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Phil Collins - King Of The Wild Frontier

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Phil Collins: King of the Wild Frontier

BBC Radio 4 Extra - Phil Collins - King Of The Wild Frontier

Presenter Patrick Humphries explores rock star Phil Collins' impressive Alamo collection

Patrick Humphries explores the legend of Davy Crockett via rock star Phil Collins’ Battle of the Alamo collection. From 2012.

The largest private collection of Alamo memorabilia resides in an impressive Geneva home in Switzerland. Also resident is singer songwriter and Genesis drummer - Phil Collins.

Davy Crockett and The Alamo are his very private passion and Collins invites presenter Patrick Humphries into his home to talk us through his impressive collection. We discover how he began collecting, where he secures his artefacts and how he has organised excavations through the profits of a gift shop at the famous Alamo battle site.

Why does the battle of The Alamo on March 6th 1836, when 180 Texans fought an army of 6,000 Mexicans still resonate? Collins is very knowledgeable about this particular period of American history and talks impressively about the framed documents and letters, the dozens of rifles and swords, authentic uniforms and the many artefacts he has amassed over three decades. His comments, complemented by historian Bill Chemerka and film buff, Lee Pfeiffer, take us through films and TV series which have enshrined The Alamo over the years.

The programme also features a living relative of Davy Crockett, his great great great grandson also called Davy! He reveals how the family see his famous ancestor's legend and the events at The Alamo. 

Producer: John Sugar

A Sugar production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in January 2012.

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