Daniel Boone was a man...

Fess Parker died today.  He was 85 and he died at home with his wife of 50 years...on her 84th birthday. From all that I have read and know about him...he was a good, honorable man.

As soon as I heard the news on the radio, I remembered a trip we made to Utah when I was a little girl.  Travelling across the desert in our 1960-something pale yellow Ford station wagon, we came to some little town where the town folk (hahahaha -- sorry, couldn't help myself) told us they were filming the popular Daniel Boone televison show.   We were on it!  We rambled out to wherever it was across the hot-as-hootsville desert...wearing our swimming suits to keep cool.  (!)  Did air-conditioning in cars even exist in those days?   (Oh, for the days when you weren't self conscious about wearing a swimsuit.)  Anyway...we were able to actually talk to Fess Parker when he was on a break from filming and I just remember that he was genuinely nice to us little kids.  Very cool.  He had starred on the television show Davy Crockett and was now Daniel Boone in the show of the same name.  I can still remember the song and lyrics...[Daniel Boone "original" theme song.]

When I heard that he passed away today, I immediately thought of that trip and these photos (that Sandi had recently scanned)...there is just something that I love about them.  The contradiction...random attire, obscure setting, TV star, pig-tail wearing little kidlets, 1960's...gotta love the whole thing.

Thank you for the memories Mr. Parker.

From left...Joyce, Fess Parker, Sandi on his knee, my mom, and me (look at those knobby knees...loved that red, white & blue suit with a little skirtlet!)  The hair style was three pig tails (braids)...one on each side and one on the top that was swirled and pinned to our head.  Ya' just don't see that style  much these days.  :)  How cute is that though?

Awesome.  One of the other actors, me and Sandi.  (Seems like I remember the other actors kind of teasing /laughing at this guy for having to pose with us.)