Conversation with Fess Parker, A (2001) Movie Script
Hello, I'm Leonard Maltin...
and I'm happy to be sitting
here at Fess Parker's...
beautiful winery
in Los Olivos, California...
with our host, our winemaker,
and our star, Fess Parker.
Thanks for letting us
come and visit you today.
It's a pleasure, Leonard...
and it's always great
to see you.
Thank you. I've just
been watching, again...
the Davy Crockett shows...
as they first
appeared on the air...
and it's taken me back
a long time...
and I wonder if you have
a specific recollection...
of the first time
you met Walt Disney...
and heard about this idea.
I certainly do.
When Walt Disney saw a bit
from the movie "Them"...
and that led to
a series of meetings...
with Bill Walsh,
who later produced the shows...
and Tom Blackburn
who wrote the screenplays.
And after I'd been out
a couple of times...
I was asked to come again,
and they said...
"Now you're going
to meet Walt".
And he came down the hall in
the writers' building there...
he came in and said,
"Why don't you come with me?"
We walked down the hall till
there was a desk and 2 chairs.
I was carrying
my little guitar.
He said, "Where are you from
and what have you been doing?"
He made me
feel comfortable right off.
He was not threatening.
I felt very comfortable...
and finally he said,
"I see you brought your guitar".
I said, "Yeah. I write
a little song or two".
And he said,
"Well, play me one".
So, I did, and he said,
"OK, thank you".
And we parted
and a few days later...
they said, "Come back.
"We're going to do
the thing with you".
Did you realize the importance
of that statement...
of that commitment
at that moment?
No, not really.
After all, I had just done
the leading male role...
in "Annie Oakley".
So, Walt Disney was...
that was a magic place...
and I'd been at all the studios.
I'd been a freelance actor
for about three years...
so I was familiar...
but there was something
about the Disney studio...
that was very special.
It was collegiate.
Mm-hmm.
And calm and peaceful...
and the people
were more like family...
than any place I'd been.
And I don't imagine
as a working actor...
you necessarily met the boss
at every studio you went to.
No. Mr. Mayer
managed to avoid me...
and so did Jack Warner.
Did you feel or see
Walt's hand at work...
as the shows were
being prepared...
or was it the people
on the front line...
who were actually
getting the job done?
I think Walt was
very, very much involved...
although I didn't realize it
at the time.
First of all,
if I could just tell you...
that the company...
Disney did not have
a resident film organization...
so the people were...
independent cameramen
and directors...
and so forth
from the industry.
So they all came together...
and Walt Disney sent us
as far away from the studio...
as you could get...
Cherokee, North Carolina.
There was one telephone
in Cherokee...
a motel and a filling station,
and that was it.
And we were there
for two or three weeks.
It wasn't long
until it was apparent...
that we were
running over schedule.
But he liked
what he was seeing...
and then he visited us one day.
Pat Hogan, who played
Redstick the Indian...
had just been
beating me up all day.
And Walt and Lily showed up
with some friends of theirs...
and I think
from that moment on...
we felt pretty good...
that he'd come to see
what we were doing.
Do you remember getting
any instructions...
about how to play Davy?
There was a script
which indicated a lot...
but did you have
any kind of coaching...
or did someone say to you...
be more of this,
be less of that...
or did you sort of
feel your own way?
Actually, I had
quite a conflict...
with the director.
We became friends
ultimately...
but for a few weeks,
it was really difficult...
because he was
a stage-trained actor...
turned director.
Norman Foster.
My background was just the
few films that I'd been in...
and I tended to be
sort of low-key.
And he didn't think
that I was coming across...
so he was constantly
complaining and pushing me...
and maybe it worked.
Sometimes you have to get
people a little irritated...
to get enough energy...
so I've never known where
the equity was there...
but between us, it worked out...
and years later
we became friends.
But for a long time
we weren't comfortable.
The location filming
adds so much to these shows.
First, that
they look beautiful...
but obviously,
there's an authenticity...
you're not gonna get
on the back lot.
