how many tv movies/mini-series he made that later got recut into movies on VHS/DVD