The Alamo (2004 film) to withdraw from Texas and to accept Texan independence, despite the Texans wanting to hang him as revenge for the Alamo. The last scene in the movie shows the spirit of Crockett playing his fiddle on the top of the Alamo and then looking out on the horizon. The film was originally conceived by Imagine Entertainment, with Ron Howard in the director's chair and partner Brian Grazer as producer. Russell Crowe was originally cast as Sam Houston, Ethan Hawke as William Barret Travis and Billy Bob Thornton as David Crockett. But there were financial and creative disagreements between Imagine and
Frankie Avalon songs, "The Faithful Kind" and "Gee Whiz Whillikins Golly Gee"; both were released as singles. Ladd announced he would reteam Avalon and his daughter in "Six Steps to Freedom" but the film was never made. Rushes for "Timberland" were seen by John Wayne, who was looking for a young actor to play the (fictitious) role of "Smitty" in his passion project, "The Alamo" (1960). Avalon was cast in his second dramatic part. After making the film Wayne told the press "We're not cutting one bit of any scene in which Frankie appears. I believe he is the finest young talent