That's true.
That was another thing...
that Walt Disney
allowed us to do.
We traveled from
Cherokee, North Carolina...
into Tennessee.
There was
a beautiful river there...
and that's where we did
the bear wrestling scene.
You sure
spoiled things good.
Now I gotta do it
the old-fashioned way.
Yee-hoo!
Give him what fer, Davy!
Then we moved on
to Nashville...
to Percy Warner Park...
which is a huge park right
in the middle of Nashville.
And it was just as natural...
as if we'd been
40 miles south...
so we shot a lot
of the film there...
but I think the high point
was Andrew Jackson's home...
the Hermitage,
was available for us...
and we were able to shoot
there on the grounds...
and then stop at the door...
and then there was a banker
who lived in Nashville...
who had done a replica
of the Hermitage...
and he allowed us
to come inside...
so we had it both ways.
And there was
something else about it.
I think the people in
Carolina and Tennessee...
became really very involved...
particularly
the community actors...
who played the legislators
and the business people.
We really did have some
very talented people...
that I think television
was just discovering.
You and Buddy Ebsen
just seemed like a perfect fit.
We did hit it off...
and in so many instances,
Buddy was teaching me things.
For example,
they brought up two horses...
for us to ride in
one of the episodes.
One was black
and one was white.
So I said, "Buddy,
which one do you want?"
And he said,
"I'll take the white one".
So we had that little
friendly rivalry...
going on right
from the beginning.
I'm thinking about
other good people...
like William Bakewell.
Oh, Billy Bakewell became
a lifelong friend.
He touched my life
in many ways...
and not the least of which
was introducing me...
to the Motion Picture
Country Home...
and sponsored me
to be a member...
of the board of trustees
for a while...
but when I started
shooting "Daniel Boone"...
I didn't have time,
so I had to resign.
Now, Kenneth Tobey
has a funny situation.
He's in both series
of "Crockett"...
in quite different parts.
I guess they thought kids
wouldn't notice, huh?
I don't think they did.
I think he got away with it.
He was a great Bowie...
and Jocko was just one of
my favorite characters.
- What's your name?
- Jocko.
Mine's Georgie.
Well, I'm pleased
to meet you.
Ahh! Kinda tasty, ain't it?
...pink whiskers...
That'd grow pink whiskers
on a hound dog.
Also, Basil Ruysdael.
There's another veteran.
People... no one today
would know Basil Ruysdael.
He was a light opera
performer...
he sang and was
a great character actor.
Enjoying yourself, Davy?
That was a mighty fine
supper, Mr. President.
Only the best in
the presidential palace.
Since you put that
new portico up in front...
and got her fresh painted...
folks are calling her
the White House.
Yeah. Sounds better at that.
Yeah, that's what
she'll be from now on.
And I remember when
we got close to the scene...
where Davy Crockett goes in...
and makes his speech
before Congress...
he casually asked me
on the set one day...
"Are you ready to do
that scene that's coming up?"
I said, "Well, I think so".
He said, "Would you like to run
the lines with me a little bit?"
And I said,
"Sure. I'd love to".
Basil introduced me
to some concepts...
of how to do that scene
that frankly...
I hadn't the experience
nor had I recognized.
So he was a great help...
and we continued
our friendship...
until he passed away.
All right, now let's
talk about Jeff York.
He is so wonderful as Mike Fink.
And later on in "Old Yeller"...
and
"The Great Locomotive Chase"...
and all those films...
that we had
a lot of fun doing.
Well, you know,
Jeff was an interesting person.
Ha ha!
Ain't he forgive me yet?
Nope. But he'll get over it.
Well, lucky just
his feelings got hurt.
You know, Davy,
you showed rare good sense...
in getting old Mike Fink
to help you.
So, he was a character
playing a character?
Girls run and hide
Brave men shiver
I'm Mike Fink
King of the river
I don't know if you call it
typecasting or not...
but again, Mike Mazurki
just seems the perfect choice...
for that character.
