Disney's Davy Crockett: 50 years ago...

[neferetus]

Well since nobody mentioned it, I hope you at least SAW it! For, 50 years ago last night, Wednesday, December 15, 1954 the first episode of Walt Disney's "Davy Crockett, King Of The Wild Frontier" aired! (A repeat performance, of course, aired last night.)

Sheese! Now the film's as old as the original Davy was!

[neferetus]

A poster from the feature film that was compiled from the first three episodes of the "Davy Crockett" mini-series.

walttv.tbo.com/walttv/MGBSRLIOL2E.html

Also,here's a link to an article on Fess Parker from today's Tampa Tribune. (12/16/2004)

[Bromhead24]

"Them Mexican fellers can't shoot for soury apples"

[neferetus]

I was three years old when the Davy Crockett craze hit, while my older brother was four. In spite of my young age, the show made a profound impression upon me. Before long, both my brother and I each got 'buckskin' vests and a 'long rifle'. As for coonskin caps, my Mom sacrificed the lining of her rabbit fur coat to make her own version of Davy's headgear. I wish that I still had mine today, if only as a keepsake.

We had a power pole in our Orland Park Illinois backyard and it had one of those big drums on a platform at the top. My brother informed me that Davy Crockett lived up there and so naturally, I believed him. I mean, I was only three!

You older brothers take care of the notions that you put into the heads of your younger brothers. Be always sure you're right, then go ahead! (It's up to you to do what Davy Crockett said.)

[The Mountain Man]

I was 7 when it all started ..I had a coonskin cap and all the stuff that went with it....I'm still into uing black powder weapons for huntin and such....I was always Davy and my younger brother was Georgie ....
They cut some scenes out of the DVD and VHS versions....

[McCormick312]

they made a show about Crockett......? cool

[Greg C.]

yeah, it was really entertaining...hardly at all true but entertaining. do you want to borrow it?

[McCormick312]

all rite y not

[Greg C.]

i'll bring it monday

[McCormick312]

ok ill probably watch it then 2

[Greg C.]

do you want it on dvd or vhs? the dvd has both crockett movies.

[McCormick312]

DVD then i can watch it on my PS2

[Greg C.]

dvd it is!

[Bromhead24]

Did you notice that most of the "Flintlock" Rifles and pistols were "Trap Door Springfields"? Even in JW's Alamo, most of the rifles used both Texian and Soldado alike used the trap door rifle with a very strange frizzen in the open position.

[neferetus]

Soldados scale the walls at the SW corner
of the Alamo compound, in this scene from
Davy Crockett At The Alamo (1955)

Thimblerig (Hans Conried) helps Davy
(Fess Parker) swing around a cannon,
while a dying Travis ( Don McGowan)
takes a soldado with him.

[Bromhead24]

Bump....i got the new page

Notice how the Soldados are climbing the ladders with a full pack and in the bottom photo, they are gone.
I need to get this on DVD if it's available.

[neferetus]

Some scenes from Disney's DAVY CROCKETT AT THE ALAMO.

[Greg C.]

is that set built on a sound stage with a desert backdrop or was that really filmed in the south west?

[neferetus]

The Alamo set was built completely on a soundstage at the Burbank Studios. All exterior shots (Crockett and Company, riding towards the Alamo, the Mexicans firing their cannon, Russell riding out for help, etc.) were fillmed in the high desert area of Saugus, CA., about 40 miles from my home.

Up until the late Eighties, the set still existed and was said to be packed away inside a warehouse.

It's too bad that they couldn't have come up with a more decent matte of the Alamo church facade. Since the facade was only matted in anyway, they could've used a real photograph of the Alamo, for that matter. That hump looks ridiculous.

[neferetus]

Matte artist Peter Ellenshaw, who did all of those great Davy Crockett matte paintings for Disney (see above) passed away on Monday, February 12th at the age of 93. RIP.