Annette Joanne Funicello (October 22, 1942 – April 8, 2013) was an American actress and singer. Funicello began her professional career as a child performer at the age of twelve. She was one of the most popular Mouseketeers on the original ''

Mickey Mouse Club ''The Mickey Mouse Club'' is an American variety television show that aired intermittently from 1955 to 1996 and returned to social media in 2017. Created by Walt Disney and produced by Walt Disney Productions, the program was first televised fo ...

''. In her teenage years, she recorded under the name Annette, and had a successful career as a pop singer. Her most notable singles are "O Dio Mio", "First Name Initial", "

Tall Paul "Tall Paul" is a song recorded by Annette Funicello and written by the Sherman Brothers, along with Bob Roberts. Background It marked the first time that a female singer reached a top ten slot with a rock and roll single. It also spotlighted An ...

", and "

Pineapple Princess "Pineapple Princess" is an American pop song made popular by Annette Funicello in the summer of 1960. "Pineapple Princess" was written by the Sherman Brothers. It appeared on the LP album, ''Hawaiiannette''. Chart performance As a single, it reach ...

". During the mid-1960s, she established herself as a film actress, popularizing the successful "

Beach Party ''Beach Party'' is a 1963 American film and the first of seven beach party films from American International Pictures (AIP) aimed at a teen audience.Smith, Gary A. Smith (2009) ''The American International Pictures Video Guide'', McFarland p.2 ...

" genre alongside co-star

Frankie Avalon Francis Thomas Avallone (born September 18, 1940), better known as Frankie Avalon, is an American actor, singer, and former teen idol. He had 31 charting U.S. ''Billboard'' singles from 1958 to late 1962, including number one hits, "Venus" an ...

. In 1992, Funicello announced that she had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1987. She died of complications from the

disease A disease is a particular abnormal condition that negatively affects the structure or function of all or part of an organism, and that is not immediately due to any external injury. Diseases are often known to be medical conditions that a ...

on April 8, 2013.

Early life

Annette Joanne Funicello was born in

Utica, New York Utica () is a city in the Mohawk Valley and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The tenth-most-populous city in New York State, its population was 65,283 in the 2020 U.S. Census. Located on the Mohawk River at the ...

, to Italian Americans Virginia Jeanne (née Albano) and Joseph Edward Funicello. Her family moved to

Southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. It includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the second most populous urban a ...

when she was four years old.

Career

''The Mickey Mouse Club''

Funicello took dancing and music lessons when she was a child in order to overcome her shyness. In 1955, the 12-year-old was discovered by

Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film p ...

when she performed as the Swan Queen in '' Swan Lake'' at a dance recital at the Starlight Bowl in Burbank, California. Disney cast her as one of the original Mouseketeers. She was the last to be selected, and one of the few cast members to be personally selected by Walt Disney himself. In 1955, she signed a seven-year contract with Disney at $160 a week to rise to $500 a week if all options were exercised. Funicello proved to be very popular, and by the end of the first season of ''The Mickey Mouse Club'', she was receiving 6,000 letters a month, according to her Disney Legends biography – more than any other Mouseketeer. She had a crush on fellow Mouseketeer

Lonnie Burr Lonnie Burr (born May 31, 1943) is an American entertainer and writer best known as one of nine of the original thirty-nine Mouseketeers who remained under a seven-year contract for the complete filming (1955–1959) of Walt Disney’s children ...

. In 1958, at the finale of the show, she had to say goodbye to each of the members of its cast, and, in her own words, "I never cried so hard in my life". In addition to appearing in many Mouseketeer sketches and dance routines, Funicello starred in several serials on ''The Mickey Mouse Club''. These included ''

Adventure in Dairyland ''Adventure in Dairyland'' is a television serial that aired in 1956 on ABC as part of the second season of ''The Mickey Mouse Club''. The serial starred Mouseketeer Annette Funicello and Sammy Ogg of Spin and Marty and featured Kevin Corcoran ...

'', the second and third ''

Spin and Marty ''Spin and Marty'' is a series of television shorts that aired as part of ''The Mickey Mouse Club'' show of the mid-1950s, produced by Walt Disney and broadcast on the ABC network in the United States. There were three serials in all, set at the ...

