Mouseketeer, Beach Blanket Gal, Racers' Girlfriend in Thunder Alley & Fireball 500; R.I.P. Annette

In 1955, my outdoor play was interupted for three afternoon television shows - The Mickey Mouse Club , Howdy Doody and Adventures of Superman .

Word came today that Annette Funicello, the best remembered Mouseketeer, has passed. R.I.P., Annette.

While she is best remembered as an original Mouseketeer and star of numerous beach blanket genre films in the late 50s/early 60s, Annette also appeared in several fringe "racing" movies that gave stock car starved fans some action, however unrealistic, on the silver screen in Fireball 500 and Thunder Alley .

Mic key Mouse Club' original Annette Funicello dies
By Alan Duke, CNN
updated 4:11 PM EDT, Mon April 8, 2013

Los Angeles (CNN) -- Annette Funicello, one of the best-known members of the original 1950s "Mickey Mouse Club" and a star of numerous 1960s "beach party" films, died Monday at a California hospital, the Walt Disney Co. said.

Funicello, who was 70, "died peacefully from complications due to multiple sclerosis, a disease she battled for over 25 years," the Disney statement said.

"We are so sorry to lose Mother," her three children said in a statement. "She is no longer suffering anymore and is now dancing in heaven. We love and will miss her terribly."

Funicello was just 13 when she was selected by Walt Disney himself to be one of the original Mouseketeers of the "Mickey Mouse Club," the 1950s television variety show aimed at children.

Funicello, who had a background in dance, quickly became one of the most popular Mouseketeers.

She "was and always will be a cherished member of the Disney family, synonymous with the word Mouseketeer, and a true Disney Legend," Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger said.

She remained with Disney after leaving the "Mickey Mouse Club," appearing in TV shows including "Zorro" (1957), "The Nine Lives of Elfego Baca" (1958) and starring in the Disney feature films "The Shaggy Dog" (1959), "Babes in Toyland" (1961), "The Misadventures of Merlin Jones" (1964) and "The Monkey's Uncle" (1965).

The most enduring images of Funicello, though, may be of her in aswimsuit, her primary wardrobe when she co-starred with teen idol Frankie Avalon in beach party movies in the early 1960s. These included "Beach Party" (1963), "Muscle Beach Party" (1964), "Bikini Beach" (1964), "Beach Blanket Bingo" (1965), and "How to Stuff a Wild Bikini" (1965).

Although she started out in a more modest version, each movie revealed a bit more, leading eventually to Funicello in a bikini.

The movies helped sell her music. Funicello had Top-40 hits including "Tall Paul," "First Name Initial," "How Will I Know My Love," and "Pineapple Princess." Along with the singles, she recorded several successful albums, including "Hawaiiannette" (1960), "Italiannette" (1960) and "Dance Annette" (1961).

Funicello reunited with Avalon in 1987 to star in "Back to the Beach," in which the two former teen idols played as parents of a pair of troublesome teenagers. Avalon and Funicello followed the movie with a nostalgic concert tour in 1989 and 1990, singing their hits from the 1960s.

"She will forever hold a place in our hearts as one of Walt Disney's brightest stars, delighting an entire generation of baby boomers with her jubilant personality and endless talent," Iger said in a statement released Monday. "Annette was well-known for being as beautiful inside as she was on the outside, and she faced her physical challenges with dignity, bravery and grace. All of us at Disney join with family, friends, and fans around the world in celebrating her extraordinary life."

Funicello moved with her family from her birthplace of Utica, New York, to Los Angeles when she was 4.

Walt Disney saw her dancing the lead in "Swan Lake" at the Starlight Bowl in Burbank when she was 13. Disney asked her to audition for a new children's TV series he was developing called "The Mickey Mouse Club." She was hired on the spot to become a Mouseketeer, Disney's statement said.

She became the viewers' favorite soon after the show debuted in October 1955. Although only three original seasons were produced, the show continued to be see in reruns for another four decades.

Doctors diagnosed Funicello with multiple sclerosis, a degenerative neurological disease, in 1987. She kept the illness a secret until 1992, the year she established The Annette Funicello Research Fund for Neurological Diseases. The charity, which is still active, supports research into the cause, treatment and cure of multiple sclerosis and other neurological diseases.

Funicello made few public appearances by the late 1990s as she became more debilitated by the disease. She lived under the care of her second husband Glen Holt, a rancher she married in 1986.

She had three children -- Gina, Jack Jr. and Jason -- from her first marriage to Jack Gilardi, which ended in 1981.

"It is so sad to lose a wonderful lady like Annette Funicello," said comedian Don Rickles. "I had so much fun working with her in those beach party pictures. She was a great trooper. My wife Barbara and I send our thoughts and prayers to her family."

"Annette's sweet, unassuming spirit, her love of people, and her capacity to exude kindness and good feelings to everyone she met was part of her beautiful charisma, said Richard Sherman, the Oscar-winning composer who wrote many of her hits. "Because the songs we wrote for her brought us to the attention of Walt, Bob and I always referred to Annette as our 'lucky star.'"

Paul Reubens, who worked with Funicello and Avalon in a memorable appearance on Pee-wee Herman's Christmas special in 1988, tweeted about her death: "I loved Annette Funicello from the 1st time I saw her on The Mickey Mouse Club. There wasn't a warmer, lovelier person on the planet. RIP"

Double entendre? Nah, never.

"...that gave stock car starved fans some action, however unrealistic, on the silver screen..."

