Events

1328 – The House of Gonzaga seizes power in the Duchy of Mantua, and will rule until 1708.

1513 – Battle of Guinegate (Battle of the Spurs) – King Henry VIII of England defeats French Forces who are then forced to retreat.

1777 – American Revolutionary War: The Americans led by General John Stark rout British and Brunswick troops under Friedrich Baum at the Battle of Bennington in Walloomsac, New York.

1780 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Camden – The British defeat the Americans near Camden, South Carolina.

1792 – Maximilien Robespierre presents the petition of the Commune of Paris to the Legislative Assembly, which demanded the formation of a revolutionary tribunal.

1793 – French Revolution: a levée en masse is decreed by the National Convention.

1812 – War of 1812: American General William Hull surrenders Fort Detroit without a fight to the British Army.

1819 – Seventeen people die and over 600 are injured in cavalry charges at a public meeting at St. Peter's Field, Manchester, England.

1841 – U.S. President John Tyler vetoes a bill which called for the re-establishment of the Second Bank of the United States. Enraged Whig Party members riot outside the White House in the most violent demonstration on White House grounds in U.S. history.

1858 – U.S. President James Buchanan inaugurates the new transatlantic telegraph cable by exchanging greetings with Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. However, a weak signal forces a shutdown of the service in a few weeks.

1859 – The Tuscan National Assembly formally deposes the House of Habsburg-Lorraine.

1863 – The Dominican Restoration War begins when Gregorio Luperón raises the Dominican flag in Santo Domingo after Spain had recolonized the country.

1869 – Battle of Acosta Ñu: A Paraguayan battalion made up of children is massacred by the Brazilian Army during the War of the Triple Alliance.

1870 – Franco-Prussian War: The Battle of Mars-La-Tour is fought, resulting in a Prussian victory.

1891 – The Basilica of San Sebastian in Manila, the first all-steel church in Asia, is officially inaugurated and blessed.

1896 – Skookum Jim Mason, George Carmack and Dawson Charlie discover gold in a tributary of the Klondike River in Canada, setting off the Klondike Gold Rush.

1906 – An estimated 8.2 M_W earthquake hits Valparaíso, Chile, killing 3,886 people.

1913 – Tōhoku Imperial University of Japan (modern day Tōhoku University) becomes the first university in Japan to admit female students.

1913 – Completion of the Royal Navy battlecruiser .

1914 – World War I: Battle of Cer begins.

1920 – Ray Chapman of the Cleveland Indians is hit on the head by a fastball thrown by Carl Mays of the New York Yankees, and dies early the next day. Chapman was the second player to die from injuries sustained in a Major League Baseball game, the first being Doc Powers in 1909.

1920 – The congress of the Communist Party of Bukhara opens. The congress would call for armed revolution.

1927 – The Dole Air Race begins from Oakland, California, to Honolulu, Hawaii, during which six out of the eight participating planes crash or disappear.

1929 – The 1929 Palestine riots break out in the British Mandate of Palestine between Arabs and Jews and continue until the end of the month. In total, 133 Jews and 116 Arabs are killed.

1930 – The first color sound cartoon, called Fiddlesticks, is made by Ub Iwerks.

1942 – World War II: The two-person crew of the U.S. naval blimp L-8 disappears without a trace on a routine anti-submarine patrol over the Pacific Ocean. The blimp drifts without her crew and crash-lands in Daly City, California.

1944 – First flight of the Junkers Ju 287.

1945 – An assassination attempt is made on Japan's prime minister, Kantaro Suzuki.

1945 – Puyi, the last Chinese emperor and ruler of Manchukuo, is captured by Soviet troops.

1946 – Mass riots in Kolkata begin, in which more than 4,000 would be killed in 72 hours.

1960 – Cyprus gains its independence from the United Kingdom.

1960 – Joseph Kittinger parachutes from a balloon over New Mexico at , setting three records that still stand today: High-altitude jump, free-fall, and highest speed by a human without an aircraft.

1962 – Eight years after the remaining French India territories were handed to India, the ratifications of the treaty are exchanged to make the transfer official.

1964 – Vietnam War: A ''coup d'état'' replaces Duong Van Minh with General Nguyen Khanh as President of South Vietnam. A new constitution is established with aid from the U.S. Embassy.

1966 – Vietnam War: The House Un-American Activities Committee begins investigations of Americans who have aided the Viet Cong. The committee intends to introduce legislation making these activities illegal. Anti-war demonstrators disrupt the meeting and 50 people are arrested.

1972 – In an unsuccessful coup d'état attempt, the Royal Moroccan Air Force fires upon Hassan II of Morocco's plane while he is traveling back to Rabat.

1989 – A solar flare from the Sun creates a geomagnetic storm that affects micro chips, leading to a halt of all trading on Toronto's stock market.

2011 Beginning of World Youth Day 2011 in Madrid.

Births

1355 – Countess Philippa Plantagenet of Ulster (d. 1382)

1378 – Hongxi Emperor of China (d. 1425)

1401 – Jacqueline, Countess of Hainaut, dauphine of France (d. 1436)

1557 – Agostino Carracci, Italian artist (d. 1602)

1573 – Queen Anna of Austria of Poland (d. 1598)

1596 – Frederick V, Elector Palatine (d. 1632)

1637 – Emilie Juliane of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, German countess and poet (d. 1706)

1645 – Jean de La Bruyère, French writer (d. 1696)

1650 – Vincenzo Coronelli, Italian cartographer and encylopedist (d. 1718)

1682 – Louis, duc de Bourgogne, dauphin of France (d. 1712)

1761 – Yevstigney Fomin, Russian composer (d. 1800)

1815 – John Bosco, Italian priest and educator (d. 1888)

1820 – Andrew Rainsford Wetmore, Canadian politician (d. 1892)

1831 – John Jones Ross, Quebec politician (d. 1901)

1832 – Wilhelm Wundt, German psychologist (d. 1920)

1842 – Jakob Rosanes, German mathematician (d. 1922)

1845 – Gabriel Lippmann, French physicist, Nobel laureate (d. 1921)

1856 – Aparicio Saravia, Uruguayan politician and military leader (d. 1904)

1858 – Arthur Achleitner, German writer (d. 1927)

1860 – Jules Laforgue, French poet (d. 1887)

1860 – Martin Hawke, 7th Baron Hawke, England cricketer (d. 1938)

1862 – Amos Alonzo Stagg, American coach (d. 1965)

1868 – Bernarr McFadden, American publisher (d. 1955)

1876 – Ivan Bilibin, Russian illustrator (d. 1942)

1876 – Julian Ashby Burruss, American academic (d. 1947)

1882 – Christian Mortensen, Danish-born American supercentenarian (d. 1998)

1884 – Hugo Gernsback, Luxembourg-born editor and publisher (d. 1967)

1888 – T. E. Lawrence, English writer and soldier (d. 1935)

1888 – Armand J. Piron, American musician (d. 1943)

1892 – Otto Messmer, American cartoonist (d. 1983)

1894 – George Meany, American labor union leader (d. 1980)

1895 – Albert Cohen, Swiss novelist (d. 1981)

1895 – Liane Haid, Austrian actress (d. 2000)

1902 – Georgette Heyer, English novelist (d. 1974)

1904 – Wendell Meredith Stanley, American chemist, Nobel laureate (d. 1971)

1908 – William Keepers Maxwell, Jr., American novelist and editor (d. 2000)

1908 – Orlando Cole, American classical cellist and educator (d. 2010)

1909 – Paul Callaway, American organist and choral conductor (d. 1995)

1911 – E. F. Schumacher, German economist and statistician (d. 1977)

1912 – Ted Drake, English footballer (d. 1995)

1913 – Menachem Begin, Israeli statesman, Nobel laureate (d. 1992)

1915 – Al Hibbler, American singer (d. 2001)

1916 – Iggy Katona, American race car driver (d. 2003)

