Coonskin Hats and Legends 

Tommy Towery

LHS '64

Davy Crockett was a five-part serial that aired on ABC from 1954–1955 in one-hour episodes, on the Disneyland series. The series starred Fess Parker as real-life frontiersman Davy Crockett and Buddy Ebsen as his friend, George Russel. The first three and last two episodes were respectively edited into the theatrical films Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier (released in 1955), and Davy Crockett and the River Pirates (1956). This series and film are known for the catchy theme song, "The Ballad of Davy Crockett".

They were shot on color film at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park at the Mountain Farm Museum adjacent to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, near Qualla Reservation's entrance; and at Janss Conejo Ranch, California. Crockett's death at the Battle of the Alamo is not actually shown; all we see is Crockett, the last survivor in the battle, on the parapet swinging his rifle at the oncoming hordes of Mexican soldiers. The picture fades and the flag of Texas is shown flying in the breeze as the male chorus reprises the last lines of "The Ballad of Davy Crockett". 

According to historians Randy Roberts and James Olson, "By the end of the three shows, Fess Parker was very well known, the power of television was fully recognized, and Davy Crockett was the most famous frontiersman in American history." By the end of 1955, Americans had purchased over $300 million worth of Davy Crockett merchandise, including coonskin caps and bubble gum cards. Fess Parker later claimed he lost millions because a contract granting him a percentage of the merchandising sales was voided, as being with Walt Disney personally rather than Walt Disney Productions.

To baby boomers, Davy Crockett was far more than the coonskin-capped “king of the wild frontier.” When Disney’s version of his life was first broadcast it ignited a Crockett craze that helped solidify the then-new medium of television, touched off the greatest merchandising fad the world had ever seen, and instilled in an impressionable generation a set of values that persist to this day.  Not to mention that confounded song. “The Crockett craze had a deep impact on a lot of people,” says historian Paul Andrew Hutton of the University of New Mexico. “For kids in the 5-10 age group, it really did shape their lives, giving them an appreciation not only of history but of a kind of patriotism and self-sacrifice.” (most of the Lee Class of '64 was eight at the time.)

Television programmers and mass advertisers discovered sizable new markets in the children and baby boomer audience who quickly became infatuated with all things Crockett. The promotional tie-in had enjoyed widespread success ever since the first young child placed Davy's coonskin cap on his head so that he could feel like Davy Crockett as he hunted "b'ars" in the backyard. Raccoon skin prices dramatically jumped practically overnight. Hundreds of products by various producers quickly saturated the market as Disney was unable to copyright the public Crockett name. Guitars, underwear, clothes, toothbrushes, moccasins, bedspreads, lunch boxes, toys, books, comics, and many other items found their way into many American homes. Many producers simply pasted Crockett labels over existing western-themed merchandise so as not to miss out on the phenomenon. Various artists recorded sixteen versions of the catchy theme song "The Ballad of Davy Crockett," which was originally created as filler. It went on to sell more than four million copies.

My Personal Davy Crockett Merchandise 

Tommy Towery

LHS '64

On my sidewalk on East Clinton, wearing my official Davy Crockett outfit along with a few modern modifications. I added a M1 Carbine to replace Ole Betsy, Converse shoes to run away from the Mexicans faster, and a beard (which Davy never had) to conceal my identification should I try to sneak out of the Alamo.

I found this Davy Crockett Milk Glass Blue Cup several years ago in a Thrift Store.

My daughter Tiffany got me this for a birthday because she loved the photo of me in my Davy Crockett outfit.

The Wayback Machine

Tommy Towery

LHS '64

This week I asked Mr. Peabody to take us back to 1954 and play the original version of the song from the TV series.

"The Ballad of Davy Crockett" is a song with music by George Bruns and lyrics by Thomas W. Blackburn. It was introduced on ABC's television series Disneyland, in the premiere episode of October 27, 1954. The song would later be heard throughout the Disneyland television miniseries Davy Crockett, first telecast on December 15, 1954. This version was sung by The Wellingtons. 

Archie Bleyer, the president of Cadence Records, heard the song on the ABC telecast (December 15, 1954) and called Bill Hayes that night to gauge his interest in recording it. The next day, Hayes (vocals), Al Caiola (guitar), and Art Ryerson (guitar) recorded it in one take at an RCA studio in Manhattan. Other versions by Fess Parker and Tennessee Ernie Ford (recorded on February 7, 1955) quickly followed. All three versions made the Billboard magazine charts in 1955: Hayes' version made number 1 on the weekly chart (from March 26 through April 23) and number 7 for the year, Parker's reached number 6 on the weekly charts and number 31 for the year, while Ford's peaked at number 4 on the weekly country chart and number 5 on the weekly pop chart and charted at number 37 for the year.