Mike introduced me
to the concept...
that I could be a rag doll.
We had no stunt doubles.
When we had to do our fight.
We had to make it up
and all that.
And Mike and I were
wrestling and fighting...
and he would just
pick me up and throw me...
like I said, like a rag doll.
And at one point,
he was going to throw me...
into a split rail fence...
which we had decided
would be nice...
if I knocked the rail down.
And so the first time
he threw me into it...
I had no padding...
and the rail was much stronger
than we anticipated...
and it really hurt.
So we took the blanket
off the camera...
and stuffed it in
the back of my pants...
and we did it again
and it worked.
He spent
many years as an actor...
but many years as
a wrestler as well.
Absolutely.
And I have great respect
for his physical prowess.
It wasn't until we got
to "The River Pirates"...
that someone thought about...
having some
stunt doubles there.
But by that time,
we were accustomed...
to doing most of
the things ourself.
Well, do you remember
your first inkling...
that Davy was becoming
a phenomenon?
Unlike some of the other
phenomenons that followed...
they tended to be more
pointed in their audience.
This seemed to be mostly
from the old to the young...
or vice versa.
And everybody in-between.
Briefly.
How quickly did they
put you on a regimen...
of making personal appearances
as Davy Crockett?
My first stop
was Oklahoma City.
And this is the way it went.
I got dressed in the restroom...
on a small
commercial airplane...
went down the stairs,
there was a limousine...
and six motorcycle policemen...
and we went as fast
as you can go...
to a horse show in progress.
Got out of the limousine...
I had my rifle and my hat
and my costume on...
and they said,
"Here's your horse".
And I said, "What'll I do?"
They said, "Go in,
ride around the arena...
"wave to the kids...
"come out to the middle,
sing Davy Crockett...
"and anything else
you'd like to do".
Then that's the way we started.
And were you kept pretty busy
doing that for a while?
42 cities, 13 countries later.
Wow.
But I basically didn't
mind doing the P.R...
for the studio.
Walt had given me 10%...
of the Davy Crockett
merchandising.
That is, the Walt Disney
Davy Crockett merchandise.
So I enjoyed doing
those personal appearances...
and going to Hudson's
Department Store in Detroit...
and Pizitz in Birmingham.
It was a great adventure.
I enjoyed it.
And then you were at
opening day of Disneyland...
which was another,
I'm sure, memorable day.
Yes. In my wildest dreams...
I didn't expect to sing and
dance on live television...
but we did.
Such as it was.
I was ridin'through the woods
To trade off skins
for boughten goods
40 arrows hit a tree
I knew the Sioux
were out for me
I had the great pleasure
of riding with Walt...
in the first parade...
and then going over
to the fire station...
and having a little libation...
and sliding down
the fire pole.
I think a very exciting and
memorable moment for me...
was Walt standing out
with his Hawaiian shirt...
in the crowd...
and looking and seeing
what he had put together.
And then his first speech.
I always thought
he made great speeches.
He had a knack
of communicating...
verbally, personality-wise.
He was a good salesman.
- He was a great communicator.
- He was.
What was the best thing...
about being part of
that Walt Disney family?
I've had the friendship
and the interest...
of so many people
and in such a broad way...
because Disney is not...
just a popular product
in America...
it's a popular product
in the world.
And so to be a part of
something of that nature...
and to share that
with the individuals...
that created it...
I often feel, you know...
that I'm being congratulated
for Bill Walsh and Bakewell...
and Walt and all the people.
And it's been
a wonderful experience.
I've seen no negative.
The only thing
I'm looking forward to...
is to go to Disneyland...
on the 50th anniversary
of Disneyland.
A worthy goal.
Yes.
Fess, I want to thank you...
for letting us visit
your beautiful winery...
and for sharing all
those wonderful memories.
Cheers to you.
It's a pleasure on behalf
of the Fess Parker family.
And I'd like to invite you...
into the little village
of Los Olivos...
here in Santa Barbara
County for lunch.
I think I will agree.