1917 – Roque Cordero, Panamanian composer (d. 2008)

1920 – Charles Bukowski, American poet (d. 1994)

1922 – Ernie Freeman, American pianist and arranger (d. 2001)

1923 – Millôr Fernandes, Brazilian playwright

1924 – Fess Parker, American actor (d. 2010)

1924 – Inez Voyce, American female baseball player

1925 – Willie Jones, American baseball player (d. 1983)

1928 – Ann Blyth, American actress

1928 – Eydie Gormé, American singer

1928 – Eddie Kirkland, American blues guitarist, harmonicist, singer, and songwriter (d. 2011)

1929 – Bill Evans, American jazz pianist (d. 1980)

1929 – Helmut Rahn, German footballer (d. 2003)

1929 – Wyatt Tee Walker, American civil rights activist

1929 – Fritz Von Erich, American professional wrestler (d. 1997)

1930 – Robert Culp, American actor (d. 2010)

1930 – Frank Gifford, American football player and announcer

1930 – Tony Trabert, American former tennis player

1933 – Julie Newmar, American actress

1933 – Stuart Roosa, American astronaut (d. 1994)

1934 – Diana Wynne Jones, British author (d. 2011)

1934 – Ketty Lester, American singer

1934 – Pierre Richard, French actor

1934 – Donnie Dunagan, American actor

1935 – Andreas Stamatiadis, Greek footballer and coach

1935 – Cliff Fletcher, Canadian National Hockey League executive

1937 – David Anderson, Canadian politician

1937 – David Behrman, US composer and producer

1939 – Sir Trevor Mcdonald, Trinidadian-born British television newsreader

1939 – Seán Brady, Cardinal-Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland

1940 – Bruce Beresford, Australian film director

1940 – John Craven, English journalist and television presenter

1941 – Théoneste Bagosora, Rwandan army officer and alleged war criminal

1942 – Barbara George, American singer and songwriter (d. 2006)

1943 – Sharon Baird, American actress and tap dancer

1943 – Woody Peoples, American football player (d. 2010)

1945 – Suzanne Farrell, American ballet dancer

1945 – Kevin Ayers, English singer-songwriter

1946 – Massoud Barzani, Iraqi Kurdish politician

1946 – Lesley Ann Warren, American actress

1946 – Dick Murdoch, American professional wrestler (d. 1996)

1947 – Carol Moseley Braun, American politician and lawyer

1947 – Katharine Hamnett, English fashion designer

1947 – Marc Messier, Canadian actor

1948 – Mike Jorgensen, American baseball player

1948 – Pierre Reid, Canadian politician and teacher

1948 – Barry Hay, Indian-born Dutch singer (Golden Earring)

1949 – Scott Asheton, American musician (The Stooges)

1949 – Bill Spooner, musician, guitarist, and songwriter

1949 – Barbara Goodson, American voice actress

1950 – Hasely Crawford, Trinidadian athlete

1950 – Marshall Manesh, Iranian-born American actor

1950 – Stockwell Day, Canadian politician

1950 – Jeff Thomson, Australian cricketer

1951 – Richard Hunt, American puppeteer (d. 1992)

1951 – Umaru Yar'Adua, Nigerian politician (d. 2010)

1952 – Reginald VelJohnson, American actor

1952 – Gianna Rolandi, American soprano, opera director and instructor

1952 – Mahes Goonatilleke, Sri Lankan cricketer

1953 – Kathie Lee Gifford, American singer and actress

1953 – James "J.T." Taylor, American singer (Kool & The Gang)

1954 – George Galloway, British politician

1954 – James Cameron, Canadian film director

1956 – Vahan Hovhannisyan, Armenian politician

1956 – Daniel Willems, Belgian cyclist

1957 – Tim Farriss, Australian musician (INXS)

1957 – Randhir Singh, Indian cricketer

1958 – Angela Bassett, American actress

1958 – José Luis Clerc, Argentine tennis player

1958 – Oscar Collodo, Swiss-born Italian rugby player and coach

1958 – Michael Harkin, American anthropologist

1958 – Madonna, American singer and actress

1959 – Laura Innes, American actress

1959 – Marc Sergeant, Belgian cyclist

1960 – Timothy Hutton, American actor

1961 – Christian Okoye, American football player

1961 – Michaela Dornonville de la Cour, Swedish singer (Army of Lovers)

1962 – Steve Carell, American actor and comedian

1963 – Christine Cavanaugh, American voice actress

1964 – Jimmy Arias, American tennis player

1964 – Matt Lukin, American bassist (Mudhoney)

1966 – Barry Lather, American choreographer, musician and actor

1967 – Ulrika Jonsson, Swedish television personality

1967 – Pamela Smart, American convicted murderess

1968 – Mateja Svet, Slovenian alpine skier

1969 – Andy Milder, American voice actor

1970 – Bonnie Bernstein, American sportscaster

1970 – Fabio Casartelli, Italian cyclist (d. 1995)

1970 – Killah Priest, American rapper

1970 – Manisha Koirala, Nepalese Bollywood actress

1970 – Saif Ali Khan, Indian actor

1971 – Rulon Gardner, American Greco-Roman wrestler

1971 – Stefan Klos, German footballer

1972 – Stan Lazaridis, Australian footballer

1972 – Emily Robison, American country singer (Dixie Chicks)

1972 – Frankie Boyle, Scottish comedian

1972 – George Stroumboulopoulos, Canadian television and radio personality

1973 – Damian Jackson, American baseball player

1974 – Roger Cedeño, Venezuelan baseball player

1974 – Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Guyanese cricketer

1974 – Krisztina Egerszegi, Hungarian swimmer

1974 – Iván Hurtado, Ecuadorian footballer

1975 – Didier Agathe, French footballer

1975 – Pantelis Konstantinidis, Greek footballer

1975 – George Stults, American actor

1976 – Jonatan Johansson, Finnish footballer

1976 – Tiina Kankaanpää, Finnish discus thrower

1976 – Dave Ockun, American concert producer

1977 – Tamer Hosny, Egyptian singer/actor

1978 – Fu Mingxia, Chinese female diver

1978 – Thalia Pellegrini, British children's TV presenter

1978 – Eddie Gill, American basketball player

1979 – Monder Rizki, Belgian athlete

1979 – Paul Gallacher, Scottish football player

1980 – Vanessa Carlton, American singer/songwriter

1980 – Emerson, Brazilian footballer

1980 – Robert Hardy, English musician (Franz Ferdinand)

1980 – Raniere, Brazilian footballer

1980 – Piet Rooijakkers, Dutch professional bicyclist

1980 – Hwangbo, Korean singer/rapper

1981 – Roque Santa Cruz, Paraguayan footballer

1981 – Denis Gremelmayr, German male tennis player

1981 – Taylor Rain, American pornographic actress

1982 – Cam Gigandet, American actor

1982 – Joleon Lescott, English footballer

1982 – Tomohiro Ito, Japanese sprinter

1983 – Colt Brennan, American football player

1983 – Colin Griffiths, English TV presenter and DJ

1983 – Nikos Zisis, Greek basketball player

1984 – Candice Dupree, American basketball player

1984 – Matteo Anesi, Italian speed skater

1985 – Agnes Bruckner, American actress

1986 – Yu Darvish, Japanese baseball player

1986 – Shawn Pyfrom, American actor

1986 – Kim Oh-Sung, South Korean footballer

1986 – Chris Reynolds, Welsh DJ

1987 – Carey Price, Canadian Hockey Player

1987 – Evan Berger, Australian footballer

1987 – Kyal Marsh, Australian actor

1988 – Kevin Schmidt, American actor

1988 – Rumer Willis, American actress

1989 – Charlotte Gurr, English footballer

1989 – Wang Hao, Chinese athlete

1991 – G.E.M., Hong Kong singer

1991 – Sarah-Jeanne Labrosse, Canadian actress

1991 – Evanna Lynch, Irish actress

1992 – Islam Dzhabrailov, Russian footballer

1997 – Greyson Chance, American singer

Deaths

1027 – Giorgi I, King of Georgia (b. 998)

1297 – John II of Trebizond (b. 1262)

1327 – Roch, French saint (b. 1295)

1358 – Duke Albert II of Austria (b. 1298)

1419 – Wenceslaus, King of the Romans, King of Bohemia (b. 1361)

1443 – Ashikaga Yoshikatsu, Japanese shogun (b. 1434)

1445 – Margaret of Scotland, consort of Louis XI (b. 1424)

1518 – Loyset Compère, French composer (b. circa 1445)

1532 – John, Elector of Saxony (b. 1468)

1661 – Thomas Fuller, English churchman and historian (b. 1608)

1678 – Andrew Marvell, English poet (b. 1621)

1705 – Jacob Bernoulli, Swiss mathematician and scientist (b. 1654)

1733 – Matthew Tindal, English deist (b. 1657)

1791 – Charles-François de Broglie, marquis de Ruffec, French soldier and diplomat (b. 1719)

1836 – Marc-Antoine Parseval, French mathematician (b. 1755)

1855 – Henry Colburn, British publisher (b. ?)

