'Davy Crockett' Actor Fess Parker Dies At 85
Family Says Actor Died From Natural Causes
POSTED: Thursday, March 18, 2010
UPDATED: 3:15 pm CDT March 18,2010
"Davy Crockett" and "Daniel Boone" star-turned-developer and vintner Fess Parker has died. He was 85.
Family spokeswoman Sao Anash said Parker died at 10 a.m. Thursday of natural causes at his Santa Ynez home near the Fess Parker Winery. His death comes on the 84th birthday of his wife of 50 years, Marcella.
Parker became every baby boomer's idol in the 1950s when he starred as frontiersman Davy Crockett.
Kids grabbed up Davy Crockett lunch boxes, toy Old Betsy rifles, buckskin shirts and trademark fur caps. The series theme song - "The Ballad of Davy Crockett" - became a hit with its line "Born on a mountaintop in Tennessee."
Parker played Daniel Boone in the late 60s television show.
He later became a developer along California's Central Coast and grew grapes for prize-winning wines.
Distributed by Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
'Davy Crockett' Actor Fess Parker Dies At 85 - Entertainment News Story - KSAT San Antonio