'' serials – ''The Further Adventures of Spin and Marty'' (1956) and ''The New Adventures of Spin and Marty'' (1957) – and '' Walt Disney Presents: Annette'' (1958) (which co-starred Richard Deacon).

Singing career

In several scenes in the ''Annette'' serial, she performed the song that launched her singing career. The studio received so much mail about "How Will I Know My Love" (lyrics by

Tom Adair Thomas Montgomery Adair (June 15, 1913 – May 24, 1988) was an American songwriter, composer, and screenwriter. Biography Adair was born on 15 June 1913, in Newton, Kansas, where his father owned a clothing store: he was the only child of Willi ...

, music by Frances Jeffords and William Walsh), that Walt Disney issued it as a single, and gave Funicello (somewhat unwillingly) a recording contract. A proposed live-action feature ''

Rainbow Road to Oz ''Rainbow Road to Oz'' was a proposed, but never finished, Walt Disney Studios 1950s live-action film about characters in the Land of Oz. Inspired by L. Frank Baum's early 20th century ''Oz'' novels, it was to have starred some of the Mouseket ...

'' was to have starred some of the Mouseketeers, including

Darlene Gillespie Darlene Faye Gillespie (born April 8, 1941) is a Canadian-American former child actress, most remembered as a singer and dancer on the original ''The Mickey Mouse Club'' television series from 1955 to 1959. Her Irish father and French Canadian mo ...

as Dorothy and Funicello as Ozma. Preview segments from the film aired on September 11, 1957, on ''

Disneyland Disneyland is a theme park in Anaheim, California. Opened in 1955, it was the first theme park opened by The Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney. Disney initially envision ...

''s fourth anniversary show. By then, MGM's '' The Wizard of Oz'' had been shown on CBS Television for the first time. Theories on why the film was abandoned include Disney's failure to develop a satisfactory script, and the positive reception of the MGM film's television screening. Disney ultimately replaced this film project with a new adaptation of '' Babes in Toyland'' (1961), which starred Funicello as Mary Contrary.

Post-Mickey Mouse Club

After the ''Mickey Mouse Club'', Funicello remained under contract with Disney for a time. She had a role on the Disney television series ''

Zorro Zorro ( Spanish for 'fox') is a fictional character created in 1919 by American pulp writer Johnston McCulley, appearing in works set in the Pueblo of Los Angeles in Alta California. He is typically portrayed as a dashing masked vigilante w ...

'', playing Anita Cabrillo in a three-episode storyline about a teen-aged girl arriving in Los Angeles to visit a father who does not seem to exist. This role was reportedly a 16th birthday present from Walt Disney, and it was the first of two different characters she played opposite Guy Williams as Zorro. She had a multiple-episode guest arc on ''

Make Room for Daddy ''The Danny Thomas Show'' (titled ''Make Room for Daddy'' for its first three seasons) is an American sitcom that ran from 1953 to 1957 on ABC and from 1957 to 1964 on CBS. Starring Danny Thomas as a successful night club entertainer, the show ...

'' as an Italian exchange student. Funicello made her feature film debut in the Disney-produced comedy '' The Shaggy Dog'' (1959) with Fred MacMurray and

Tommy Kirk Thomas Lee Kirk (December 10, 1941 – September 28, 2021) was an American actor, best known for his performances in films made by Walt Disney Studios such as '' Old Yeller'', '' The Shaggy Dog'', ''Swiss Family Robinson'', '' The Absent-Minded ...

. The film was a success at the box-office. Although uncomfortable being thought of as a singer, Funicello had a number of pop record hits in the late 1950s and early 1960s, mostly written by the Sherman Brothers and including: "

", "First Name Initial", "O Dio Mio", "Train of Love" (written by

Paul Anka Paul Albert Anka (born July 30, 1941) is a Canadian-American singer, songwriter and actor. He is best known for his signature hit songs including " Diana", " Lonely Boy", " Put Your Head on My Shoulder", and "(You're) Having My Baby". Anka also ...

