While many viewers will remember Fess Parker in the role of Daniel Boone from the long-running 1960s television series, there was a mini series of sorts on "Disneyland," one of the many incarnations of Walt Disney's weekly family-oriented programs before Parker's series started.
Daniel Boone was played by Dewey Martin in the several-part series and his main nemesis was Crowfeather, a Shawnee brave played by Dean Fredericks who, under several different names, often played native roles in the 1950s and 1960s.
Even before Boone leads his family and other settlers into Kentucky, he must confront the Indians' unwillingness to have their lands invaded, as they see it.
Chief Blackfish (Anthony Caruso) of the Shawnees arranges a contest of strength between Boone and Crowfeather. Crowfeather dislikes Boone from the start and cheats during the contest. After they shoot at a target with muskets, Blackfish hurls a tomahawk at a tree across a stream. The two men, now stripped to the waist and as eager to subvert the other as to win the contest, run for the tree. They must run through the stream and Crowfeather trips up Daniel Boone. When Crowfeather gets the tomahawk first, Boone gives as good as he got and the contest soon degenerates into a real fight.
The two men, their bodies glistening from the water, fight chest to chest and eventually Boone gets the war hatchet and maneuvers Crowfeather into the water. He appears to strike him with the hatchet but it apparently is not with the metal side. Crowfeather is defeated, humiliated, and left wallowing in the water.
Throughout the rest of the hour, Crowfeather, with an ever-dwindling number of braves, attempts to prevent Boone from bringing his group into Kentucky. The Shawnees are shot out of trees, roll down hills, and are bested in one fight after another, even one involving an inexplicably shirtless young boy.
Finally, Crowfeather's band, reduced to two braves, corners Boone and his immediate family in a cave. The ending is a rousing fight on a rocky ledge over, once again, a war hatchet, a tomahawk. Just as Crowfeather is about to kill Boone, Fredericks' character smirking in triumph and revenge, Blackfish and the rest of the tribe show up and Crowfeather is shot and falls to his death. The renegade brave has been killed by his own people for violating tribal laws.
The way is now clear for Boone to enter Kentucky.
Daniel Boone was played by Dewey Martin in the several-part series and his main nemesis was Crowfeather, a Shawnee brave played by Dean Fredericks who, under several different names, often played native roles in the 1950s and 1960s.
Even before Boone leads his family and other settlers into Kentucky, he must confront the Indians' unwillingness to have their lands invaded, as they see it.
Chief Blackfish (Anthony Caruso) of the Shawnees arranges a contest of strength between Boone and Crowfeather. Crowfeather dislikes Boone from the start and cheats during the contest. After they shoot at a target with muskets, Blackfish hurls a tomahawk at a tree across a stream. The two men, now stripped to the waist and as eager to subvert the other as to win the contest, run for the tree. They must run through the stream and Crowfeather trips up Daniel Boone. When Crowfeather gets the tomahawk first, Boone gives as good as he got and the contest soon degenerates into a real fight.
The two men, their bodies glistening from the water, fight chest to chest and eventually Boone gets the war hatchet and maneuvers Crowfeather into the water. He appears to strike him with the hatchet but it apparently is not with the metal side. Crowfeather is defeated, humiliated, and left wallowing in the water.
Throughout the rest of the hour, Crowfeather, with an ever-dwindling number of braves, attempts to prevent Boone from bringing his group into Kentucky. The Shawnees are shot out of trees, roll down hills, and are bested in one fight after another, even one involving an inexplicably shirtless young boy.
Finally, Crowfeather's band, reduced to two braves, corners Boone and his immediate family in a cave. The ending is a rousing fight on a rocky ledge over, once again, a war hatchet, a tomahawk. Just as Crowfeather is about to kill Boone, Fredericks' character smirking in triumph and revenge, Blackfish and the rest of the tribe show up and Crowfeather is shot and falls to his death. The renegade brave has been killed by his own people for violating tribal laws.
The way is now clear for Boone to enter Kentucky.