DAVY CROCKETT: The COMPLETE TELEVISED SERIES
Show & DVD Details

Director: Norman Foster
Writers: Tom Blackburn, Norman Foster

Cast: Fess Parker (Davy Crockett), Buddy Ebsen (George Russel), Basil Ruysdael (Andrew Jackson), William Bakewell (Tobias Norton), Helene Stanley (Polly Crockett), Pat Hogan (Redstick), Eugene Brindel (Billy), Ray Whitetree (Johnny), Mike Mazurki (Big Foot Mason), Jeff Thompson (Two Shirts), Hans Conreid (Thimberleig), Kenneth Tobey (Jim Bowie/Jocko), Nick Cravat (Bustedluck), Jeff York (Mike Fink), Walter Catlett (Colonel Plug)

Running Time: 368 Minutes / Rating: Not Rated
1.33:1 Fullscreen (Original Broadcast Ratio)
Dolby Digital Mono (English)
Subtitles: English; Closed Captioned

DVD Release Date: December 4, 2001
Originally Aired: December 15, 1954 - December 14, 1955
Two single-sided, dual-layered discs (DVD-9)

Disc 1:
Davy Crockett Indian Fighter
Davy Crockett Goes to Congress
Davy Crockett at the Alamo

Disc 2:
Davy Crockett's Keelboat Race
Davy Crockett and the River Pirates

Full Menus on both DVDs
Complete Introductions with Leonard Maltin
"A Conversation with Fess Parker" Leonard Maltin & Fess Parker
"The Davy Crockett Craze" with Leonard Maltin
Still Gallery

Available here for a terrific low price the full and uncut five episodes of Davy Crockett that originally aired on Walt Disney's "Disneyland" TV show (1954-55). Davy Crockett launched a huge pop culture craze during the 50s that sold around $300 million worth of Davy Crockett merchandise. This included 10 million of the now famous coonskin caps that Davy Crockett made a household norm. Host Leonard Maltin makes the point that the quite colorful location and matte painting shots distinguished Davy Crockett from the average westerns of the 1950s.

The three original episodes were subsequently cut into a theatrical feature film aptly named Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier (1955). The comic style adventures from the second season introduced the crazy looking riverman Mike Fink (played by Jeffrey York) who became Davy Crockett and the River Pirates (1956). Tall, lean and handsome and slightly limited as an actor, Walt Disney settled on Fess Parker to play Davy Crockett and he was pretty effective as the iconic frontier man. Buddy Ebsen was much more experienced as an actor who played Davy's sidekick Georgie Russel and Buddy surely carried many of these scenes. 60+ years later, Davy Crockett is still an amazing example of national myth via film making. The younger Disney fans may be quite surprised to find this simple and straight forward mythical figure retains much of his heroic appeal in uncertain times.

Davy Crockett DVD is an excellent set from Disney and a must own for any Disney collector from the 50s and 60s. Davy Crockett DVD Disney set is an amazing trip down memory lane to revisit the Davy Crockett DVD episodes and craze during the 50s. Davy Crockett DVD is a rich and cultural throwback to another time in America. For Davy Crockett DVD Disney went all out for authentic costumes, sets and mat paintings.

Davy Crockett DVD Complete Set is an excellent way to enjoy this amazing Davy Crockett DVD Disney Classic like it was the first time you have seen it. Own the complete Davy Crockett DVD set today. Davy Crockett DVD is complete with all five (5) original TV episodes that aired in 1954 and 1955. Davy Crockett DVD is a terrific way to enjoy all 5 original Disney episodes on a 2 Disc set.

Davy and George

Leonard Maltin introduces the episodes Walt Disney concludes them

Episodes

Each of these is introduced by Leonard Maltin in a roughly minute-long segment, who explains that originally, Davy’s journeys were only going to be told in a 3-part series, with no plans for further installments. Those first three are presented here.

“Davy Crockett, Indian Fighter” (53:40) – The show that started it all gets us acquainted with the main characters, and their situations, before immersing us in the midst of adventure. Davy and his pal George are summoned by the U.S. military, led by Andrew Jackson, to help track down and fight a band of Injuns (if you’ll let me be politically incorrect for once) who are rebelling against the White Man.

“Davy Crockett Goes to Congress” (53:39) – For the most part, this second installment exchanges adventure for drama, spending some time fleshing out the main characters more. We follow the events leading to Davy’s bid for congressmen, and once he gets the position, the actions he takes to give the Native Americans fair rights concerning land.This one offers some suspense, leading up to a one-on-one tomahawk fight climax, with a conclusion some may find unexpected.

“Davy Crockett at the Alamo” (53:20) – Feeling like a suitable conclusion to a trilogy, Episode 3 reunites us with Davy and George as they join with a riverboat gambler and an outcast Indian. Together, they head for the Alamo to help the Texans hold up, and find that they have bleak outlook. (If Pee-Wee Herman is reading, this section provides further proof that there is no basement at the Alamo.) Nonetheless, our heroes stick it out to fight a vigorous battle to the death. I think this provided a very poignant ending to the series, but as we know, it continued on.

Disc 1's Episode Menu Tussling on the River

Disc 2 Content

The menu matches that of the first disc. “Captions” again offers the English subtitles, “Adventures” lists the remaining TV shows, and “Supplemental Features” houses all the bonuses.

Episodes

Yet again, Maltin gives a one-minute intro to each episode. As he explained before, there originally weren’t any plans for Davy to go beyond 3 parts. Once the series became overwhelmingly popular, the character made a return in two more installments that are presented as legends, rather than representations of historical incidents. While the first three covered distinctly separate incidents per episode, these next two feel more cohesive. Though, they are more lighthearted than the first batch, which I thought made them less satisfying but still fun.

“Davy Crockett’s Keelboat Race” (53:39) – Davy and George return to meet a new rival: Mike Fink, the self-proclaimed “King of the River,” a boisterous and pompous character who challenges them to a race with money as the bet. As the opponents make their way down the Mississippi River, aggressive competition ensues, filled with sabotage and battles of whit.

“Davy Crockett and the River Pirates” (54:09) – Picking up almost right where the last left off, Davy and George make friends with Mike Fink, banding together to bring justice to a group of bandits who pretend to be red-skins. It’s a race against time to take care of them before a conflict arises between the real Indians and the White folk.