) and "

". They were released by Disney's

Buena Vista Buena Vista, meaning "good view" in Spanish, may refer to: Places Canada *Bonavista, Newfoundland and Labrador, with the name being originally derived from “Buena Vista” *Buena Vista, Saskatchewan *Buena Vista, Saskatoon, a neighborhood in ...

label. She also recorded "It's Really Love" in 1959, a reworking of an earlier

song called "Toot Sweet" (which was later reworked again into ''Johnny's Theme'' for ''

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' was an American late-night talk show hosted by Johnny Carson on NBC, the third iteration of the ''Tonight Show'' franchise. The show debuted on October 1, 1962, and aired its final episode on May 22, ...

''. Paul Anka was said to have a crush on her; though she was only a year younger, Walt Disney "protected" the underage actress from Anka's advances. Anka's song "

Puppy Love Puppy love, also known as a crush, is an informal term for feelings of romantic love, often felt during childhood and early adolescence. It is an infatuation usually developed by someone's looks and attractiveness at first sight. Such feelings f ...

", is said to have been inspired by his hopelessly unlikely romantic crush on Funicello. In an episode of the

Disney anthology television series The Walt Disney Company has produced an anthology television series since 1954 under several titles and formats. The program's current title, ''The Wonderful World of Disney'', was used from 1969 to 1979 and again from 1991 to the present. The pr ...

titled " Disneyland After Dark", Funicello can be seen singing live at

. Walt Disney was reportedly a fan of 1950s pop star

Teresa Brewer Teresa Brewer (born Theresa Veronica Breuer; May 7, 1931 – October 17, 2007) was an American singer whose style incorporated pop, country, jazz, R&B, musicals, and novelty songs. She was one of the most prolific and popular female singers of th ...

and tried to pattern Funicello's singing on the same style. However, Funicello credits "the Annette sound" to her record producer,

Tutti Camarata Salvador "Tutti" Camarata (May 11, 1913 – April 13, 2005) was an American composer, arranger, trumpeter, and record producer. Also known as "Toots" Camarata. Early life and career Camarata, born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, United States, and s ...

, who worked for Disney in that era. Camarata had her

double-track A double-track railway usually involves running one track in each direction, compared to a single-track railway where trains in both directions share the same track. Overview In the earliest days of railways in the United Kingdom, most li ...

her vocals, matching her first track as closely as possible on the second recording to achieve a fuller sound than her voice would otherwise produce. Early in her career, she appeared on the

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

interview program ''

Here's Hollywood ''Here's Hollywood'' is an American celebrity interview program which aired on weekday afternoons on NBC at 4:30 Eastern time from September 26, 1960, to December 28, 1962. Overview In the first season, the interviews were conducted by Dean Mill ...

''. In December 1959, Funicello attempted to have her contract with Disney set aside, claiming that it was unequitable and that she was without an agent or legal counsel when she signed it. She was receiving $325 a week (About $3,000 in 2020 dollars). The court refused.

Return to Disney

In 1961, Funicello returned to ''Zorro'' playing a different role. She starred in a big budget musical for Disney, '' Babes in Toyland'' (1961), alongside

Tommy Sands Thomas Adrian Sands (born August 27, 1937) is an American pop music singer and actor. Working in show business as a child, Sands became an overnight sensation and instant teen idol when he appeared on ''Kraft Television Theater'' in January 19 ...

and Kirk. She also appeared in two television movies filmed in Europe for Disney alongside Kirk, both of which were released theatrically in some markets: ''

The Horsemasters ''The Horsemasters'' was a 2 part episode of the ''Disneyland'' TV show from 1961 which screened theatrically in some countries. The film was one of several Disney films that were shot in England. It was Annette Funicello's first co-starring ro ...

'' (1961), shot in England, and ''

Escapade in Florence ''Escapade in Florence'' is a two-part episode of the ''Disneyland'' television show which was released theatrically in some countries. Walt Disney described it as a "two-part teenage comedy adventure" which was "international in flavor". The show ...

'' (1962), filmed in Italy.

Beach party series

Beach Party Annette Funicello Frankie Avalon Mid-1960s

Funicello moved on from Disney to become a

teen idol A teen idol is a celebrity with a large teenage fan base. Teen idols are generally young but are not necessarily teenagers. An idol's popularity may be limited to teens, or may extend to all age groups. By region Asia East Asia possess ...

