>>>>>Born on a mountaintop in Tennessee ...
>>>>>
>>>>>Peacefully of old age at 85 - Fess Parker AKA Davy Crockett
>>>>>Before anyone knew such a thing was possible, Disneyland (the TV show) launched a marketing juggernaut in 1954.
>>>>>
>>>>>10 million coonskin hats were sold (not to mention everything else from flintlocks to lunchboxes and trading cards) and "The Ballad of Davy Crockett" was the number one song in the USA for 13 straight weeks !!
>>>>>
>>>>>I'll bet you 20 million Americans can still sing the song.
>>>>
>>>>Not to mention a few Canadians (at least those who can carry a tune - I can recite it).
>>>>
>>>>>Parker was a very smart man and knew his Crockett role was a one role wonder (though he later had a series as Daniel Boone) He put his earnings into California real-estate in the mid 50s.
>>>>>
>>>>>Bonus points : the names of the gambler and the Indian at the Alamo, and the King of the River.
>>>>
>>>>The gambler was Thimblerig (hard name to forget), but the indian, I don't remember. I seem to think it was a really simple name like John, but probably not John. The King of the River - well, I can see his face, but I just can't place his name - Something Fink?
>>>
>>>Bravo for Thimblerig. The Indian was Busted-Luck.
>>
>>Ok, I didn't remember Busted-Luck, but it came to me earlier this afternoon that I was actually thinking of Buddy Ebsen's role as "George" when I remembered a 'simple' name.
>>
>>And of course, the rifle was played by Betsy.
>>
>>>And girls would run and hide, and brave men quiver when faced with Mike Fink, King of the River.
>>
>>YES! MIKE Fink. Now I remember.
>>
>>Speaking of Buddy Ebsen, ever see him dance? Quite a treat.
>>
>
>I believe Buddy was signed to be the original Scarecrow, then moved over to be the Tin-Man (when the person playing the Tin-Man wanted to be the Scarecrow), then dropped when he became deathly ill form the Aluminum dust put on his body. He can really dance up a storm! Plus, you can still his voice on the Soundtrack when they four of them sing - "We're off to see the Wizard"....
Yes. That's the way I heard it too. He was a truly interesting dancer. Like Ray Bolger, he seemed to be somewhat boneless.
>
>>Here he is with his sister and the incomparable Eleanor Powell.
>>
>>
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxjEqgNIFqI&feature=related
