"Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier"
Movie Review

Reviewed by: Dave Ferrier

(1955) Fess Parker, Buddy Ebsen, Basil Ruysdael, Hans Conreid, Kenneth Tobey, Mike Mazurki, William Bakewell, Pat Hogan, Nick Cravat, Helene Stanley, Don Megowan, Jeff Thompson, Henry Joyner, Colonel Campbell Brown, Robert Booth; Directed by Norman Foster; Color

    This film was compiled from three episodes of Walt Disney's "Disneyland" series aired on ABC during Walt's first season foray into television.  "Davy Crockett, Indian Fighter" aired on December 15, 1954 and was followed six weeks later by "Davy Crockett Goes to Congress" on January 26, 1955 and finally, by "Davy Crockett at the Alamo" on February 23, 1955.  The phenomenal success of these three one-hour episodes resulted in their edited compilation and theatrical release in June of 1955.  The film was a blockbuster and one of Disney's biggest hits; and the proceeds from it were immediately funneled into Disney's about-to-be-opened theme park in Anaheim, California.

    Fess Parker was hardly the first choice for the lead role.  Sterling Hayden, George Montgomery, Ronald Reagan and even eventual Davy Crockett sidekick Buddy Ebsen were considered, but it was while screening the 1954 bug movie Them! to get a look at another Davy candidate, James Arness that Walt spotted Fess Parker in a supporting role and............................................................................