1886 – Sri Ramakrishna, Bengali saint, guru of Swami Vivekananda (b. 1836)

1888 – John Pemberton, American druggist and inventor of Coca-Cola (b. 1831)

1893 – Jean-Martin Charcot, French neurologist (b. 1825)

1899 – Robert Wilhelm Bunsen, German chemist (b. 1811)

1900 – José Maria de Eça de Queiroz, Portuguese writer (b. 1845)

1907 – James Hector, Scottish geologist (b. 1834)

1911 – Patrick Francis Moran, Irish-Australian cardinal (b. 1830)

1921 – King Peter I of Serbia (b. 1844)

1938 – Robert Johnson, American blues singer and guitarist (b. 1911)

1938 – Andrej Hlinka, Slovak politician and priest (b. 1864)

1948 – Babe Ruth, American baseball player (b. 1895)

1949 – Margaret Mitchell, American novelist (b. 1900)

1951 – Louis Jouvet, French actor and producer (b. 1887)

1952 – Lydia Field Emmet, American painter (b. 1866)

1956 – Bela Lugosi, Hungarian actor (b. 1882)

1957 – Irving Langmuir, American chemist, Nobel Prize Laureate (b. 1881)

1959 – William Halsey Jr., American Navy Admiral (b. 1882)

1959 – Wanda Landowska, Polish harpsichordist (b. 1879)

1961 – Maulvi Abdul Haq, Indian educator and linguist, Father of Modern Urdu (b. 1870)

1971 – Spyros Skouras, Greek-born American movie executive, chairman of the Twentieth Century Fox (b. 1893)

1972 – Pierre Brasseur, French actor (b. 1905)

1973 – Selman Waksman, Ukrainian-born American biochemist, Nobel Prize Laureate (b. 1888)

1975 – Vladimir Kuts, Ukrainian-born Soviet distance runner (b. 1927)

1977 – Elvis Presley, American singer, actor, and guitarist (b.1935)

1978 – Alidius Stachouwer, Dutch lawyer and politician (b. 1888)

1978 – Jean Acker, American silent film actress (b. 1893)

1979 – John Diefenbaker, Canadian politician and 13th Prime Minister of Canada (b. 1895)

1983 – Earl Averill, American baseball player (b. 1902)

1986 – Jaime Saenz, Bolivian poet and novelist, and short story writer (b. 1921)

1989 – Amanda Blake, American actress (b. 1929)

1990 – Pat O'Connor, New Zealand professional wrestler (b. 1925)

1991 – Luigi Zampa, Italian film director (b. 1905)

1992 – Mark Heard, American singer-songwriter (b. 1951)

1993 – Stewart Granger, British film actor (b. 1913)

1995 – J.P. McCarthy, American radio personality (b. 1933)

1997 – Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Pakistani musician & singer (b. 1948)

1997 – Gerard McLarnon, Irish playwright and actor (b. 1915)

2002 – Jeff Corey, American actor (b. 1914)

2002 – Abu Nidal, Palestinian political leader (b. 1937)

2002 – John Roseboro, American baseball player and coach (b. 1933)

2003 – Idi Amin, Ugandan dictator (b. 1928)

2004 – Ivan Hlinka, Czech ice hockey coach (b. 1950)

2004 – Carl Mydans, American photographer (b. 1907)

2004 – Robert Quiroga, American boxer (b. 1969)

2005 – Joe Ranft, American animator (b. 1960)

2005 – Frère Roger, Swiss monk and mystic (b. 1915)

2005 – Vassar Clements, American musician (b. 1928)

2005 – William Corlett, English children's author (b. 1938)

2005 – Vicky Moscholiou, Greek singer (b. 1943)

2005 – Tonino Delli Colli, Italian cinematographer (b. 1922)

2006 – Alex Buzo, Australian playwright and author (b. 1944)

2006 – Herschel Green, American pilot (b. 1920)

2006 – Alfredo Stroessner, Paraguayan politician and President of Paraguay (b. 1912)

2007 – Max Roach, American percussionist, drummer, and composer (b. 1924)

2007 – Bahaedin Adab, Iranian politician (b. 1945)

2007 – Dewey Robertson, Canadian professional wrestler (b. 1939)

2008 – Ronnie Drew, Irish singer (The Dubliners) (b. 1934)

2008 – Dorival Caymmi, Brazilian singer and songwriter (b. 1914)

2008 – Elena Leuşteanu, Romanian gymnast and Olympic medalist (b. 1935)

2008 – Masanobu Fukuoka, Japanese sustainable farmer and author (b. 1913)

2010 – Dimitrios Ioannidis, Greek military officer and dictator (b. 1923)

2010 – Bobby Thomson, American baseball player (b. 1923)

Holidays and observances

Children's Day (Paraguay)

Christian Feast Day:

*Roch

*Simplician

*Stephen I of Hungary

*Translation of the Acheiropoietos icon from Edessa to Constantinople. (Eastern Orthodox Church)

*August 16 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

Gozan no Okuribi (Kyoto, Japan)

Independence Day, celebrates the independence of Gabon from France in 1960.

Restoration Day (Dominican Republic)

Xicolatada (Palau-de-Cerdagne, France)

External links

BBC: On This Day

On This Day in Canada

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Category:Days of the year Category:August

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name	Lavell Crawford
birth date
birth place	St. Louis, Missouri, United States
medium	Stand up comedy, television
nationality	American
genre	Stand-up comedy
footnotes	}}

Lavell Crawford (born November 11, 1968) is an American stand-up comedian and actor from St. Louis, Missouri.

As a child, Crawford suffered from numerous hardships, including a struggle with weight, a near drowning at age 10, and abandonment by his father. He attended Pattonville Senior High in Maryland Heights, Missouri, where he graduated in 1986.

Crawford's first break came at a comedy club in Belleville, Illinois, where he hosted an open mic night. The owner of the club was impressed and paid him $250.

First appearances were made on ''Def Comedy Jam'' and BET's Comicview. Crawford has appeared on numerous television shows including ''Premium Blend'', ''The Jamie Foxx Show'', ''Comics Unleashed'', ''Showtime at Apollo'', and most recently ''Last Comic Standing'', where he finished second to Jon Reep.

Crawford's material is mainly focused on him being a morbidly obese African-American man.

He recently taped a special for ''Comedy Central Presents''. Crawford often appears on ''Chelsea Lately''.

His most notable work is a headliner appearance on ''All Star Comedy Jam: Live from South Beach''.

He also appeared in the Season 4 opening of AMC's Breaking Bad.

