Robin
12-22-2004, 04:39 PM
Actor Receives Honor At Disneyland
December 15, 2004
LOS ANGELES -- Fess Parker will be the recipient Wednesday of Disneyland's highest honor -- a personalized decorative window at the Anaheim, Calif., theme park -- to commemorate the 50th anniversary of his television debut as Davy Crockett.
The tradition of honoring individuals with personalized windows was started on Main Street, U.S.A., by the late Walt Disney and has continued throughout the Disney parks worldwide.
But in a first in the history of Disneyland window dedications, Parker's salute includes an entirely rethemed building facade that pays tribute to his role as Davy Crockett, along with sidekick Georgie Russel, played by the late actor Buddy Ebsen.
Parker's tribute is tied to Disneyland's upcoming 50th anniversary celebration that starts May 5.
With the release of "Davy Crockett -- Indian Fighter" in 1954, Davy Crockett quickly became a national hit, attracting well over 52 million viewers and transforming Parker into a TV idol known to the baby-boomer generation as "The King of the Wild Frontier."
His traditional 'coonskin' cap was purchased by nearly 5,000 people each day during the height of the Davy Crockett craze, according to Disneyland officials.
The series' theme song, "The Ballad of Davy Crockett," sold more than three-quarters of a million copies of sheet music and 10 million-plus records.
The "Davy Crockett" series established Parker as a Hollywood star on the big screen, as well.
While under contract to Disney, he starred in six films, all box office hits: "Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier" (1955), "Westward Ho the Wagons!" (1956), "The Great Locomotive Chase" (1956), "Davy Crockett and the River Pirates" (1956), "Old Yeller" (1957) and "The Light in the Forest" (1958).
http://www.nbc4.tv/entertainment/3998673/detail.html
December 15, 2004
LOS ANGELES -- Fess Parker will be the recipient Wednesday of Disneyland's highest honor -- a personalized decorative window at the Anaheim, Calif., theme park -- to commemorate the 50th anniversary of his television debut as Davy Crockett.
The tradition of honoring individuals with personalized windows was started on Main Street, U.S.A., by the late Walt Disney and has continued throughout the Disney parks worldwide.
But in a first in the history of Disneyland window dedications, Parker's salute includes an entirely rethemed building facade that pays tribute to his role as Davy Crockett, along with sidekick Georgie Russel, played by the late actor Buddy Ebsen.
Parker's tribute is tied to Disneyland's upcoming 50th anniversary celebration that starts May 5.
With the release of "Davy Crockett -- Indian Fighter" in 1954, Davy Crockett quickly became a national hit, attracting well over 52 million viewers and transforming Parker into a TV idol known to the baby-boomer generation as "The King of the Wild Frontier."
His traditional 'coonskin' cap was purchased by nearly 5,000 people each day during the height of the Davy Crockett craze, according to Disneyland officials.
The series' theme song, "The Ballad of Davy Crockett," sold more than three-quarters of a million copies of sheet music and 10 million-plus records.
The "Davy Crockett" series established Parker as a Hollywood star on the big screen, as well.
While under contract to Disney, he starred in six films, all box office hits: "Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier" (1955), "Westward Ho the Wagons!" (1956), "The Great Locomotive Chase" (1956), "Davy Crockett and the River Pirates" (1956), "Old Yeller" (1957) and "The Light in the Forest" (1958).
http://www.nbc4.tv/entertainment/3998673/detail.html