Fess Parker

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Fess Parker
Birth name	Fess Elisha Parker Jr.
Born	August 16 1924 (1924-08-16) (age 85) Fort Worth, Texas
Years active	1951 - 1974
Spouse(s)	Marcella Belle Rinehart (1960 - present)

Fess Elisha Parker Jr. (born August 16, 1924) is an American film and television actor best known for his 1950s portrayals of Davy Crockett for Walt Disney, as well as a wine maker and resort owner-operator.

1 Early years
2 Acting career
3 Winery and Vineyards
4 Filmography
5 Television Work
6 External links
7 References

[edit] Early years

Parker was born in Fort Worth, Texas, and grew up on a small farm outside San Angelo, TX.^[1] Parker is best known for his role playing frontiersmen Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone as well as starting a fad of wearing coonskin caps. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps at the end of World War II. He enlisted to become a pilot but was rejected as an aviator for being too tall (six feet, five inches).

After being discharged, he was stabbed in the neck by a drunken driver during a post-collision argument. Parker required many months of rehabilitation, but he was unable afterwards to participate in collegiate sports as much as he wanted.

At the University of Texas he was initiated into the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity in 1948. Parker graduated from the University in 1950 with a history degree and moved to California, where he studied drama at the University of Southern California.

He married Marcella Belle Rinehart January 19, 1960. They have two children.

Fess Elisha Parker III
Ashley Allen Rinehart Parker

[edit] Acting career

He began his show business career in the play, Mister Roberts, in 1951 and was subsequently hired by the Walt Disney Studios in 1954 to play historic figure Crockett. He also made guest appearances on television programs, and composed and sang music.

From 1964-1970 he starred in the NBC series Daniel Boone. Parker retired from the film industry in the 1970s, after the short-lived 1974 sitcom The Fess Parker Show.

Parker has also appeared as on-screen narrator on at least one jury-duty orientation film.

[edit] Winery and Vineyards

Image:Fessparker.jpg

The Fess Parker Winery in Los Olivos, California.

Parker currently devotes most of his time operating his Fess Parker Family Winery and Vineyards in Los Olivos, California. The winery is owned and operated by Parker and his family, and has produced several different types of award winning wines.

Parker's operation includes over 1,500 acres of vineyards and a tasting room and visitor center along the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail. In addition to wine, Parker is known for selling coon skin caps and bottle toppers at his winery (inspired by his Crockett and Boone characters).

In addition to the winery Parker also operates two hotels, the Fess Parker Doubletree Resort in Santa Barbara (which he jointly developed with Hilton Hotels), and the Fess Parker's Wine Country Inn and Spa located in Los Olivos. Parker is also in the midst of developing a five star seaside resort in Santa Barbara called Fess Parker’s Santa Barbara Beach Front Hotel.

A trip to Parker's winery is often offered as a prize in Live With Regis and Kelly's travel trivia game.