References

External links

Category:Living people Category:African American comedians Category:American comedians Category:1968 births

name	Fess Parker
birth name	Fess Elisha Parker, Jr.
birth date	August 16, 1924
birth place	Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.
death date	March 18, 2010
death place	Santa Ynez, California, U.S.
occupation	ActorWinemakerResort owner-operator
spouse	(his death) 2 children
years active	1950–1974 (acting)
website	http://www.fessparker.com/ }}

Fess Elisha Parker, Jr. (August 16, 1924 – March 18, 2010) was an American film and television actor best known for his portrayals of Davy Crockett in Walt Disney 1955-56 TV mini-series and as TV's Daniel Boone from 1964-70. He was also known as a wine maker and resort owner-operator.

The Fess Parker Winery is one of the wineries along the famous Foxen Canyon Wine Trail.

Early years

Fess Parker was born in Fort Worth, Texas, and grew up on a farm near San Angelo. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in the latter part of World War II, hoping to become a pilot. He was turned down because he was too tall at . He then tried to become a radioman gunner, but he was found too big to fit comfortably into the rear cockpit. He was finally transferred to the Marine Corps as a radio operator and shipped out for the South Pacific shortly before the atom bomb ended the war.

Discharged in 1946, he enrolled in Hardin-Simmons on the GI Bill. He was stabbed in the neck by another driver during a post-collision argument. He was an active member of the H-SU Players Club and transferred to the University of Texas in 1947 as a history major and continued to be active in dramatics. Parker graduated from the University of Texas in 1950 with a degree in history. He had been initiated into the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. Having one year remaining on his GI Bill, he studied drama at the University of Southern California, working towards a master's degree in theater history.

Career

Parker began his show-business career by summer 1951 when he had a $32-a-week job as an extra in the play ''Mister Roberts'', although he is credited with the voice of Leslie, the chauffeur, in the 1950 film ''Harvey''. Within months, he was on location with a minor part in ''Untamed Frontier'' with Joseph Cotten and Shelley Winters.

Parker became a contract player with Warner Brothers appearing in small roles in several films such as ''Springfield Rifle'' (1952), ''Island in the Sky'', ''The Bounty Hunter'' and ''Battle Cry''. In 1954, he appeared as Grat Dalton in the Jim Davis western anthology ''Stories of the Century'' in the episode ''The Dalton Brothers''.

Davy Crockett

According to Parker himself, when the Walt Disney Company was looking for an actor to play Davy Crockett, they originally considered James Arness for the title role. Parker had recently graduated to a contract weekly actor, but listened to his agent and appeared in a B movie called ''Them!'' which required only one day's work. He had a small scene in the movie as a pilot put into an insane asylum after claiming his plane had been downed by giant flying insects. Arness appeared in a larger role in the same film.

During a screening of this film Walt Disney looked past Arness and discovered Parker. Disney was impressed by Parker's portrayal of a man who was unswerving in his belief in what he saw despite the forces of authority against him. Parker was asked to drop by the Disney Studio. When he did, he brought his guitar, met Disney, sang a song, then said goodbye. Several weeks later he was told he had been selected over Arness and several other actors for the role, including Buddy Ebsen who eventually played Crockett's companion, George Russell.

Disney's three episode version of Crockett depicted his exploits as a frontiersman, congressman, and tragic hero of the Alamo. It has been called the first television miniseries, though the term had not yet been coined. ''Davy Crockett'' (1955–56) was a tremendous hit and led to a merchandising frenzy for coonskin caps and all things Crockett.

Parker became a contract star for Disney and appeared in ''The Great Locomotive Chase'', ''Westward Ho, the Wagons!'', ''Old Yeller'', and ''The Light in the Forest''. He complained they were all basically the same role. Disney refused to loan Parker for roles outside of that persona, such as ''The Searchers'' and ''Bus Stop''.

Parker made guest appearances on many television programs, and composed and sang. He performed the occasional role of Tom Conrad, editor of the ''Diablo Courier'' in the syndicated western series, ''Annie Oakley'' (1954–1957), starring Gail Davis, Brad Johnson, and Jimmy Hawkins. In 1962, he starred in the title role of the TV series ''Mr Smith Goes to Washington''. Parker took to the stage in 1963, in a traveling production of ''Oklahoma!'' as 'Curly'. The movie roles he sought were elusive.

Daniel Boone

Parker's ''Daniel Boone'' television series portraying another historic figure of America's frontier days began filming in 1964. Over its six years (1964 to 1970) as one of the highest rated shows of its time, Parker was not only the star of the series but also the co-producer and director of five of its most popular episodes.

Ironically, having been under contract to Disney, Parker became interested in opening a Davy Crockett-themed amusement park. In the late 1960s, he optioned land in northern Kentucky at the confluence of Interstate 71 and Interstate 75, with the intention of building Frontier World. However, when the Taft Broadcasting Company of Cincinnati, Ohio began building Kings Island Amusement Park in nearby Mason, Ohio, less than a 2-hour drive from Parker's site, financing for Parker's venture dried up.

Turning down the title role of ''McCloud'', Parker retired from the film industry in the 1970s, after a short-lived 1974 sitcom, ''The Fess Parker Show''.

Awards

Fess Parker was nominated for best new personality Emmy in 1954, but lost to George Gobel. He was never nominated again, nor was his show ''Daniel Boone''.

In 2003, Parker received the Texas Cultural Trust's "Texas Medal of Arts Award", established only the year before.

For his work with Disney, Parker was honored in December 2004 with his own tribute window on a façade in the Frontierland section of Disneyland.

Fess Parker Winery

After his acting career, Parker devoted much of his time to operating his Fess Parker Family Winery and Vineyards in Los Olivos, California. The winery is owned and operated by Parker's family, and has produced several different types of award-winning wines. Parker's son, Eli, is President and Director of Winemaking & Vineyard Operations while daughter, Ashley, is Vice President of Marketing & Sales.

The Parker operation includes over of vineyards, and a tasting room and visitor center along the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail. In addition to wine, the winery is known for selling coon skin caps and bottle toppers, inspired by Parker's Crockett and Boone characters, and for appearing in the movie ''Sideways''.

In a reminiscence of his acting days, Parkers' wine labels have a logo of a ''golden coonskin cap''.

Personal life

Parker married Marcella Belle Rinehart on January 18, 1960. They had two children — Fess Elisha III and Ashley Allen Rinehart — along with 11 grandchildren and a great-grandson.

Death

According to a spokesperson, Parker died of natural causes on March 18, 2010, at his home in Santa Ynez, California, near the Fess Parker Winery.

He was buried with his parents in Santa Barbara Cemetery, in Santa Barbara, California.

Filmography

''Harvey'' (1950)

''No Room for the Groom'' (1952)

''Untamed Frontier'' (1952)

''Springfield Rifle'' (1952)

''Take Me to Town'' (1953)

''The Kid from Left Field'' (1953)

''Island in the Sky'' (1953)

''Thunder Over the Plains'' (1953)

''Dragonfly Squadron'' (1954)

''Them!'' (1954)

''The Bounty Hunter'' (1954)

''Battle Cry'' (1955)

''Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier'' (1955)

''The Great Locomotive Chase'' (1956)

''Davy Crockett and the River Pirates'' (1956)

''Westward Ho, The Wagons!'' (1956)

''Old Yeller'' (1957)

''The Light in the Forest'' (1958)

''The Hangman'' (1959)

''Alias Jesse James'' (1959)

''The Jayhawkers!'' (1959)

''Hell Is for Heroes'' (1962)

''Smoky'' (1966)

''Daniel Boone: Frontier Trail Rider'' (1966)

Television

''Davy Crockett (miniseries 1954-1955)

''City Detective (1 episode, 1955)

''Mr. Smith Goes to Washington'' (1962–1963)

''Alfred Hitchcock Hour (TV Series) "Nothing Ever Happens in Linvale," plays Sheriff Ben Wister

''Daniel Boone'' (lead cast member from 1964–1970, with Ed Ames, Patricia Blair, Darby Hinton, and Veronica Cartwright)

''Climb an Angry Mountain'' (1972)

