Daniel Boone

An interesting show that as another reviewer wrote was indeed part history and part western. Historical accuracy? No but who cares it was close enough. On top of all else had it not been for this show then one of the most memorable funny events in television history would not have been possible. The famous Ed Ames (who played Mingo) Tomahawk demonstration toss on the Tonight Show in 1965.

This is a generally well acted version of the famous frontier explorer . Fess Parker (he starred another historical character in similar style as ¨Davy Crockett¨ ; in fact, he portrayed Boone wearing a Coon Skin Cap , a carryover from his portrayal as Crockett) is well cast in the title role , he's an idealized Daniel Boone who takes on outlaws , mean settlers and tangles skirmishes with Indians . As frontier hero Daniel Boone conducts surveys and expeditions around Boonesborough , running into both friendly and hostile Indians , just before and during the Revolutionary War . There appears Daniel Boone along with family , his wife (Patricia Blair) , children : Israel (Darby Hinton) and Yemima (Veronica Cartwright : future passenger in Alien) ; furthermore , his friends : the Indian Mingo (Ed Ames) , Yadkin (Albert Salmi) , among others .

This is an enjoyable series produced by 20th Century Fox and famed producer Aaron Rosemberg , including gorgeous outdoors and stunning musical score by Lionel Newman . Entertaining action adventure detailing chapters in the stirring life of legendary pioneer , notorious for his leading some settlers from North Carolina into Kentucky . Throughly agreeable and full of kind of boyhood images , this family series was finely performed by all involved . There is also a compilation of various episodes that appeared originally on TV and were released theatrically . Other cinematic renditions about this historical character Daniel Boone are the following ones : ¨Daniel Boone (1936)¨ with George O'Brien and ¨Trail Blazer¨ with Bruce Bennett .

The episodes are freely adapted on fictitious deeds , but some of them based on true events , these are the actual facts : Daniel Boone (1734-1820) , who wore a beaver hat with flat brim , was a long hunter , Indian fighter and trail-blazing pioneer . Daniel was born in Pennsylvania . Moving to North Carolina he settled in the Yadkin Valley , supporting his family by hunting , often making long trips for profitable animal skins. Boone was impressed by the Indians hunting grounds of Kentucky and determined to make his home in this unsettled, fertile land rich with game . In 1773 he left Yadkin with his own and several families and headed west. The journey was thwarted by hostile Indians who killed six of the party including Boone's elder son . Boone, however, vowed to complete the emigration and with a band of hardy woodsmen , he set forth and blazed a trail, through the Cumberland Gap of the Appalachian Mountains to the Kentucky River, where they built a fort named Boonesborough . The Wilderness Road became the main pioneer over which poured the first waves of migration to the West. In 1778 Boone was captured by Shawnee Indians but he escaped to warn Boonesborough of an impeding Shawnee attack . Later he moved on to Missouri, then part of the Spanish territory of Louisiana, but the purchase of 1803 by US deprived him of this land . He died aged eighty-six in his son's farmhouse in Missouri.

The "Daniel Boone" series is uneven in its qualities, but overall its a good program. Fess Parker presents a stoic, humble and admirable Daniel Boone, who fights for fair play. Blood and gore is kept to a minimum, but there is still plenty of adventure and suspense. The acting by lesser characters is sometimes poor, especially in some of the middle and later episodes, but Parker, Ed Ames, Patricia Blair and Dallas McKennon keep things good. And the show is meant to be fun. While it often presents a moral, it doesn't have the dreary, preachy quality that so many shows from the '70s onwards have.

There are historical inaccuracies, such as Eastern Woodland Indians living in teepees rather than wigwams, Whites not always wearing the costumes of the time, a mixed-up chronology, and Daniel having the ability to quickly dash off from Kentucky to the eastern colonies almost at will. And some episodes with historical figures such as Lafayette, Aaron Burr, Beaumarchais and Patrick Henry are fictionalized. On the other hand, the show preserves some of the spirit of the frontier and the period, which is not often seen these days. Also, the real Daniel Boone was a humane, honorable man who was highly respected by many Indians and Whites of his day, as he is portrayed in the series.

Its very striking how different "Daniel Boone" is compared with current-day movies and TV shows. In "Daniel Boone," Daniel and his half-breed friend Mingo are definitely heroes. Mingo, who was taken to England as a boy and educated at Oxford, has a deep love for classical European literature, music and philosophy. The goodness of the American Revolutionary cause is assumed. While some of the enemy British soldiers and Indians are treacherous, several of them are also shown as being decent and honorable. Daniel and many of his friends believe in and fight for freedom, private property, law and civilization. Some of the white frontiersmen are bad, but some are good, and many are just trying to find a better life in Kentucky for their families.

If "Daniel Boone" was produced by the politically-correct and supposedly "open-minded, enlightened" Hollywood people of today, Daniel would be a psychologically-conflicted man, continually fighting his rapacious urges that stem from his white culture. Mingo would decide to go completely native and would be continually ashamed of his British education. Daniel's Indian enemies would be shown as wholly noble and innocent, and they would never commit any atrocities unless in retaliation for worse ones done by the Whites. The American Revolutionaries would get their only legitimate ideas from the Indians. And the worst villains of all would be the English, since in today's Hollywood the pre-Socialist English are considered the world's worst villains ever. Anyone who has closely studied history knows that these politically-correct stereotypes are far from the truth, but its shocking how prevalent they are today.

Therefore, with its flaws, "Daniel Boone" still presents entertaining stories, admirable characters, and some of the fighting spirit and concern for fair play of the past, and that's enough for it to earn good marks with me.

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" 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!!!