We got lots of comments on the coin-dispenser featured in last week's issue. I am hoping many of you will give some comments on this week's Davy Crockett feature. I would especially like to hear from some of the girls about how females felt about the fad. I am sure it was not like us males who all wanted to be Davy Crocket. 

On a personal note, in the third grade at East Clinton School, I wrote an essay entitled "I Was Wounded at the Alamo." While I was playing Davy Crockett in my house I was running through the house to "cover the south wall" when I tripped on the door jam and fell shoulder-first into our sofa. and broke my front teeth out. I was lucky they were still baby teeth. 

Do you have a Davy Crockett photo or did you have a coonskin cap?

Last Week's Questions, Answers, and Comments

Billy Berry, Rison1956 (last year for Jr High), "Tommy, you don’t have to print this because I feel like an intruder because I wasn’t lucky enough to get to Lee. I can relate to things in The Traveller and also the people. I do enjoy your writings. My first year after graduating HHS, I went to work for my Dad. He was the manager of the Kayo Service Station on Andrew Jackson Way. I worked the third shift from 11 pm to 7 am. I worked there for a year, seven days a week, with no time off! That was the longest year of my life. Anyway, we carried one of those belt-clipped money changers. At the end of each shift every thing was inventoried and you were responsible for any shortages. Just seeing a picture of that thing brought back that nightmare memory. Oh yeah, only made 50 cents an hour too.

Sandra Stephenson Presley, LHS ‘67, "Thank you so much for your work to keep us around and sharing so many memories.  I am thankful to still be here with friends and family.  I was watching a youtube documentary when this email came in.  There are numerous baby boomer youtubes that have given much information on how we evolved and details of our generation, if you have a chance you need to watch...memories!"

Dennis Overcash, LHS ‘66, "My clearest recollection of a coin dispenser was growing up in the (Waltham) suburb of Boston Mass from birth through the 11th Grade.  For many years we had Sam the ice cream man drive into our neighborhood and at each stop he got out and sold ice cream bars. He wore the coin changer.  Also our bus drivers did too.  I'm sure there were more but don't recall."

Rod Dixon, LHS ‘69, "I wore the change dispenser at Mars Gas Station on Jordan Lane. We also carried bills in a leather pouch. Wouldn’t do it today!"

Cherri Polly Faber Massey, LHS ‘66, "Rainer wondered who provided the photo of the Sweetheart Pageant heart.  I sent it many years ago along with a copy of the program from '65-'66 pageant.  It was the number I wore on my dress.  Johnny Roberts is the one who talked me into participating."

(Editor's Note:  It was many years ago I received the photos. When the subject came up I remembered I had posted some stuff way back when. I looked in my Lee High School file on the computer and found the pictures in a folder and the only other photo in that folder was one I had of Gudrun Klauss. Since it was only her photo and no text files I assumed it had been submitted by her husband Rainer. I was wrong, and thank Cherri for the correct information.)

Joel Weinbaum, LHS ‘64, "As a newspaper boy in Muscle Shoals from 13 until arriving in Huntsville at 16, I made weekly collections at my customers' homes. The weekly cost of the Tri-Cities Daily was 45 cents. I had 90 customers. Collections were on Saturday unless I had to go back another day to catch someone at home. I wore a homemade zippered bag hanging from my belt to hold all my change, unlike the metallic change maker Tommy has shown. Mine was made of pillow ticking with a salvaged blue jeans zipper, and a continuous channeled belt loop because of the weight. In my early days I paid my bill at the paper company on Saturday afternoons, but as our economy improved in the late 50's and early 60's finding customers at home became more difficult. The company wasn't happy that I finished paying my bill on Mondays. Taking over routes in Huntsville, monthly a self-addressed envelope was inserted in each paper to be mailed back with a check for the month. So much easier, and more reliable. A couple of customers, Glenn Hearn, Mayor of Huntsville, and Werner von Braun were late. At the Hearn house on one evening they were with another couple dressed for a formal evening but insisted on finding enough money in the house to pay me before they left. I offered to come back. Werner von Braun wrote me a note with his check apologizing for being late and wishing me Merry Christmas. Back then it was not uncommon to be invited inside to wait. There wasn't much I did not know about my customers' daily routines and kids. Mum was the word."

Cynthia Barrow Beckett, LHS ‘66, "So sorry to see the passing of Ronnie Hornbuckle.  I knew him from when we moved to Huntsville in 1959-60 for the space program.  Just a side note - I was able to spend a few hours with my best friend from high school - Judy (Foster) Geary - we hadn't seen each other in over 30 years - but it was like yesterday!"