''The Fess Parker Show'' (1974) (unsold pilot)

''Oz and James's Big Wine Adventure'' (2007) (as himself, discussing wine making)

See also

List of celebrities who own wineries and vineyards

References

External links

Official bio and winery information

Category:1924 births Category:2010 deaths Category:Actors from Texas Category:American film actors Category:American television actors Category:People from Fort Worth, Texas Category:People from Santa Barbara, California Category:RCA Victor artists Category:University of Texas at Austin alumni Category:University of Southern California alumni Category:California Republicans Category:American military personnel of World War II

da:Fess Parker de:Fess Parker es:Fess Parker fr:Fess Parker nl:Fess Parker no:Fess Parker pt:Fess Parker fi:Fess Parker

Name	David "Davy" Crockett
State	Tennessee
District	12th
Term start	March 4, 1833
Term end	March 3, 1835
Predecessor	''District created''
Successor	Adam Huntsman
State2	Tennessee
District2	9th
Term start2	March 4, 1827
Term end2	March 3, 1831
Predecessor2	Adam Rankin Alexander
Successor2	William Fitzgerald
Party	Anti-Jacksonian
Birth name	David Crockett
Birth date	August 17, 1786
Birth place	Greene County, Tennessee (then in the State of Franklin)
Death date	March 06, 1836
Death place	Alamo Mission, San Antonio, Republic of Texas
Occupation	Pioneer, Soldier, Trapper, Explorer, State Assembly man, Congressman
Religion	Christian
Spouse	Polly Finley (1806–1815) her deathElizabeth Patton (1815–1836) his death
Signature	Davy Crockett signature, 1835.svg }}

David "Davy" Crockett (August 17, 1786 – March 6, 1836) was a celebrated 19th century American folk hero, frontiersman, soldier and politician. He is commonly referred to in popular culture by the epithet “''King of the Wild Frontier''”. He represented Tennessee in the U.S. House of Representatives, served in the Texas Revolution, and died at the Battle of the Alamo.

Crockett grew up in East Tennessee, where he gained a reputation for hunting and storytelling. After being elected to the rank of colonel in the militia of Lawrence County, Tennessee, he was elected to the Tennessee state legislature in 1821. In 1826, Crockett was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Congressman Crockett vehemently opposed many of the policies of President Andrew Jackson, most notably the Indian Removal Act. Crockett's opposition to Jackson's policies led to his defeat in the 1834 elections, prompting his angry departure to Texas shortly thereafter. In early 1836, Crockett took part in the Texas Revolution and was killed at the Battle of the Alamo in March.

Crockett became famous in his own lifetime for larger-than-life exploits popularized by stage plays and almanacs. After his death, he continued to be credited with brazen acts of mythical proportion. These led in the 20th century to television and movie portrayals, and he became one of the best-known American folk heroes.

Ancestry and birth

David Crockett was born in what is now Greene County, Tennessee, close to the Nolichucky River and near the community of Limestone. At the time of his birth, however, the surrounding area was part of the autonomous territory known as the State of Franklin. A replica of his birthplace cabin stands in Davy Crockett Birthplace State Park on the Nolichucky River near Limestone.

Crockett was of Irish, Scots-Irish, French Huguenot and English descent, the family name being derived from ''Monsieur de la Croquetagne'', a captain in the Royal Guard of French King Louis XIV. The family converted to Protestantism and, as Huguenots fled France in the 17th century, settled in Ireland. Family tradition says that David Crockett's father was born on the voyage to America from Ireland, though in fact Crockett's great-grandfather, William David Crockett, was registered as having been born in New Rochelle, New York in 1709.

David Crockett was the fifth of nine children of John and Rebecca (Hawkins) Crockett. He was named after his paternal grandfather, who was killed in 1777 at his home near today's Rogersville, Tennessee, by Indians led by Dragging Canoe. Crockett's father was one of the Overmountain Men who fought in the Battle of Kings Mountain during the American Revolutionary War. The Crocketts moved to Morristown, Tennessee, in the 1790s and built a tavern there. A museum stands on the site and is housed in a reconstruction of the tavern.

Childhood

In his autobiography, Crockett told that his early years were filled with adventure, hardship, and travel. When he was 8 years old, he told his father he wanted to hunt with a rifle. His father said he could not afford to waste ammunition on "a boy's missed shots". Crockett promised to make every shot count, and began hunting with his older brothers. After being sent to school, he dropped out to run away from home to avoid a beating at the hands of his father when he was 13. Crockett said he had "whupped the tar" out of a school bully who had embarrassed him on his first day in school. Crockett decided not to return to school for the next few days, fearing the bully would return with some friends backing him up, as well as the teacher's punishments. The teacher eventually wrote to Crockett's father to ask why his son did not attend class. Crockett told his father the truth. Angry that family trade goods exchanged for his son's education had gone to waste, he refused to listen. Crockett ran away from home and spent three years roaming from town to town. He claimed he visited most of the towns and villages in Tennessee and learned his skills as a backwoodsman, hunter and trapper.

Near his 16th birthday, David Crockett returned home. Before Crockett had left, his father had opened a tavern on the road between Knoxville, Tennessee and Abingdon, Virginia. Crockett stopped in for a meal unannounced. The first to finally recognize him, his older sister, Betsy, cried, "Here is my lost brother! Look! He is home!" The family was delighted and he was welcomed back. His father was in debt, so he hired Davy out to Abraham Wilson to settle a debt of $36. Later, Crockett generously worked off a $40 debt to John Kennedy. In return, John Crockett told his son he was free to leave. Davy went to work again for Kennedy, this time working for himself.

Shortly afterwards, Crockett became engaged to Margaret Elder and, although the marriage never took place, the contract of marriage (dated October 21, 1805) has been preserved by the Dandridge, Tennessee, courthouse. It is well documented that Crockett's bride-to-be changed her mind and married someone else. Heartbroken at age 19, Crockett decided he was "only born for hardships, misery, and disappointment".

On August 16, 1806, one day before his 20th birthday, Crockett married Mary (Polly) Finley in Jefferson County, Tennessee. They had two sons: John Wesley Crockett was born July 10, 1807, followed by William Finley Crockett (born 1809). They also had a daughter, Margaret Finley (Polly) Crockett in 1812. As wild game ran scarce, the Crocketts then moved to Franklin County, Tennessee in 1813. He named the new settlement on Beans Creek "Kentuck."

After his wife Polly's death, Crockett married a widow named Elizabeth Patton in 1815; they had three children: Robert, Rebecca and Matilda.

Tennessee Militia

On September 24, 1813, Crockett joined the Second Regiment of Tennessee Volunteer Mounted Riflemen for an initial term of 60 days and served under Colonel John Coffee in the Creek War, marching south into present day Alabama and taking an active part in the fighting. Made a scout because of his abilities as a hunter, trapper, and woodsman, Crockett is known to supposedly have supported the starving troops during the time of the Creek War with the game he hunted. He was eventually discharged from service on March 27, 1814. Crockett was elected Lieutenant Colonel of the Fifty-seventh Regiment of Tennessee Militia on March 27, 1818.

Political career

On September 17, 1821, Crockett was elected to the Committee of Propositions and Grievances. He lost his first run for Congress in 1824, but ran again in the next election. In 1826 he was elected to the United States House of Representatives as a Jacksonian. As a Congressman, Crockett supported the rights of squatters, who were barred from buying land in the West without already owning property. He also joined the Anti-Jacksonians in opposing President Andrew Jackson's Indian Removal Act, and his opposition to Jackson caused his defeat when he ran for re-election in 1830; however, he won when he ran again in 1832. As he explained, "I bark at no man's bid. I will never come and go, and fetch and carry, at the whistle of the great man in the White House no matter who he is."

Under the date of November 26, 1833, John Quincy Adams records in his diary an encounter with Crockett, whom he quotes as saying that he (Crockett) "had taken for lodgings two rooms on the first floor of a boarding-house, where he expected to pass the winter and to have for a fellow-lodger Major Jack Downing, the only person in whom he had any confidence for information of what the Government was doing."