, starring in a series of "

" movies with

for

American International Pictures American International Pictures (AIP) is an American motion picture production label of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. In its original operating period, AIP was an independent film production and distribution company known for producing and releasing fi ...

. These started with ''

'' (1963), which was so successful

signed Funicello to a seven-year contract and starred her in a series of beach party movies. Funicello guest-starred on episodes of ''

Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings ...

'', '' Burke's Law'' and '' The Greatest Show on Earth'', then starred in another two-part Disney telemovie with Kirk, ''

The Misadventures of Merlin Jones ''The Misadventures of Merlin Jones'' is a 1964 American science-fiction comedy film directed by Robert Stevenson and produced by Walt Disney Productions. The film stars Tommy Kirk as a college student who experiments with mind-reading and hypn ...

'' (1964). This was released to cinemas in the US and became a surprise box office hit. Also popular were the follow ups to ''Beach Party'', ''

Muscle Beach Party ''Muscle Beach Party'' is the second of seven beach party films produced by American International Pictures. It stars Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello and was directed by William Asher, who also directed four other films in this series. ...

'' (1964) and ''

Bikini Beach ''Bikini Beach'' is a 1964 American teen film directed by William Asher and starring Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello. The film belongs to the beach party genre of movies, popular in the 1960s. This is the third in the series of seven film ...

'' (1964). When she was cast in her first beach movie, Walt Disney requested that she only wear modest bathing suits and keep her

navel The navel (clinically known as the umbilicus, commonly known as the belly button or tummy button) is a protruding, flat, or hollowed area on the abdomen at the attachment site of the umbilical cord. All placental mammals have a navel, although ...

covered. However, she wore a pink two-piece in ''Beach Party'', a white two-piece fishnet suit in the second film (''Muscle Beach Party'') and a blue and white bikini in the third (''Bikini Beach''). All three swimsuits bared her navel, particularly in ''Bikini Beach'', where it is visible extensively during close up shots in a sequence early in the film when she meets Frankie Avalon's "Potato Bug" character outside his tent. Funicello made '' Pajama Party'' (1964) for AIP with Kirk, not Avalon, though it was an unofficial Beach Party movie and Avalon made a cameo. Avalon was back as Funicello's co-star in '' Beach Blanket Bingo'' (1965), then she and Kirk did a sequel to ''Merlin Jones'', ''

The Monkey's Uncle ''The Monkey's Uncle'' is a 1965 American comedy film starring Tommy Kirk as genius college student Merlin Jones and Annette Funicello (former Mouseketeer from ''The Mickey Mouse Club'') as his girlfriend, Jennifer. The title plays on the idiom ...

'' (1965). ''The Monkey's Uncle'' featured Annette singing with

The Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American rock band that formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Distinguished by the ...

and was another huge hit. Funicello made a cameo in two AIP comedies starring Avalon, ''

Ski Party ''Ski Party'' is a 1965 American musical-comedy film directed by Alan Rafkin and starring Frankie Avalon and Dwayne Hickman. It was released by American International Pictures (AIP). ''Ski Party'' is considered as a beach party film spin-off, wi ...

'' (1965) and ''

Dr Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine ''Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine'' is a 1965 American International Pictures comedy film, made in Pathécolor, directed by Norman Taurog. It stars Vincent Price, Frankie Avalon, Dwayne Hickman, Susan Hart and Jack Mullaney, and features Fr ...

'' (1965), then she did ''

How to Stuff a Wild Bikini ''How to Stuff a Wild Bikini'' is a 1965 Pathécolor beach party film from American International Pictures. The sixth entry in a seven-film series, the movie features Mickey Rooney, Annette Funicello, Dwayne Hickman, Brian Donlevy, and Beverl ...

'' (1965) with

Dwayne Hickman Dwayne Bernard Hickman (May 18, 1934 – January 9, 2022) was an American actor and television executive, producer and director, who worked as an executive at CBS and had also briefly recorded as a vocalist. Hickman portrayed Chuck MacDonald, B ...

