Fess Parker’s series portraying Daniel Boone began filming in 1964 and was one of the highest-rated shows during the six years it ran, ending in 1970.
Not only was Parker the star of the series, he was also the co-producer and director of five of its most popular episodes. He retired from acting at age 49 after a sitcom pilot called The Fess Parker Show aired on March 28, 1974, but was not then picked up by the network.
What else did Parker do after he took off the coonskin cap in 1970?
Aside from the aforementioned show named after him, he made one movie, Climb an Angry Mountain, about a local sheriff and a New York detective and how they clash over tracking a fugitive Indian up California’s Mt. Shasta.
Retirement from acting, however, was said to have kept him busier than ever.
Parker got into real estate development. He built an oceanfront resort in California and attempted to build a Davy Crockett-themed amusement park, Frontier World, in Northern Kentucky. The project died quicker than Crockett at the Alamo. Another developer beat him to it, building Kings Dominion park two hours away in Ohio, causing Parker’s financing to dry up. His concept for Frontier World did eventually get built in Santa Clara, California, in what is now a Six Flags theme park.
In 1985, Parker considered running for U.S. Senate as a Republican in the mold of Ronald Reagan but opted instead to continue focusing on what has become his legacy project: the 1,500-acre Fess Parker Family Winery and Vineyards in Los Olivos, California. Known for its award-winning wines, the winery capitalizes on Parker’s famous characters. There’s a golden coonskin cap logo on every bottle of wine, bottle toppers are inspired by Crockett and Boone likenesses, and who wouldn’t want to imbibe while wearing their very own coonskin cap available for purchase?
Parker died of natural causes at his home in Santa Ynez on March 18, 2010, and is buried near the winery. He was 85. His children, Eli and Ashley, operate The Fess Parker Family Winery and Vineyards to this day. Fess Parker lives on through his film and TV roles and in every bottle of Pinot Noir.
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About the Author
During his five-decade career, Robert Deason has written for multiple media. He did radio news, dreamed up TV commercials, created television/movie promotional spots in the U.S. and internationally, issued press releases, wrote a parenting blog, and has authored five novels (so far). Deason also loves stories and trivia, so researching and creating content about the west and western entertainment for INSP.com is an exciting new opportunity. Besides writing, Deason enjoys ballroom dancing with his wife, trivia contests, reading, volunteering, and traveling.