In an 1884 book written by dime novelist and non-fiction author Edward S. Ellis, Crockett is recorded as giving a speech (the "Not Yours to Give" speech) critical of his Congressional colleagues who were willing to spend taxpayer dollars to help a widow of a US Navy man who had lived beyond his naval service, but would not contribute their own salary for a week to the cause. Ellis describes how the once popular proposal died in the Congress largely as a result of the speech. It was said that a man from Crockett's district, Horatio Bunce, converted Crockett to such a course of action by explaining that the Constitution did not allow Congress to give charity. The authenticity of this speech is questioned, however, since the Register of Debates and the Congressional Globe do not contain transcripts of speeches made on the House floor. Crockett is on record opposing a similar bill and offering personal support to the family of a General Brown in April 1828, but Crockett considered applications for relief on a case by case basis and sometimes voted in favor of the applicant. An article by Crockett biographer James R. Boylston debunking the "Not Yours to Give" speech was published in the November 2004 issue of ''The Crockett Chronicle.''

In 1834, his autobiography titled ''A Narrative of the Life of David Crockett. Written by Himself'' was published. Crockett went east to promote the book and was narrowly defeated for re-election. He said, "I told the people of my district that I would serve them as faithfully as I had done; but if not ... you may all go to hell, and I will go to Texas." Following his defeat, he did just that.

Texas Revolution

By December, 1834, Crockett was writing to friends about moving to Texas if Van Buren were elected President. The next year he discussed with his friend Benjamin McCulloch raising a company of volunteers to take to Texas in the expectation that a revolution was imminent. After the election results became known in August, his departure to Texas was delayed by a court appearance in the last week of October as co-executor of his deceased father-in-law’s estate, and he finally left his home near Rutherford in West Tennessee on Nov. 1, 1835, with three other men to explore Texas. His youngest child, Matilda, later wrote that she distinctly remembered the last time she saw her father: "He was dressed in his hunting suit, wearing a coonskin cap, and carried a fine rifle presented to him by friends in Philadelphia . . . He seemed very confident the morning he went away that he would soon have us all to join him in Texas."

From his home he traveled to Jackson, arriving there with 30 well-armed men, where he gave a speech from the steps of the Madison County courthouse, and then rode southwest to Bolivar, where he spent the night at residence of Dr. Calvin Jones, once again drawing crowds who sent him off the next morning. He arrived in Memphis in the second week of November with a much-diminished company, and ferried over the Mississippi River the next day and continued his journey on horseback through Arkansas.

On Nov. 12, 1835, Crockett and his entourage arrived in Little Rock, Arkansas. The local newspapers reported that hundreds of people swarmed into town to get a look at Crockett, and a group of leading citizens put on a dinner in his honor that night at the Jeffries Hotel. Crockett spoke “mainly to the subject of Texan independence,” as well as Washington politics.

He arrived in Nacogdoches, Texas, in early January 1836. On January 14, 1836, Crockett and 65 other men signed an oath before Judge John Forbes to the Provisional Government of Texas for six months: "''I have taken the oath of government and have enrolled my name as a volunteer and will set out for the Rio Grande in a few days with the volunteers from the United States''." Each man was promised about 4,600 acres (19 km²) of land as payment. He also sold two rifles to Colonel O'Neal for $60. (After his death there was a claim for his heirs for $57.50. In 1854 his widow received a payment certificate for $24.00 from Texas.) On February 6, Crockett and about five other men rode into San Antonio de Bexar and camped just outside the town. They were later greeted by James Bowie and Antonio Menchaca, and taken to the home of Don Erasmo Seguin.

Crockett arrived at the Alamo on February 8. To the surprise of the men garrisoned in the Alamo, on February 23, a Mexican army, led by General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, arrived. The Mexican soldiers immediately initiated a siege. Santa Anna ordered his artillery to keep up a near-constant bombardment. The guns were moved closer to the Alamo each day, increasing their effectiveness. On February 25, 200–300 Mexican soldiers crossed the San Antonio River and took cover in abandoned shacks approximately to from the Alamo walls. The soldiers intended to use the huts as cover to establish another artillery position, although many Texians assumed that they actually were launching an assault on the fort. Several men volunteered to burn the huts. To provide cover, the Alamo cannons fired grapeshot at the Mexican soldiers, and Crockett and his men fired rifles, while other defenders reloaded extra weapons for them to use in maintaining a steady fire. Within two hours, the battle was over, and the Mexican soldiers retreated. Inside the Alamo, the stores of powder and shot were limited. On February 26, Travis ordered the artillery to stop returning fire so as to conserve precious ammunition. Crockett and his men were encouraged to keep shooting, as they were unusually effective.

As the siege progressed, Alamo commander William Barret Travis sent many messages asking for reinforcements. Several messengers were sent to James Fannin, who commanded the only other official group of Texian soldiers. Fannin and several hundred Texians occupied Presidio La Bahia at Goliad. Although Fannin ultimately decided it was too risky to attempt to reinforce the Alamo, historian Thomas Ricks Lindley concludes that up to 50 of Fannin's men left his command to go to Bexar. These men would have reached Cibolo Creek, from the Alamo, on the afternoon of March 3. There they joined another group of men who also planned to join the garrison.

That same night, outside the Alamo, there was a skirmish between Mexican and Texian troops. Several historians, including Walter Lord, speculated that the Texians were creating a diversion to allow their last courier, John Smith, to evade Mexican pickets. However, in 1876, Alamo survivor Susannah Dickinson said that Travis sent three men out shortly after dark on March 3, probably a response to the arrival of Mexican reinforcements. The three men, who included Crockett, were sent to find Fannin. Lindley stated that just before midnight, Crockett and one of the other men found the force of Texians waiting along Cibolo Creek, who had advanced to within of the Alamo. Just before daylight on March 4, part of the Texian force managed to break through the Mexican lines and enter the Alamo. A second group was driven across the prairie by Mexican cavalry.

The siege ended on March 6, when the Mexican army attacked just before dawn while the defenders were sleeping. The daily bombardment by artillery had been suspended, perhaps a ploy to encourage the natural human reaction to a cessation of constant strain. But the garrison awakened and the final fight began. Most of the noncombatants gathered in the church sacristy for safety. According to Dickinson, before running to his post, Crockett paused briefly in the chapel to say a prayer. When the Mexican soldiers breached the north outer walls of the Alamo complex, most of the Texians fell back to the barracks and the chapel, as previously planned. Crockett and his men were too far from the barracks to take shelter. and were the last remaining group in the mission to be in the open. The men defended the low wall in front of the church, using their rifles as clubs and relying on knives, as the action was too furious to allow reloading. After a volley and a charge with bayonets, Mexican soldiers pushed the few remaining defenders back toward the church. The Battle of the Alamo lasted almost 90 minutes.

Once all of the defenders had been killed, Santa Anna ordered his men to take the bodies to a nearby stand of trees where they were stacked together and wood piled on top. That evening, a fire was lit and the bodies of the defenders were burned to ashes.

The ashes were left undisturbed until February 1837, when Juan Seguin and his cavalry returned to Bexar to examine the remains. A local carpenter created a simple coffin, and ashes from the funeral pyres were placed inside. The names of Travis, Crockett, and Bowie were inscribed on the lid. The coffin is thought to have been buried in a peach tree grove, but the spot was not marked and can no longer be identified.

