Fess Parker, 1950s TV Davy Crockett, dead at 85

Fess Parker, who brought Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone to life in 1950s and 1960s TV series, died Thursday at his home and vineyard in California, his family said in a statement. He was 85.

The actor, developer and vintner died at his home 200 kilometers (125 miles) northeast of Los Angeles, the statement said. The family did not give the cause of death.

Parker was best known for his roles as America's two most famous pioneers in the 1950s television series "Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier," and the 1960s series "Daniel Boone."

A 1.97-meter (6-foot, 5-inch) Texan, Parker cast an international shadow starring in several Walt Disney movies about the adventures of Davy Crockett.

On retiring from the big and small screen, Parker in the 1970s went into the real estate business in California's Santa Barbara, where he successfully opened three high-end mobile home parks and the 360-room Fess Parker Doubletree Resort in 1985.

In 1989, Parker and his family went into the wine business founding the Fess Parker Winery, a highly regarded and popular destination on the Foxen Canyon wine trail in Los Olivos.

The family also owns a 300-acre (121-hectare) vineyard in the Santa Ynez valley.

"Fess and his wife Marcella celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in January of 2010," the family statement said.

"Their son Eli and daughter Ashley, as well as 11 grandchildren and one great grandchild spent a great deal of time with Fess in his final months and weeks," the statement said.