From the New York Times:

March 18, 2010, 4:08 pm
Fess Parker, 'Davy Crockett' and 'Daniel Boone' Star, Has Died
By RICHARD SEVERO

Fess Parker, whose television portrayal of Davy Crockett, the American frontiersman, catapulted him to stardom in 1954-55 and inspired one of America's greatest merchandising fads, in which hundreds of thousands of children wore coonskin caps, died on Thursday. Mr. Parker, who went rustic once again in the 1960s and played Daniel Boone for a new generation of young television watchers, was 85.

His death was reported by CNN, citing a statement from Mr. Parker's family that did not give a cause of death.

Mr. Parker was a handsome, rugged but obscure Hollywood actor when he was discovered by Walt Disney, whose company was about to produce a Davy Crockett series for "Disneyland," his new American Broadcasting Company television show.

"The Ballad of Davy Crockett" was introduced on the very first episode of "Disneyland" on Oct. 27, 1954, and was dashed together in about twenty minutes by Tom Blackburn, the script writer for the series, who had never written a song before, and George Bruns, the head staff composer for the Disney organization. Walt Disney himself suggested that the words of the song be used to move the plot along. "The lyrics will pick it up for the kids," he said. "It's what I call a comic-book approach."