Death and controversy

All that is certain about the fate of David Crockett is that he died at the Alamo on March 6. According to many accounts of the battle, between five and seven Texians surrendered during the battle, possibly to General Castrillon. Incensed that his orders had been ignored, Santa Anna demanded the immediate execution of the survivors. Although Castrillon and several other officers refused to do so, staff officers who had not participated in the fighting drew their swords and killed the unarmed Texians. Weeks after the battle, stories began to circulate that Crockett was among those who surrendered and were executed. However, Ben, a former American slave who acted as cook for one of Santa Anna's officers, maintained that Crockett's body was found in the barracks surrounded by "no less than sixteen Mexican corpses", with Crockett's knife buried in one of them. Historians disagree on which story is accurate. According to Petite, "every account of the Crockett surrender-execution story comes from an avowed antagonist (either on political or military grounds) of Santa Anna's. It is believed that many stories, such as the surrender and execution of Crockett, were created and spread in order to discredit Santa Anna and add to his role as villain."

In 1955 Jesús Sánchez Garza self-published a book called ''La Rebelión de Texas—Manuscrito Inédito de 1836 por un Ofical de Santa Anna'' purporting to be memoirs of José Enrique de la Peña, a Mexican officer present at the Battle of the Alamo. In 1975 the Texas A&M; University Press published an English translation of the book, called ''With Santa Anna in Texas: A Personal Narrative of the Revolution''. The English publication caused a scandal within the United States as it asserted that Crockett did not die in battle. Historians disagree on whether any or all of the book has been falsified. Because the original book was self-published, no editor or publisher ever vetted its authenticity. Garza never explained how he gained custody of the documents or where they were stored after de la Peña's death.

Some historians, including Bill Groneman, found it suspicious that Garza's compilation was published in 1955, at the height of interest in Crockett and the Alamo caused by Walt Disney's television miniseries about Crockett's life, ''Davy Crockett''. Groneman also points out that the journals are made up of several different types of paper from several different paper manufacturers, all cut down to fit. Historian Joseph Musso also questions the validity, likewise basing his suspicions on the timing of the diaries' release. However, James Crisp, a history professor from North Carolina State University, has studied the papers and is convinced they are genuine.

In de la Peña's narrative, he adds a footnote which may align both versions. He states that "All of the enemy perished, there remaining alive only an elderly lady and a Negro slave, whom the soldiers spared out of mercy and because we had established that only force had kept them in danger." (Perry 1975) This implies that the summary execution of the survivors may have occurred prior to the releasing of Dickinson and Joe, so that they observed Crockett as dead, lending credence to their testimony. De la Peña describes the disposal of the dead and wounded as an ongoing process that took some time.

However, critics now tend to discount this on three key points. First, no other accounts of Crockett surviving the Alamo have surfaced besides de la Peña's diary. No documentation in the archives of the Mexican government, nor any of the personal records of others present at the Battle of the Alamo, give any hint of survivors amongst the defenders, much less any claiming Crockett as a survivor. Secondly, there is some speculation that de la Peña's account may have been a deliberate fabrication, with the intention of presenting Santa Anna in a far more diabolical light than American (and especially Texan) historians have given him since the fall of the Alamo. Finally, it is highly dubious that the Mexican soldiers – ripped and torn as they were in breaching the walls of the Alamo, filled with the blood-lust that battle generates, furious at seeing their friends killed or wounded beside them – and with explicit orders to give "no quarter" would have had the slightest intention to spare the lives of any obvious Texan combatants.

The written account by de la Peña, even if a legitimate writing, has also been questioned in that many doubt his abilities to identify any of the Alamo defenders by name. It is a popular belief by many historians that de la Peña may have witnessed or been told about executions of some Alamo survivors, but in fact neither he nor his comrades would have known who these men were. Part of the reason that de la Peña's memoirs are questioned comes from his detailed account of Col. William Travis' death in ''"With Santa Anna in Texas"''. In that account, he describes with detail how Travis was heroic in his final moments, turning straight into the Mexican soldiers and facing his death with honor. The problem with this is: how would de la Peña have been able to distinguish Travis from any of the other defenders of the Alamo? The freed former slave to Travis, Joe, claimed Travis died early on in the battle, on the north wall. In addition to this, the Mexican Army had not breached the walls of the Alamo when Travis was killed, therefore they would have been seeing him from an area below the walls, while being fired down upon by the defenders. To add to this, Travis was killed before daybreak, meaning it was still dark. Therefore, it is believed that de la Peña either created the scenario of Travis' death, or he saw another of the defenders after breaching the walls, and took him to be Travis.

Legacy

One tale tells how Crockett greeted a crowd on his way to Congress. He bragged, "I'm that same David Crockett, fresh from the backwoods, half-horse, half-alligator, a little touched with the snapping turtle; can wade the Mississippi, leap the Ohio, ride upon a streak of lightning, and slip without a scratch down a honey locust [tree]."

''Davy Crockett’s Almanac, of Wild Sports in the West, Life in the Backwoods, & Sketches of Texas,'' a jest book, printed the text of a speech Crockett supposedly made to Congress. While there is no evidence whatever that the speech is authentic, it suggests the image of Crockett promoted by the "Crockett Alamanacs," published annually for years after his death

"Mr. Speaker.

"Who-Who-Whoop — Bow-Wow-Wow-Yough. I say, Mr. Speaker; I ve had a speech in soak this six months, and it has swelled me like a drowned horse; if I don’t deliver it I shall burst and smash the windows. The gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Everett] talks of summing up the merits of the question, but I’ll sum up my own. In one word I’m a screamer, and have got the roughest racking horse, the prettiest sister, the surest rifle and the ugliest dog in the district. I’m a leetle the savagest crittur you ever did see. My father can whip any man in Kentucky, and I can lick my father. I can outspeak any man on this floor, and give him two hours start. I can run faster, dive deeper, stay longer under, and come out drier, than any chap this side the big Swamp. I can outlook a panther and outstare a flash of lightning, tote a steamboat on my back and play at rough and tumble with a lion, and an occasional kick from a zebra.

"To sum up all in one word I’m a horse. Goliah was a pretty hard colt but I could choke him. I can take the rag off-frighten the old folks-astonish the natives-and beat the Dutch all to smash-make nothing of sleeping under a blanket of snow and don’t mind being frozen more than a rotten apple.

"Congress allows lemonade to the members and has it charged under the head of stationery-I move also that whiskey be allowed under the item of fuel. For bitters I can suck away at a noggin of aquafortis, sweetened with brimstone, stirred with a lightning rod, and skimmed with a hurricane. I’ve soaked my head and shoulders in Salt River, so much that I’m always corned. I can walk like an ox, run like a fox, swim like an eel, yell like an Indian, fight like a devil, spout like an earthquake, make love like a mad bull, and swallow a Mexican whole without choking if you butter his head and pin his ears back."

One of Crockett's sayings, which were published in almanacs between 1835 and 1856 (along with those of Daniel Boone and Kit Carson), was:

In 1838, Robert Patton Crockett went to Texas to administer his father's land claim. In 1854, Elizabeth Crockett finally came to Texas to live, dying in 1860. Crockett's son John Wesley Crockett was a U.S. Congressman from Tennessee, serving two terms between 1837 and 1841.

A section of U.S. Route 64 between Winchester, Tennessee and Lawrenceburg, Tennessee is signed as ''David Crockett Memorial Highway''.

By the late 19th century, Crockett was largely forgotten. His legend was reborn in a 1950s TV show by Walt Disney, which also introduced his legendary coonskin cap. In 1948, Disney told columnist Hedda Hopper that it was "time to get acquainted, or renew acquaintance with, the robust, cheerful, energetic and representative folk heroes". As part of a deal that allowed him to build a theme park, Disneyland, Disney would produce weekly one-hour television programs for ABC. Disney wished to highlight historical figures and his company developed three episodes on Crockett—''Davy Crockett, Indian Fighter'', ''Davy Crockett Goes to Congress'', and ''Davy Crockett at the Alamo''— starring Fess Parker as Crockett. According to historians Randy Roberts and James Olson, "by the end of the three shows, Fess Parker would be very well known, the power of television would be fully recognized, and Davy Crockett would be the most famous frontiersman in American history." The shows sparked heated debate, with many questioning whether Crockett was really deserving of the amount of attention he was now receiving. Letter writers also questioned the series' historical accuracy. Nevertheless, the shows proved very popular. They were combined into a feature-length movie in the summer of 1955, and Parker and his co-star Buddy Ebsen toured the United States, Europe, and Japan. By the end of 1955, Americans had purchased over $300 million worth of Davy Crockett merchandise ($2 billion by 2001). The television series also introduced a new song, "The Ballad of Davy Crockett". Four different versions of the song hit the ''Billboard'' Best Sellers pop chart in 1955. The versions by Bill Hayes, TV series star Fess Parker, The Wellingtons and Tennessee Ernie Ford charted in the Top 10 simultaneously, with Hayes' version hitting #1.