Thank you very much.
OK. Beautiful.
and I'm happy to be sitting
here at Fess Parker's...
beautiful winery
in Los Olivos, California...
with our host, our winemaker,
and our star, Fess Parker.
Thanks for letting us
come and visit you today.
It's a pleasure, Leonard...
and it's always great
to see you.
Thank you. I've just
been watching, again...
the Davy Crockett shows...
as they first
appeared on the air...
and it's taken me back
a long time...
and I wonder if you have
a specific recollection...
of the first time
you met Walt Disney...
and heard about this idea.
I certainly do.
When Walt Disney saw a bit
from the movie "Them"...
and that led to
a series of meetings...
with Bill Walsh,
who later produced the shows...
and Tom Blackburn
who wrote the screenplays.
And after I'd been out
a couple of times...
I was asked to come again,
and they said...
"Now you're going
to meet Walt".
And he came down the hall in
the writers' building there...
he came in and said,
"Why don't you come with me?"
We walked down the hall till
there was a desk and 2 chairs.
I was carrying
my little guitar.
He said, "Where are you from
and what have you been doing?"
He made me
feel comfortable right off.
He was not threatening.
I felt very comfortable...
and finally he said,
"I see you brought your guitar".
I said, "Yeah. I write
a little song or two".
And he said,
"Well, play me one".
So, I did, and he said,
"OK, thank you".
And we parted
and a few days later...
they said, "Come back.
"We're going to do
the thing with you".
Did you realize the importance
of that statement...
of that commitment
at that moment?
No, not really.
After all, I had just done
the leading male role...
in "Annie Oakley".
So, Walt Disney was...
that was a magic place...
and I'd been at all the studios.
I'd been a freelance actor
for about three years...
so I was familiar...
but there was something
about the Disney studio...
that was very special.
It was collegiate.
Mm-hmm.
And calm and peaceful...
and the people
were more like family...
than any place I'd been.
And I don't imagine
as a working actor...
you necessarily met the boss
at every studio you went to.
No. Mr. Mayer
managed to avoid me...
and so did Jack Warner.
Did you feel or see
Walt's hand at work...
as the shows were
being prepared...
or was it the people
on the front line...
who were actually
getting the job done?
I think Walt was
very, very much involved...
although I didn't realize it
at the time.
First of all,
if I could just tell you...
that the company...
Disney did not have
a resident film organization...
so the people were...
independent cameramen
and directors...
and so forth
from the industry.
So they all came together...
and Walt Disney sent us
as far away from the studio...
as you could get...
Cherokee, North Carolina.
There was one telephone
in Cherokee...
a motel and a filling station,
and that was it.
And we were there
for two or three weeks.
It wasn't long
until it was apparent...
that we were
running over schedule.
But he liked
what he was seeing...
and then he visited us one day.
Pat Hogan, who played
Redstick the Indian...
had just been
beating me up all day.
And Walt and Lily showed up
with some friends of theirs...
and I think
from that moment on...
we felt pretty good...
that he'd come to see
what we were doing.
Do you remember getting
any instructions...
about how to play Davy?
There was a script
which indicated a lot...
but did you have
any kind of coaching...
or did someone say to you...
be more of this,
be less of that...
or did you sort of
feel your own way?
Actually, I had
quite a conflict...
with the director.
We became friends
ultimately...
but for a few weeks,
it was really difficult...
because he was
a stage-trained actor...
turned director.
Norman Foster.
My background was just the
few films that I'd been in...
and I tended to be
sort of low-key.
And he didn't think
that I was coming across...
so he was constantly
complaining and pushing me...
and maybe it worked.
Sometimes you have to get
people a little irritated...
to get enough energy...
so I've never known where
the equity was there...
but between us, it worked out...
and years later
we became friends.
But for a long time
we weren't comfortable.
The location filming
adds so much to these shows.
First, that
they look beautiful...
but obviously,
there's an authenticity...
you're not gonna get
on the back lot.
That's true.
