‘Davy Crockett’ Actor Fess Parker Dies Aged 85

American actor Fess Parker, who became an idol in the 1950’s and launched a craze for coonskin hats with his starring role in “Davy Crockett,” sadly passed away on Thursday. According to msnbc.msn.com, Parker died of natural causes, at the age of 85.

A family spokeswoman Sao Anash, said that Parker – who also starred in TV’s “Daniel Boone” developer – died at his him in the Santa Ynez Valley. The actor’s death sadly fell on the 84th birthday of his wife Marcella, who he had been married to for 50 years.

Anash said that Marcella is a wreck, and added that Parker –also a major California winemaker and developer – was in fact coherent and speaking with his family just minutes before he passed away. Reports say that the funeral announcements will be made later today.

The very first episode of “Davy Crockett,” which had Buddy Ebsen as Crockett’s sidekick, premiered in December of 1954, as part of the “Disneyland” TV show. The 6-foot 6-inch Parker was soon embraced by the youngsters, as the man in the coonskin cap.

After leaving Hollywood, Parker got himself into real estate with his wife Marcella, and winemaking. He then bought and sold property, built hotels, and grew wine grapes on a 2,200 acre vineyard in California, where he was dubbed King of the Wine Frontier.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this sad time.