Daniel Boone

I just recently started watching the re-runs on the Retro Television Network. While I know it's mostly fiction, this is family entertainment at its finest. Again, while fiction, this show gets you interested in an American icon. I found myself looking up Daniel Boone on the net. My daughter even got interested and did a little report on Boone (not from material in the show, but she went to her school library and started reading about him)!

A shame I only knew of this show's existence recently, and as I got into the show, I was saddened to hear of Fess Parker's passing just three days ago.

Shows like this are gone as with Mr. Parker. But re-runs and DVD and Blue-ray have made it possible for future generations to appreciate this fine show for family entertainment.

"Daniel Boone" was a show for everyone...First of all this was part Drama,and part Western(since most of the action takes place East of the Mississippi).......Second,where can you have the President of the United States,George Washington appear one week,then the next week Daniel is fighting against the British in the War for Independence as well as dealing with Pirates and hostile Indians from other tribes,and the following week goes swordsman(like Zorro)against ruthless Spanish tyrannts and generals(which in one episode was Ricardo Montalban and afterwards you'll have a galaxy of villains who was Spanish tyrants that were played by actors Jose Ferrer and of all people Cesar Romero,aka The Joker on Batman)while maintaining peace and restoration of his beloved Kentucky homestead from individuals who were by all means out to destroy his valley?

NOT ON HIS TURF! DANIEL BOONE WAS A MAN, A BIG MAN!!!(Fess Parker)

All aide by his Indian sidekick,Mingo played by Ed Ames and his wife Rebecca(Patricia Blair),and son Isreal(played by Darby Hinton)and teenaged daughter Jemina(was played by Veronica Cartwright from Seasons 1 thru 3),and Dan's sidekick Yadkin(Albert Salmi in Season 1)Daniel Boone maintained the frontier with a mighty hand!

This was part history lesson as well but this show had plenty of non-stop action and adventure each week since it was a eyepopping show with lots of breathtaking scenery of the Mississippi valley where the show was shot but the rest of it was filmed on the backlot at the studios of 20th Century Fox,where the show was produced under Fess Parker's production company,Fespar Enterprises and under Hollywood producer Aaron Rosenberg(of "Winchester 73" fame). The series originally ran on NBC-TV from September 24,1964 until May 7,1970. Out of the 165 episodes that were produced,33 episodes from Season 1 of the series were in black and white from September 24,1964 until April 29,1965. Seasons 2 thru 6 produced 133 episodes in color that aired from September 16,1965 until May 7,1970. After its cancellation in the spring of 1970,NBC repeated all episodes of season 6 from May 7,1970 until September 10,1970.

However,the episodes I saw which are on videocassette are from the pilot episode(which was filmed in black and white and its first season consisted of 33 black and white episodes where the show originally ran on NBC-TV but the show made the transition to color during its 1965-70 run consisting of 133 episodes in Seasons 2 thru 6)where we are introduced to Daniel Boone,the pioneer frontiersman and his adventures along the Kentucky wilderness where each day was a fight for survival. One Great Show!!! Catch It!!!

I loved this show as a kid and I remember it being on the air all of my childhood. It is full of historical inaccuracies but the fictional relationship between Daniel and Mingo, his half-English, half-Indian friend, makes up for it. Mingo was a unique character. I am watching the DVD's now of the first and second seasons and it's like going home again. The color episodes feature some really nice footage of authentic mountains and streams as you find them in Kentucky. This is a good series to share with young kids. They are not likely to see anything like it on TV again. I'm glad to see that many people agree and have managed to get Daniel Boone out on DVD. Let's hope the remaining seasons are to follow.

This is the ultimate good guys win, No matter What! Fess Parker was a great man and portrayed a hero from the Revolution, our independence from Great British, lessons were learned every week, no short cuts, Daniel was The spokesman for the young town of Boonesboro, sure he taught a lot, but something tells me, it was a necessity. Children respected their parents, and worked something we could use today. Many actors went on to be big stars, my only regret Mr. Fess Parker passed away before I had a chance to meet him, what a true hero, but also a good man, who you could learn from, I watch the series over and over, it never gets old. I recommend watching it with your wife and kids, follow the storyline and learn the valuable lessons, They are needed today.

Thank you, Fess Parker for making me a better person.

The spo.

"Daniel Boone" is a show that has flown out of almost every pigeonhole into which the TV critics have tried to stuff it.

It's not really a Western (most action takes place East of the Mississippi), but it has all the elements of a classic Western.

Action/Adventure? Sure, lots of it, but with plenty of food for thought provided by the family and social issues that are woven into most plots.

Drama? Yep, but with elements of humor that bring some episodes into the range of Comedy.

History? ahem Well, let's just say that this Dan'l must have lived in an alternate world (see, Science Fiction, too!) where time travel allows for episodes where President George Washington appears one week, while the next week the American War for Independence is still being fought.

Regardless of how one might label this series, "Daniel Boone" is a show that has something for everyone!