That was another thing...
that Walt Disney
allowed us to do.
We traveled from
Cherokee, North Carolina...
into Tennessee.
There was
a beautiful river there...
and that's where we did
the bear wrestling scene.
You sure
spoiled things good.
Now I gotta do it
the old-fashioned way.
Yee-hoo!
Give him what fer, Davy!
Then we moved on
to Nashville...
to Percy Warner Park...
which is a huge park right
in the middle of Nashville.
And it was just as natural...
as if we'd been
40 miles south...
so we shot a lot
of the film there...
but I think the high point
was Andrew Jackson's home...
the Hermitage,
was available for us...
and we were able to shoot
there on the grounds...
and then stop at the door...
and then there was a banker
who lived in Nashville...
who had done a replica
of the Hermitage...
and he allowed us
to come inside...
so we had it both ways.
And there was
something else about it.
I think the people in
Carolina and Tennessee...
became really very involved...
particularly
the community actors...
who played the legislators
and the business people.
We really did have some
very talented people...
that I think television
was just discovering.
You and Buddy Ebsen
just seemed like a perfect fit.
We did hit it off...
and in so many instances,
Buddy was teaching me things.
For example,
they brought up two horses...
for us to ride in
one of the episodes.
One was black
and one was white.
So I said, "Buddy,
which one do you want?"
And he said,
"I'll take the white one".
So we had that little
friendly rivalry...
going on right
from the beginning.
I'm thinking about
other good people...
like William Bakewell.
Oh, Billy Bakewell became
a lifelong friend.
He touched my life
in many ways...
and not the least of which
was introducing me...
to the Motion Picture
Country Home...
and sponsored me
to be a member...
of the board of trustees
for a while...
but when I started
shooting "Daniel Boone"...
I didn't have time,
so I had to resign.
Now, Kenneth Tobey
has a funny situation.
He's in both series
of "Crockett"...
in quite different parts.
I guess they thought kids
wouldn't notice, huh?
I don't think they did.
I think he got away with it.
He was a great Bowie...
and Jocko was just one of
my favorite characters.
- What's your name?
- Jocko.
Mine's Georgie.
Well, I'm pleased
to meet you.
Ahh! Kinda tasty, ain't it?
...pink whiskers...
That'd grow pink whiskers
on a hound dog.
Also, Basil Ruysdael.
There's another veteran.
People... no one today
would know Basil Ruysdael.
He was a light opera
performer...
he sang and was
a great character actor.
Enjoying yourself, Davy?
That was a mighty fine
supper, Mr. President.
Only the best in
the presidential palace.
Since you put that
new portico up in front...
and got her fresh painted...
folks are calling her
the White House.
Yeah. Sounds better at that.
Yeah, that's what
she'll be from now on.
And I remember when
we got close to the scene...
where Davy Crockett goes in...
and makes his speech
before Congress...
he casually asked me
on the set one day...
"Are you ready to do
that scene that's coming up?"
I said, "Well, I think so".
He said, "Would you like to run
the lines with me a little bit?"
And I said,
"Sure. I'd love to".
Basil introduced me
to some concepts...
of how to do that scene
that frankly...
I hadn't the experience
nor had I recognized.
So he was a great help...
and we continued
our friendship...
until he passed away.
All right, now let's
talk about Jeff York.
He is so wonderful as Mike Fink.
And later on in "Old Yeller"...
and
"The Great Locomotive Chase"...
and all those films...
that we had
a lot of fun doing.
Well, you know,
Jeff was an interesting person.
Ha ha!
Ain't he forgive me yet?
Nope. But he'll get over it.
Well, lucky just
his feelings got hurt.
You know, Davy,
you showed rare good sense...
in getting old Mike Fink
to help you.
So, he was a character
playing a character?
Girls run and hide
Brave men shiver
I'm Mike Fink
King of the river
I don't know if you call it
typecasting or not...
but again, Mike Mazurki
just seems the perfect choice...
for that character.
Mike introduced me
to the concept...
that I could be a rag doll.