The shows were repeated on NBC in the 1960s after Disney had moved his program to that network. The 1960 repeats marked the first time that the programs had actually been shown in color on TV. Davy Crockett made a return with Disney in two further adventures: ''Davy Crockett's Keelboat Race'' and ''Davy Crockett and the River Pirates''. In these two episodes Crockett faced off against Mike Fink, another early American legend. A three-episode 1988–89 revival was made entitled ''The New Adventures of Davy Crockett'', in which Tim Dunigan took over Fess Parker's famous role. Johnny Cash played an older Davy in a few scenes set before he went to Texas.

The fad eventually waned, but Crockett was often a prominent role in movies about the Alamo. In the 1960 film ''The Alamo'', John Wayne portrayed Crockett. More recently was the John Lee Hancock version of ''The Alamo'' (2004). This Crockett, played by Billy Bob Thornton, is portrayed as a man trying to downplay his legend, but in the end unable to escape it. This is epitomized in a scene where Crockett, speaking to Bowie says, "If it was just me, simple old David from Tennessee, I might drop over that wall some night, take my chances. But that Davy Crockett feller...they're all watchin' him."

A seventh-season episode of the Discovery Channel series ''MythBusters'' explored a story of Crockett's backwoods exploits: that he could stick an axe into a tree trunk, fire his long rifle from 40 yards away, and hit the edge so precisely that the bullet would split in two. After some practice, Tory Belleci was able to duplicate the feat from 20 yards with the gun resting on sandbags and declared the myth "Confirmed," reasoning that Crockett could have consistently made the 40-yard shot with enough experience.

Crockett in films

In films, Crockett has been played by:

Charles K. French (''Davy Crockett – In Hearts United'', 1909, silent)

Dustin Farnum (''Davy Crockett'', 1916, silent)

Cullen Landis (''Davy Crockett at the Fall of the Alamo'', 1926, silent)

Jack Perrin (''The Painted Stallion'', 1937)

Lane Chandler (''Heroes of the Alamo'', 1937)

Robert Barrat (''Man of Conquest'', 1939)

George Montgomery (''Davy Crockett, Indian Scout'', 1950) [a different person, cousin of the famous Davy Crockett]

Trevor Bardette (''The Man from the Alamo'', 1953)

Arthur Hunnicutt (''The Last Command'', 1955)

Fess Parker (co-starring with Buddy Ebsen as Georgie Russel in ''Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier'', 1955, and ''Davy Crockett and the River Pirates'', 1956, both on ABC's ''Walt Disney Presents'')

James Griffith (''The First Texan'', 1956)

John Wayne (''The Alamo'', 1960)

Brian Keith (''The Alamo: Thirteen Days to Glory'', 1987)

Merrill Connally (''Alamo: The Price of Freedom'', 1988)

Johnny Cash (''Davy Crockett: Rainbow in the Thunder'', 1988)

Tim Dunigan (''Davy Crockett: Rainbow in the Thunder'', ''Davy Crockett: A Natural Man'', ''Davy Crockett: Guardian Spirit'', ''Davy Crockett: Letter to Polly'', 1988–1989)

David Zucker (''The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear'', 1991 [a very small cameo role])

John Schneider (''Texas'', 1994)

Scott Wickware (''Dear America: A Line in the Sand'', 2000)

Justin Howard (''The Anarchist Cookbook'', 2002)

Billy Bob Thornton (''The Alamo'', 2004)

See also

Timeline of the Texas Revolution

"The Ballad of Davy Crockett"

Crockett, Texas

Fort Crockett

Alamo, Tennessee

Crockett County, Tennessee

Footnotes

References

. . . . . . . Reprint. Originally published: New York: McGraw-Hill, 1958

Further reading

Boylston, James R. and Allen J. Weiner, ''David Crockett in Congress: The Rise and Fall of the Poor Man's Friend''; Bright Sky Press; ISBN 1-933-97951-8

Crockett, David, ''A Narrative of the Life of David Crockett of the State of Tennessee''; University of Nebraska Press; ISBN 0-8032-6325-2

Derr, Mark ''The Frontiersman. Davy Crockett'' William Morrow and Co. ISBN 0-688-09656-5

Davis, William C., ''Lone Star Rising-The Revolutionary Birth of the Texas Republic''; Free Press; ISBN 0-684-86510-6

Davis, William C., ''Three Roads to the Alamo''; Harper Collins; ISBN 0-06-017334-3

Levy, Buddy, ''The Real Life Adventures of David Crockett''; Putnam Press; ISBN 0-399-15278-4

; written by John S. C. Abbott

External links

Official site of the descendants of David Crockett

''An account of Col. Crockett's tour to the North and down East, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-four. . .'' written by David Crockett, and published 1835, hosted by the Portal to Texas History.

First Hand Alamo Accounts

Crockett quote, "...they might go to hell, and I would go to Texas" from April 9, 1836 ''Niles Weekly Register'' newspaper.

Category:Alamo defenders Category:American folklore Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives from Tennessee Category:Members of the Tennessee House of Representatives Category:People of the Creek War Category:People from Tennessee Category:American people of Anglo-Irish descent Category:American people of Scotch-Irish descent Category:American people of English descent Category:American people of French descent Category:People of the Texas Revolution Category:People from Greene County, Tennessee Category:1786 births Category:1836 deaths Category:Tall tales Category:Tennessee National Republicans Category:Tennessee Jacksonians Category:Folklore of the Southern United States

ar:ديفد كروكيت da:Davy Crockett de:Davy Crockett es:Davy Crockett fa:دیوی کراکت fo:Davy Crockett fr:Davy Crockett id:Davy Crockett it:Davy Crockett he:דייווי קרוקט la:David Crockett hu:Davy Crockett nl:Davy Crockett ja:デイヴィッド・クロケット no:Davy Crockett pl:Davy Crockett pt:Davy Crockett ru:Крокетт, Дэви simple:Davy Crockett sr:Дејви Крокет sh:Davy Crockett fi:Davy Crockett sv:Davy Crockett zh:大卫·克洛科特

fullname	Taarak Mehta

Taarak Mehta is an Indian columnist/journalist best known for the column ''Duniya Ne Undha Chasma'' in Gujarati Language. The humorous weekly column first appeared in Chitralekha in March 1971 and ever since has been looking at contemporary issues from a different perspective. In 2008 SAB TV, a popular entertainment channel in India, started a show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah that is based on the column. Taarak Mehta is against translating his column for the English-speaking readers. “Idioms lose meaning. My columns can be adapted but not translated,” he said in an interview to The Statesman newspaper in India.

Bibliography

Duniya ne Oondha Chashmah

Aa Duniya Panjarapole

Action Reply ½

Albelun America Vanthelun America

Bagicha Ni Hadvi Havama

Bahero Hase Be Vay...!

Champaklal Tapuni Jugalbandhi

Betaj Batali Baj Popatlal Taraj

Taarak mehta ka oolta chashmah

References

http://www.thestatesman.net/page.arcview.php?clid=26&id;=245516&usrsess;=1 publisher= The Statesman | accessdate=2009-04-20

http://www.glamsham.com/dramas/features/tarak_mehta.pdf - contains a lot of information about Tarak Mehta

Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people)