. Box office receipts for the series were in decline, and neither Avalon nor Funicello appeared in the final installment, ''

The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini ''Ghost in the Invisible Bikini'' is the seventh and last of American International Pictures' beach party films. Released in 1966, the film features the cast cavorting in and around a haunted house and the adjacent swimming pool. No beach appea ...

'' (1966).

Stock-car racing films

AIP tried a new formula with stock car racing films, starting with ''

Fireball 500 ''Fireball 500'' is a 1966 stock car racing film, blended with the beach party film genre. A vehicle for stars Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello, and Fabian, it was one of a string of similar racing films from the 1960s. Written by William Ashe ...

'' (1966) which starred Funicello, Avalon and

Fabian Forte Fabian Forte (born Fabiano Anthony Forte, February 6, 1943), professionally known as Fabian, is an American singer and actor. Forte rose to national prominence after performing several times on '' American Bandstand''. He became a teen idol o ...

. The movie was popular enough for them to try another stock car movie, '' Thunder Alley'' (1967) with Funicello and Fabian. It would be her last lead in a feature film for two decades. Funicello guest starred on ''

Hondo Hondo may refer to: Places * Rio Hondo (disambiguation), the name of several locations, derived from the Spanish word for "deep" Canada * Hondo, Alberta, an unincorporated community United States * Hondo, New Mexico, an unincorporated co ...

'' and had a short role in '' Head'' (1968), opposite

The Monkees The Monkees were an American rock and pop band, formed in Los Angeles in 1966, whose lineup consisted of the American actor/musicians Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork alongside English actor/singer Davy Jones. The group was con ...

1970s and 1980s

During the 1970s, Funicello focused on raising her family. However she still occasionally acted, making guest appearances on shows like '' Love, American Style'', ''Easy Does It... Starring Frankie Avalon'', ''

Fantasy Island ''Fantasy Island'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by Gene Levitt. It aired on ABC from 1977 to 1984. The series starred Ricardo Montalbán as the mysterious Mr. Roarke and Hervé Villechaize as his assistant, Tattoo. ...

'' and ''

The Love Boat ''The Love Boat'' is an American romantic comedy/drama television series that aired on ABC from 1977 to 1986; in addition, four three-hour specials aired in 1986, 1987, and 1990. The series was set on the luxury passenger cruise ship MS ''Pa ...

''. In 1979, Funicello began starring in a series of television commercials for

Skippy peanut butter Skippy is an American brand of peanut butter spread manufactured in the United States and China. First sold in 1932, Skippy is currently manufactured by Hormel, Hormel Foods, which bought the brand from Unilever in 2013. It is the best selling bra ...

. Her role as Skippy spokeswoman forced Funicello to turn down a role in ''

Grease 2 ''Grease 2'' is a 1982 American musical romantic comedy film and the sequel to the 1978 film ''Grease'', adapted from the 1971 musical of the same name by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. Originally titled ''More Grease'', the film was produced ...

''. In November 1985, she starred in the 16th episode of the Disney Channel documentary series ''

Disney Family Album ''Disney Family Album'' is a half-hour documentary series on the Disney Channel that aired during the 1980s. It was narrated by Buddy Ebsen Buddy Ebsen (born Christian Ludolf Ebsen Jr., April 2, 1908 – July 6, 2003), also known as Frank "Bud ...

'' in an episode about her career. She starred in a TV movie for Disney, ''

Lots of Luck ''Lots of Luck'' is a 1985 American made-for-television comedy film produced by Walt Disney Television starring Martin Mull and Annette Funicello, directed by Peter Baldwin. The film originally aired February 3, 1985 on the Disney Channel. I ...

'' (1985), then was reunited with Avalon in ''

Back to the Beach ''Back to the Beach'' is a 1987 American comedy film starring Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello, directed by Lyndall Hobbs. The original music score is composed by Steve Dorff. The film generated a total domestic gross of $13,110,903. It re ...

'' (1987). The two performed together live.

Later career

Her autobiography, dictated to Patricia Romanowski and published in 1994, was ''A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes: My Story''. The title was taken from a

song A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetit ...

from the Disney movie ''

Cinderella "Cinderella",; french: link=no, Cendrillon; german: link=no, Aschenputtel) or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a folk tale with thousands of variants throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsi ...