Oh for a moment I thought you were referring to Days of Thunder.

I was big fan of Annette in 50s and 60s RIP

In addition to Annette as a Mouseketeer, my fondest memories of her are playing in beach movies with Frankie Avalon. However her music was great as well as movies Fireball 500 and Thunder Alley. In fact, I have copies of those 2 movies. RIP Annette. We will never forget you! Thanks for posting, Dave.

Somewhere in the atic, I have a 45 rpm "Pineaaple Princess" record.

Dave, seems our afternoon play times were interrupted by the same three television shows. I was a huge fan of Annette and a first in line Mouseketeer. In fact, I am still a Disney nut like you wouldn't believe and the stories I could tell you about Disney Magic on every trip I've ever made there would make you think there is real magic. Greatest part of all that is that on all three trips with my grandsons, special, very special things happened for us. We were even the Grand Marshalls of the Magic Kingdom Parade once. So many stories.

In my growing up days, I had real "crushes" on three girls: Judy Garland, Elizabeth Taylor, and Annette. I never got to tell Judy. I did tell Elizabeth Taylor in Victory Lane at Charlotte in '75 or '76, and got a kiss on the cheek from her and mean looks from John Warner. About 8 years ago, I found a site that said I could e-mail Annette, so I did. The next day I received a most incredible e-mail from her (although I have doubts it was really her writing it) but regardless of who may have written it, I was touched by that.

I have the movie "Fireball 500" and I'm sure I will watch that before the week is out. Also have a couple of the "Beach" movies and will probably watch them too. And, you know what? Through some miracle that happened at Disney World several years ago, I have a whole season of The Mickey Mouse Club on DVD. Those were truly great times.

"Now it's time to say goodbye and leave our family, M I C..see you real soon..K E Y, Why, because we like you!

M O U S E.

I told my wife last night she was underprivileged because she didn't even know who Spin & Marty were and had never even heard of the Triple R Ranch. Imagine going through life and being unable to sing things like "Marty came to the Triple R, Yippee Yay, Yippee Yo... He came in his grandma's big, black car, Yippee Yay, Yippe Yo."

I lived to see some of those Disney serials in the afternoon on MMC, especially Hardy Boys.

I still have a bookshelf full of Hardy Boys books, but can't get the grandsons to even take a peek at them.

Dave she was like the girl down the street, she was no raving beauty but she had that gorgeous smile that lit her face up and never saw her not looking,as they say,not a hair out of place. She wasnt a great singer but she could liven up a beach party. All in all she was a looker from our Glory Days

Even when the disease silenced her she still had the prettiest smile .. I will miss our First lil Mouseketeer .

Dave, the DVD set I got of the Mickey Mouse Club actually has one of the Spin and Marty episodes on it. Ann and I watched that entire episode a year or so ago and both enjoyed it tremendously. Such a wonderful, pure, and happy time. As for the Hardy Boys, those serials were good but, like you, I read all the books. Loved them. The first one I read I remember having to ask what a "chum" was and was told it was another word for "friend". I thought that was sort of funny but, if you recall, the Hardy Boys had NO friends, but PLENTY of chums. I do believe the Mickey Mouse Club had a huge impact on my young life.

Johnny, you are so right about her not being a raving beauty. Remember the two serials she was in for the Mickey Mouse Club? They put some really beautiful young ladies in there with Annette, but it was always Annette who had my eye. Remember on the hay ride scene when she sang "How will I know my love, How will I know my darling"? God, after all these years, I can see that scene in my mind and hear her singing that song.

I guess racing and happy went hand in hand for me growing up. I loved racing and I loved the happy things like the Mickey Mouse Club. I'm very happy that I have my "Official Mickey Mouse Ears" presented to us when we were the Grand Marshalls of the Magic Kingdom parade in 2009. I have those ears in the bedroom and see them every day and think about the purity of life as a Mousketeer!

For the old times:

and...

Dave, watching Spin and Marty and hearing the song brought tears to my eyes. But you know what? They were happy tears. The tears of someone remembering the wonderful days of the 50s. The days when there was a "club" where we all felt like we belonged each afternoon. The days when going to the race tracks were always happy days for us. Not that I'm "living in the past" but I am sure enjoying the memories. What a great life!!!!!

Me, too, Tim. I was fortunate to have wonderful, loving parents and a neighborhood full of boys my age.

In my neighborhood were great vacant lots, wonderful woods and neat places to ride our bikes.

We built numerous forts and clubs. My friend Larry from down the block was always "Boss" and I was always "Assistant Boss." We had numerous "worker" friends to whom we were obligated to give numerous orders!

The best thing, though, was we felt free to go in everyone else's homes, eat, spend the night, etc. without frear of the tragic events we read about today. We walked and rode bikes to places at 7 or 8 years of age that would scare the pants off me today if it were my grandsons.

Today's kids can't imagine what it was like on a July day to find an air conditioned store, or smell the popcorn, peanuts and chocolates at the neighborhood variety 5&10cent stores.

We;'d chase the milk delivery trucks and kindly drivers might give us a bit of shaved ice in a cup and pour some orangeade over it.

There is no doubt those in our age group grew up in a more innocent time.

I could go on and on, as could you. I saw a show this morning and watched a woman reach in her clothespin bag. How many kids today have seen a clothesline, much less a clothespin bag?

We were definitely lower middle class at my house, but it was a happy place and I had terrific friends.

Amen, Dave. I second every single thing you said.