Walt Disney Art Classics Convention 2004 - Part 1
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Fess Parker with interviewer Craig Hodgkins

Hodgkins began, simply enough, with Parker’s youth, asking if he’d studied acting. Parker responded, “I took all the courses at USC, but chose as my thesis ‘A Selected Analysis of Certain Plays of Moliere.’ It never occurred to me I needed to speak French to complete it.�? So, he said ruefully, he never finished his degree. Instead he went on a trip, until he got a call from a classmate referring him to Paramount Studios. When that didn’t work out, Parker took a small role in the stage play Mr. Roberts, where he worked with Henry Fonda, Jack Klugman, and Lee Van Cleef. After playing in two cities, he went home to visit his family in Texas. They expressed surprise at what he had been doing, saying they thought he’d be back in less than three months.

Parker then related that later as he was studying Russian at the University of Texas, he met Adolphe Menjou. The Hollywood star was a guest professor, and Parker was given the task of driving him to and from the railroad station. Menjou asked the earnest young actor, “Would you like to work in western films?�? Parker eagerly replied in the affirmative, so Menjou passed on a photo to director William Wellman. Although that led nowhere, Menjou did introduce Parker to an agent. Burt Allenberg had represented Clark Gable, Ava Gardner, and Lana Turner. Their first meeting was memorable. Allenberg asked, “What’s your name?�?

“Fess Parker.�?

“What kind of name is that?�?

Parker asked for a screen test. It was arranged by an assistant at the William Morris Agency, who was also puzzled over the name “Fess Parker.�? He, in turn, sent Parker to an even lesser assistant, George Brown jr., who was younger than Parker. When he was told to send the unknown actor to MGM, Fox and Paramount, Brown admitted he didn’t even know where MGM was.

Despite all this, young Fess Parker did manage to land some film roles. Among them were The Kid from Left Field, The Springfield Rifle, and the science fiction classic Them! Since Parker longed to go from being a supporting to a featured player, he was unsure about taking the single day’s work offered in Them! The short scene, set in a mental hospital, had Air Force pilot Fess Parker describing the flight of giant ants to an unbelieving staff.

Walt Disney’s chief interest in the film Them! was to see the giant, full scale ants that were prominently featured in the advertising. He also wanted to take a look at James Arness, a promising young performer who had a leading role. Fortunately, said Parker, Walt stayed at the film long enough to see his single scene. “And I got a call from the Disney Studio,�? he said happily.

Them! Walt Disney came to see giant ants and James Arness, but ended up discovering Fess Parker.

Following tips from Disney studio artist Peter Ellenshaw (“My neighbor up north,�? said Parker), producer Bill Walsh, and writer Tom Blackburn, Parker brought a guitar along to the interview—even though he didn’t really sing. He sat down in an office with Walt Disney, who asked, “Where are you from and what have you done?�? “And that took about two minutes,�? laughed Parker. Walt then asked him to sing something. Parker sang an original song, a little piece about a train with a train whistle. “I didn’t realize ‘til years later that that was the best song I could have sung for Walt Disney,�? marveled Parker, “He loves trains!�?

Hodgkins then asked Parker about getting the role of Davy Crockett, and if it was true that veteran performer Buddy Ebsen had been originally cast in the part. Of the stage and film veteran, Parker said, “Buddy was so helpful to me during the shooting of Davy Crockett.�? He went on to say, “He became a life long friend.�?

Fess Parker with Buddy Ebsen, who played Georgie Russell

Parker was then asked about Ebsen’s help with the fine points of the business—specifically in choosing a horse. Parker recalled that two horses were brought out for them to examine, one white and one black. And that Ebsen immediately chose the white one for himself.

Shooting for Davy Crockett was done in various locations around the country, including the Hermitage, Andrew Jackson’s home in Nashville, Tennessee. “We were allowed to shoot the exteriors,�? Parker said. “And they put me on a Tennessee Walker!�? He laughed as he recalled how he looked on the diminutive horse—like he was abusing the animal as he rode up. The interior scenes were actually shot at the home of a local banker named Coldwell, whose home was a replica of the Hermitage.

The next question was about working with veteran performers, and without stunt men. “We’d get into some strange things,�? Parker admitted. He told of fighting real Indians on their reservation. Some of the Indians were no strangers to “fruit jar beverages,�? he added. He mischievously said, “It was a high moment.�? Although the Indians had been issued robber tipped arrows, some were shooting for real. One hit Parker in the forehead, just above his eye. “An inch lower,�? he chuckled, “and I would have been a director.�?