''. A

television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

based on the book, ''A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes: The Annette Funicello Story'', was made in 1995. In the final scene, the actress portraying Funicello (

Eva LaRue Eva Maria LaRue (; born December 27, 1966) is an American actress and model. She is known for her roles as Maria Santos on ''All My Children'' and Det. Natalia Boa Vista on ''CSI: Miami''. Early life LaRue was born in Long Beach, California ...

), using a wheelchair, turns away from the camera — turning back, it is Funicello herself, who delivered a message to a group of children. During this period, she produced a line of teddy bears for the Annette Funicello Collectible Bear Company. The last collection in the series was made in 2004. She also had her own fragrance called "Cello, by Annette". "Now that I've gone public with my illness, they can't do enough", she said in 1994. "They even send me home remedies to try. Everyone says, 'God bless you and I'm praying for you.' " She made her final public appearance on September 13, 1998, at California's Multiple Sclerosis Society, along with Frankie Avalon.

Personal life

Funicello's best friend was actress and singer

Shelley Fabares Michele Ann Marie "Shelley" Fabares (; born January 19, 1944) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her television roles as Mary Stone on the sitcom ''The Donna Reed Show'' (1958–1963) and as Christine Armstrong on the sitcom ...

, whom she had met in a catechism class when they were teens. Fabares was a bridesmaid at Funicello's first wedding. Funicello was also very close to fellow Mouseketeers

(her first boyfriend),

Sharon Baird Sharon Baird is an American actress, voice actress, singer, dancer and puppeteer who is best known for having been a Mouseketeer. Early life Baird was born August 16, 1943 Seattle, Washington to Eldon Baird, an aerospace worker, and Nikki Mar ...

Doreen Tracey Doreen Isabelle Tracey (April 13, 1943 – January 10, 2018) was a British-born American performer who appeared on the original ''Mickey Mouse Club'' television show from 1955–59. Early life Tracey was born in St Pancras, London, England. Her ...

Cheryl Holdridge Cheryl Lynn Holdridge (''née'' Phelps; June 20, 1944 – January 6, 2009) was an American actress, best known as an original cast member of ''The Mickey Mouse Club''. Early life Holdridge was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her mother, Julie ...

, Disney co-star

and beach-movie co-star

. She dated Canadian singer/songwriter

and he wrote his hit song "

" about her.

Marriages and children

Funicello was married to Jack L. Gilardi (1930–2019) from 1965 until 1981. They had three children: Gina Portman (born 1965), Jack Jr. (born 1970) and Jason (born 1974). In 1986, she married California harness racing horse breeder/trainer Glen D. Holt (1930–2018). The couple was frequently seen attending harness horse races at the

Los Alamitos Race Course Los Alamitos Race Course is a horse racing track in Cypress, California. The track hosts both thoroughbred and quarter horse racing. The track has the distinction of holding four quarter horse stakes races with purses over $1 million, more than ...

and

Fairplex Fairplex has been the home of the L.A. County Fair since 1922. Known prior to 1984 as the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds, it is located in the city of Pomona, California. The L.A. County Fair is held during the month of May since 2022, but the fa ...

in Pomona in the 1980s and 1990s. In March 2011, her longtime

Encino, California Encino (Spanish for "oak") is a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California. History In 1769, the Spanish Portolá expedition, first Europeans to see inland areas of California, traveled north through Sepulveda ...

, home caught fire. She suffered smoke inhalation, but was otherwise unharmed. After the fire, Funicello and Holt lived in a modest ranch that they had purchased decades earlier, located just south of

Shafter, California Shafter is a city in Kern County, California, United States. It is located west-northwest of Bakersfield. The population was 16,988 at the 2010 census, up from 12,736 at the 2000 census. The city is located along State Route 43. Suburbs of Sh ...

(north of Bakersfield), where she lived her remaining years.

Illness, death and legacy

In early 1987, at around 45 years old, Funicello reunited with Frankie Avalon for a series of promotional concerts to promote their film ''

''. She began to experience dizziness, headaches, and balance issues and was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. For the next five years, she hid her condition from her family and friends. In 1992, she publicly disclosed her diagnosis to combat rumors that her impaired ability to walk was the result of

alcoholism Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol that results in significant mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognized diagnostic entity. Predomi ...

