Davy Crockett and the River Pirates

1956
Davy Crockett and the River Pirates
Davy Crockett and the River Pirates is a 1956 live-action Walt Disney adventure film starring Fess Parker as Davy Crockett. It was shot in Cave-In-Rock, Illinois. This film acts as a prequel to 1955's Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier and is an edited compilation of the fourth and fifth stories featuring the Disney television series Davy Crockett:

Davy Crockett's Keelboat Race (first broadcast November 16, 1955)
Davy Crockett and the River Pirates (first broadcast December 14, 1955)
Keelboat Race

Davy Crockett and George "Georgie" Russel are loaded with pelts as they make their way to the Mississippi River after a successful season of trapping and hunting in Kentucky. There they encounter Mike Fink, a blowhard keelboat captain who refuses to take them downriver, unless they pay a ridiculously high fee. That evening, Fink gets Georgie drunk and convinces him to keelboat race down the Mississippi with the season's pelts as wager.

Crockett uses his notoriety to put together a crew and the race begins. Overcoming numerous obstacles along with Fink's dirty tricks, Crockett wins the race but amiably waives his claim on Fink's share of the wager. In gratitude, Fink challenges Crockett and Russel in a keelboat race to New Orleans, Louisiana.
River Pirates

Along the way, the men pick up a traveling minstrel named Colonel Plug who unknown to them is in league with local river bandits. On their way to get horses from friendly Chickasaw tribesmen, Crockett and Russel are kidnapped by a group of Chickasaws because white men have been murdering members of their tribe. Both Crockett and Fink discover that the river pirates led by Samuel Mason and the Harpe brothers are masquerading as Native Americans as they loot passing boats from a riverside Cave-In-Rock.

Crockett and Russel find their way into the lair, and in the ensuing battle several kegs of , exploded, sealing the cave. The victorious heroes escape unscathed with the subdued villains in tow.
Cast

Fess Parker as Davy Crockett
Buddy Ebsen as George "Georgie" Russel
Jeff York as Mike Fink
Kenneth Tobey as Jocko
Clem Bevans as Captain Cobb
Irvin Ashkenazy as Moose
Mort Mills as Samuel Mason
Paul Newlan as Big Harpe
Frank Richards as Little Harpe
Hank Worden as Fiddler
Dick Crockett as Ben
Troy Melton as Hank
Douglass Dumbrille as Saloon owner (uncredited)
Walter Catlett as Colonel Plug
William Bakewell as Keelboat Race Master of Ceremonies (uncredited cameo)
William Fawcett as Old Timer with Livestock (uncredited)
George J. Lewis as Chief Black Eagle (uncredited)
Mike Mazurki as Unnamed character (uncredited)

Directed by Norman Foster
Produced by Walt Disney
Written by Tom Blackburn and Norman Foster
Starring Fess Parker
Buddy Ebsen
Jeff York
Music by Thomas W. Blackburn (lyrics)
George Bruns
Edward H. Plumb (orchestration)
Editing by Stanley Johnson
Studio Walt Disney Productions
Distributed by Buena Vista Distribution
Release date(s) July 18, 1956
Running time 81 minutes
Country United States
Language English