A former college athlete at the University of Texas, Fess studied Drama in the early fifties and debuted in 'Springfield Rifle' (1952). He made only a handful of movies until he was signed by Walt Disney to star in the Davy Crockett series. When Walt was looking for an actor to play the part of Davy, he screened the Sci-fi movie 'Them!' (1954) with James Arness. When he saw Fess in a scene, he chose him over Arness and Fess became an instant celebrity when 'Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier' debuted in 1955. His appeal with children was enormous with the coon-skinned hat and the hit song "Davey Crockett". But the craze ended almost as fast as it started in 1956, and Fess was typecast. Fess appeared in other Disney movies dealing with the early years of Davey and also in non-Crockett parts such as 'Old Yeller' (1957). By 1959, unable to achieve the success that he had gained as Crockett, his career had leveled off. He made guest appearances on a number of television shows, but his attempted return to television in the series "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" (1962) was not successful. Unable to procure the rights to play Crockett from Disney, Fess tried the frontiersman role once again with the TV series "Daniel Boone" (1964). He played this role for six years and the fact that he had a beautiful red-headed wife in a color series did not hurt him at all. After "Daniel Boone", Fess retired from the screen and went into real estate, which was profitable. He was later forced to sue his Daniel Boone producers over the profits generated by the series.


Graduate of The University of Texas at Austin - BA '50 Parker was named a Disney Legend in 1991. Retired from Hollywood in 1973; among his successful California businesses are an ocean-front resort in Santa Barbara; a 21-room inn in Los Olivos; and an award-winning winery. Walt Disney would not let Parker out of his contract, so he had to turn down a part in The Searchers (1956). To one generation of television fans he will always be Davy Crockett. To the next generation he will be the one and only Daniel Boone. Parker talks about the beginnings of his career and the movie Them! (1954) in the book "A Sci-Fi Swarm and Horror Horde" (McFarland, 2010) by Tom Weaver. Appeared as an uncredited extra in Man on a Tightrope (1953). He is seen for a few seconds near the end of the movie as a U.S. GI sitting in a jeep guarding the border. Longtime friend of Ronald Reagan. Wanted to be cast opposite Marilyn Monroe in "Bus Stop" but could not overcome Walt Disney's disapproval.