. In 1993, she opened the Annette Funicello Fund for Neurological Disorders at the

California Community Foundation The California Community Foundation (CCF) is a philanthropic organization located in Los Angeles, California. Foundation Center, an independent nonprofit organization, ranks it among the top 100 foundations in the nation by asset size and total ...

. In 1995, Funicello appeared on the Disney TV documentary on the 40th anniversary of ''The Mickey Mouse Club''. On October 6, 2012, the Canadian program '' W5'' profiled Funicello following her 15 years away from the public eye, revealing that her disease had severely damaged her nervous system. She had lost the ability to walk in 2004, had lost the ability to speak in 2009 and required a

feeding tube Eating (also known as consuming) is the ingestion of food, typically to provide a heterotrophic organism with energy and to allow for growth. Animals and other heterotrophs must eat in order to survive — carnivores eat other animals, herbi ...

, needing round-the-clock care in order to survive. Funicello's close friend

also appeared in the profile piece. On April 8, 2013, Funicello died at age 70 at Mercy Southwest Hospital in Bakersfield, California, from complications attributed to multiple sclerosis. Her family and Fabares were with her when she died. A private funeral was held at the Cherished Memories Memorial Chapel in Bakersfield. Commenting on her death,

Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...

chairman and CEO Bob Iger said:

Annette was and always will be a cherished member of the Disney family, synonymous with the word Mouseketeer, and a true Disney Legend. 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. 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.

In 1992, Funicello was inducted as a

Disney Legend The Disney Legends Awards is a Hall of Fame program that recognizes individuals who have made an extraordinary and integral contribution to The Walt Disney Company. Established in 1987, the honor was traditionally awarded annually during a speci ...

. She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for motion pictures on September 14, 1993; it is located at 6834

Hollywood Blvd Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It begins in the east at Sunset Boulevard in the Los Feliz district and proceeds to the west as a major thoroughfare through Little Armenia and Thai Town, Hollywoo ...

. In the

Disney Village Disney Village is a shopping, dining, and entertainment complex in Disneyland Paris, located in the town of Marne-la-Vallée, France. Originally named Festival Disney, it opened on April 12, 1992, covering an area of approximately inside what w ...

shopping and dining area of

Disneyland Paris Disneyland Paris is an entertainment resort in Chessy, Seine-et-Marne, Chessy, France, east of Paris. It encompasses two theme parks, resort hotels, Disney Nature Resorts, a shopping, dining and entertainment complex, and a golf course. Disney ...

, a 1950s themed restaurant called Annette's Diner is named after her. In 1980 the Californian

power pop Power pop (also typeset as powerpop) is a form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, an energetic performance, and c ...

band

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released the song " Annette's Got The Hits" which was inspired by Funicello.

Discography

Albums

Numbers in parentheses after title indicate peak position in ''Billboard'' charts. *''Annette'' – Vista BV-3301 (Mono) (1959) *''Annette Sings Anka'' (#21) – Vista BV-3302 (Mono) (1960) *''Hawaiiannette'' (#38) – Vista BV-3303 (Mono) (1960) *''Italiannette'' – Vista BV-3304 (Mono) (1960) *''Dance Annette'' – Vista BV-3305 (Mono) (1961) *''The Story of My Teens'' – Vista BV-3312 (Mono) (1962) *''Annette's Beach Party'' (#39) – Vista BV-3316 (Mono), STER-3316 (Stereo) (July 1963) *''Muscle Beach Party'' – Vista BV-3314 (Mono), STER-3314 (Stereo) (April 1964) *''Annette on Campus'' – Vista BV-3320 (Mono), STER-3320 (Stereo) (1964) *''Annette at Bikini Beach'' – Vista BV-3324 (Mono), STER-3324 (Stereo) (September 1964) *''Pajama Party'' – Vista BV-3325 (Mono), STER-3325 (Stereo) (November 1964) *''Something Borrowed Something Blue'' – Vista BV-3328 (Mono), STER-3328 (Stereo) (1964) *''Annette Sings Golden Surfin' Hits'' – Vista BV-3327 (Mono), STER-3327 (Stereo) (July 1965) *''Annette Funicello'' – Vista BV-4037 (1972) *''Annette Funicello Country Album'' – Starview 4001 (1984) *''Best of Annette'' – Rhino RNDF-206 (1984) (also released as a picture disk on Rhino RNLP-702) *''Annette: A Musical Reunion with America's Girl-Next-Door'' – Vista 60010 (1993) *''A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes'' – Time/Warner 520564 (April 16, 1995) *''The Best of Annette'' – Vista (August 14, 1991) *''A Tribute to Walt Disney – Promised Land'' – Glanco Music (2013)