We had no stunt doubles.
When we had to do our fight.
We had to make it up
and all that.
And Mike and I were
wrestling and fighting...
and he would just
pick me up and throw me...
like I said, like a rag doll.
And at one point,
he was going to throw me...
into a split rail fence...
which we had decided
would be nice...
if I knocked the rail down.
And so the first time
he threw me into it...
I had no padding...
and the rail was much stronger
than we anticipated...
and it really hurt.
So we took the blanket
off the camera...
and stuffed it in
the back of my pants...
and we did it again
and it worked.
He spent
many years as an actor...
but many years as
a wrestler as well.
Absolutely.
And I have great respect
for his physical prowess.
It wasn't until we got
to "The River Pirates"...
that someone thought about...
having some
stunt doubles there.
But by that time,
we were accustomed...
to doing most of
the things ourself.
Well, do you remember
your first inkling...
that Davy was becoming
a phenomenon?
Unlike some of the other
phenomenons that followed...
they tended to be more
pointed in their audience.
This seemed to be mostly
from the old to the young...
or vice versa.
And everybody in-between.
Briefly.
How quickly did they
put you on a regimen...
of making personal appearances
as Davy Crockett?
My first stop
was Oklahoma City.
And this is the way it went.
I got dressed in the restroom...
on a small
commercial airplane...
went down the stairs,
there was a limousine...
and six motorcycle policemen...
and we went as fast
as you can go...
to a horse show in progress.
Got out of the limousine...
I had my rifle and my hat
and my costume on...
and they said,
"Here's your horse".
And I said, "What'll I do?"
They said, "Go in,
ride around the arena...
"wave to the kids...
"come out to the middle,
sing Davy Crockett...
"and anything else
you'd like to do".
Then that's the way we started.
And were you kept pretty busy
doing that for a while?
42 cities, 13 countries later.
Wow.
But I basically didn't
mind doing the P.R...
for the studio.
Walt had given me 10%...
of the Davy Crockett
merchandising.
That is, the Walt Disney
Davy Crockett merchandise.
So I enjoyed doing
those personal appearances...
and going to Hudson's
Department Store in Detroit...
and Pizitz in Birmingham.
It was a great adventure.
I enjoyed it.
And then you were at
opening day of Disneyland...
which was another,
I'm sure, memorable day.
Yes. In my wildest dreams...
I didn't expect to sing and
dance on live television...
but we did.
Such as it was.
I was ridin'through the woods
To trade off skins
for boughten goods
40 arrows hit a tree
I knew the Sioux
were out for me
I had the great pleasure
of riding with Walt...
in the first parade...
and then going over
to the fire station...
and having a little libation...
and sliding down
the fire pole.
I think a very exciting and
memorable moment for me...
was Walt standing out
with his Hawaiian shirt...
in the crowd...
and looking and seeing
what he had put together.
And then his first speech.
I always thought
he made great speeches.
He had a knack
of communicating...
verbally, personality-wise.
He was a good salesman.
- He was a great communicator.
- He was.
What was the best thing...
about being part of
that Walt Disney family?
I've had the friendship
and the interest...
of so many people
and in such a broad way...
because Disney is not...
just a popular product
in America...
it's a popular product
in the world.
And so to be a part of
something of that nature...
and to share that
with the individuals...
that created it...
I often feel, you know...
that I'm being congratulated
for Bill Walsh and Bakewell...
and Walt and all the people.
And it's been
a wonderful experience.
I've seen no negative.
The only thing
I'm looking forward to...
is to go to Disneyland...
on the 50th anniversary
of Disneyland.
A worthy goal.
Yes.
Fess, I want to thank you...
for letting us visit
your beautiful winery...
and for sharing all
those wonderful memories.
Cheers to you.
It's a pleasure on behalf
of the Fess Parker family.
And I'd like to invite you...
into the little village
of Los Olivos...
here in Santa Barbara
County for lunch.
I think I will agree.
Thank you very much.
OK. Beautiful.