Brings to mind the notion of men in the movies or on TV who particularly captured your fancy as a kid.
Davy Crockett was brave, courageous and bold. Plus he seemed like a nice guy to come home to. Who spoke to you? Who was your fictional Dad--the one who was more glamorous, less strict, more interesting than yours?
25 comments:
When I was 9 and the Davy Crockett TV show staring Fess Parker was at the top of the charts, I had and wore a coon skin hat.
Girls didn't seem to get to wear them in my neck of the woods. My brother had one.
I was ten or eleven when Davy Crockett came along, and of course I went crazy over him like every other kid--had a coonskin hat and all that. It seems now as if Crockett took over the world for a good while, but it really only consisted of a half dozen or so episodes of "Walt Disney Presents". Crockett was soon to be replaced by my two favorite tv characters from that era, Richard Boone as Paladin and James Garner as Maverick.
I was a real tomboy and often envied the boys (at least when I wasn´t catching sticklebacks or falling off trees together with them), but I must admit I have never wailed because I couldn´t wear a coon skin hat. To me it looks too much like a dead cat.
I have been watching a lot of old western shows lately and his superb performances, in both Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone, really has endured nicely.
I wanted to be MAVERICK when I was a kid. James Garner seemed the definition of cool.
I had a hero worship for Cary Grant. I still do.
Don't know if I'd call Davy my fictional dad, but he was sure my fictional ME. Shucks, I reckon he still is.
I have to second (or third?) James Garner as Maverick. I also loved the sophistication of Peter Lawford in the Thin Man series and the absolute cool factor of Ed Kookie Byrnes of 77 Sunset Strip.
Maybe only girls looked toward these figures as possible fathers. Boys wanted to be them.
In recasting 77 Sunset Strip, I fear who they will choose for Kookie. He was the coolest--until they stuck him in Grease.
James Garner I wanted to marry.
Gregory Peck in To Kill a Mockingbird leaps to mind. But my Dad's still very cool at 76.
I remember some Crockett shows that featured Spaniards and Rosie Greer -- thought that was way cool.
Good pick. GP was sensational and I always loved Mr. Walton-John Sr.
Wasn't Rosie Greer in Daniel Boone?
I was only 6 or so when Davy Crocket came on and my brother and I each had coonskin caps. But the one I wanted to be was Zorro as embodied by Guy Williams.
My brother and I dressed as Zorro for Halloween that year.
Later I was also a fan of Maverick and Paladin, as well as Wyatt Earp (Hugh O'Brian).
As for the father everyone wanted then...Jim Anderson, of course. Or Ward Cleaver.
Let's just say my father has never been as mellow as those guys in his 85 (so far) years.
And Cap'n Bob is right about Rosey Grier on DANIEL BOONE.
Jeff M.
Do you remember that Fess Parker at the grand opening of Finley Playground (Upsal and Mansfield) in 1956 or so.
I wonder what ever happened to my old coon skin cap. I remember wearing it to grade school one time.
No, I don't Jeff. Wonder how they got him there for that small affair?
Joe-I bet your Mom dumped it with all your old baseball cards.
I always kind of favored Danny Thomas because I loved their living room.
I agree with those who have suggested Ralph Waite, the father (John Sr.) on The Waltons.
Also, Patti, I saw Ed "Kooky" Burns yesterday, and he doesn't look so cool anymore. Sorry.
It must be hard to live in LA and watch these people age, Rick. We watch only through vaseline and botox in the midlands.
Zorro was the best costume of the era.
Moe Howard or Curly in a pinch.
My brother once told us that he rather associated our father with Bob Hartley on THE BOB NEWHART SHOW...my father admitted that he rather favored Hartley as well, though how much of that was driven by wanting to be married to Emily Hartley/Suzanne Pleshette, who wasn't too terribly different-looking from my mother (not twins by any means but not too dissimilar), I can't say w/o asking him.
My brothers had 'coon hats and I was jealous. I must have seen evey episode of Davy Crockett at least twice.
I have a peronally signed photo of the 3 stooges, signed by Larry himself...do you think it is worth something?
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