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A zeal for the defence of their country led these heroes to the scene of action, though with a few men to attack a powerful army of experienced warriors.
Daniel Boone
There were three versions of the Daniel Boone theme song written by Vera Matson and Lionel Newman. The third "groovy version" was sung by The Imperials.
Davy Crockett
King of the Wild Frontier
December 15, 1954
December 14, 1955
Davy Crockett is a five part serial which aired on ABC in one-hour episodes on the Disneyland series, the series stars Fess Parker as Davy Crockett and Buddy Ebsen as George Russell.
The first three episodes of the serial were edited together as the 1955 theatrical film Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier. The series and film are known for the catchy theme song, "The Ballad of Davy Crockett". The series was filmed in color at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park at the Mountain Farm Museum adjacent to the visitor center at Oconaluftee (Great Smoky Mountains) near the Cherokee, North Carolina, entrance.
The series began with "Davy Crockett, Indian Fighter" (December 15, 1954): Crockett seeks a truce with Indians who assaulted a military outpost. He and Russell fight in skirmishes under the command of General Andrew Jackson, portrayed by Basil Ruysdael. Along the way, Crockett kills a bear armed only with his knife.
The second episode is "Davy Crockett Goes to Congress" (January 26, 1955): Crockett, with his companion Russell, travels to Tennessee, where he learns of the death of his wife, Polly Crockett, played by Helene Stanley. He wins a seat in the Tennessee House of Representatives and later the United States House of Representatives.
The third episode is "Davy Crockett at the Alamo" (February 23, 1955): Crockett and Russell join a gambler named Thimblerig, played by Hans Conreid, who joins them on their trek to Texas, where they arrive to battle Mexico's General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna at the fortress, the Alamo. Although Crockett and all the defenders perished at the Battle of the Alamo, two other segments followed. (Crockett's death is not actually shown; all we see is Crockett, the last survivor in the battle, on the parapet swinging his rifle at the oncoming hordes of Mexican soldiers. The picture fades and the flag of Texas is shown flying in the breeze as the male chorus reprises the last lines of "The Ballad of Davy Crockett".)
In "Davy Crockett's Keelboat Race" (November 16, 1955), Crockett and Russell are fur trapping in Kentucky when they meet Mike Fink, known as the best boatman around and portrayed in the miniseries by Jeff York. Fink challenged Crockett to a keelboat race to New Orleans.
In "Davy Crockett and the River Pirates" (December 14, 1955), Crockett and Russell team up with Fink to catch pirates posing as Indians.
Kenneth Tobey, later of the syndicated television adventure series Whirlybirds starred as Jim Bowie in the "Alamo" segment and then as Jocko in the two later episodes. Mort Mills guest starred in the two final segments as Sam Mason. Thirty-three-year-old Don Megowan was cast as 26-year-old William Barret Travis. Pat Hogan played Chief Red Stick. William Bakewell played Major Tobias Norton.
The Walt Disney Company acknowledged that the broad public popularity of the first three segments came as a surprise, but Disney capitalized on its success by licensing the sale of various types of Crockett paraphernalia, including coonskin caps and bubble gum cards.
After the Crockett miniseries, Disney attempted to create other heroic characters, such as six episodes of "The Saga of Andy Burnett" (1957), starring Jerome Courtland as a pioneer who traveled from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to the Rocky Mountains. "The Nine Lives of Elfego Baca" followed in 1958, with Robert Loggia as New Mexico lawman Elfego Baca. Some thirteen segments of Texas John Slaughter aired in 1958-1959, based on a real law-enforcement officer John Horton Slaughter of Texas and starring Tom Tryon. Another Disney miniseries, The Swamp Fox, starring Leslie Nielsen as Revolutionary War fighter Francis Marion, aired between 1959 and 1961. Marion wore a foxtail on his three-cornered hat, but the headpiece failed to attract the attention of the Crockett coonskin caps.
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Davy Crockett Lyrics
Born on a mountain top in Tennessee,
Greenest state in the land of the free.
Raised in the woods so's he knew every tree,
Killed him a bear when he was only three.
Davy, Davy Crockett King of the Wild Frontier.
He fought single handed through the Injun war,
Till the Creeks was whipped and peace was restored.
And while he was handling this risky chore,
Made himself a legend, forevermore.
Davy, Davy Crockett the man who don't know fear.
When he lost his love, and his grief was gall,
In his heart he wanted to leave it all,
And lose himself in the forest tall,
But he answered instead, his country's call.
Davy, Davy Crockett, the choice of the whole frontier
He went off to Congress and served a spell
Fixin' up the government and laws as well.
Took over Washington, so we hear tell,
And patched up the crack in the Liberty Bell.
Davy, Davy Crockett, seein' his duty clear. (Serving his country well)
When he come home, his politickin' done,
The western march had just begun.
So he packed his gear, and his trusty gun
And lit out a grinnin' to follow the sun.
Davy, Davy Crockett, Leadin the Pioneers.
His land is biggest, and his land is best
From grassy plains to the mountain crest
He's ahead of us all in meeting the test
Followin' his legend right into the West
Davy, Davy Crockett, King of the Wide Frontier
King of the Wild Frontier.
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