Singles

Filmography

*'' The Shaggy Dog'' (1959) – Allison D'Allessio *'' Babes in Toyland'' (1961) – Mary Quite Contrary *''

'' (1963) – Dolores *''

'' (1964) – Jennifer *''

'' (1964) – Dee Dee *''

'' (1964) – Dee Dee *'' Pajama Party'' (1964) – Connie *'' Beach Blanket Bingo'' (1965) – Dee Dee *''

'' (1965) – Jennifer *''

'' (1965, Cameo) – Prof. Sonya Roberts (uncredited) *''

'' (1965) – Dee Dee *''

Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine ''Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine'' is a 1965 American International Pictures comedy film, made in Pathécolor, directed by Norman Taurog. It stars Vincent Price, Frankie Avalon, Dwayne Hickman, Susan Hart and Jack Mullaney, and features F ...

'' (1965, cameo) – Girl in Dungeon *''

'' (1966) – Jane Harris *'' Thunder Alley'' (1967) – Francie Madsen *'' Head'' (1968) – Minnie *''

'' (1987) – Annette *''

Troop Beverly Hills ''Troop Beverly Hills'' is a 1989 American comedy film. It is produced by the Weintraub Entertainment Group and directed by Jeff Kanew, starring Shelley Long, Craig T. Nelson, Betty Thomas, Mary Gross, Stephanie Beacham and introducing Jenny Lewi ...

'' (1989, cameo)

Television work

*''

'' (1955–1959; 1977; 1980; 1990; 1993) *''Elfego Baca: Six Gun Law'' (1959) (compilation of episodes from ''Wonderful World of Color'' serial) – Chiquita Bernal *''

The Danny Thomas Show ''The Danny Thomas Show'' (titled ''Make Room for Daddy'' for its first three seasons) is an American sitcom that ran from 1953 to 1957 on ABC and from 1957 to 1964 on CBS. Starring Danny Thomas as a successful night club entertainer, the show f ...

'' (cast member in 1959) – Gina Minelli *''

'' (1959–1961) – Anita Cabrillo / Constancia de la Torre *''

'' (1962) – Dinah Wilcox *''

'' (1962) – Annette Aliotto *''Burke's Law'' (1963–1965) – Anna Najensky / Dorrie Marsh *''Wagon Train'' (1963, Episode: "The Sam Pulaski Story") – Rose Pulaski *'' The Greatest Show on Earth'' (1964, Episode: "Rosetta") – Melanie Keller *''

'' (1967, episode "Hondo and the Apache Trail") *''Love, American Style'' segment "Love and the Tuba" (with Frankie Avalon, 1971) – Millie *''Easy Does It... Starring Frankie Avalon'' (1976, four-week summer variety series) *''Frankie and Annette: The Second Time Around'' (1978, TV movie) (unsold pilot) – Annette *''

'' episode "Ghostbreaker" (1978) *''The Mouseketeer Reunion'' (November 23, 1980) *''

'' (1982) *''

'' (1985; TV movie) *''

Growing Pains ''Growing Pains'' is an American television sitcom created by Neal Marlens that aired on ABC from September 24, 1985, to April 25, 1992. The show ran for seven seasons, consisting of 166 episodes. The series followed the misadventures of the ...

'' episode "The Seavers and the Cleavers" (guest star, 1985) *''

Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special This is the complete episode list for ''Pee-wee's Playhouse''. A total of 45 half-hour episodes and 1 primetime special were recorded for CBS from 1986 until 1990. Series overview Episodes Season 1 (1986) Season 2 (1987) Special (1988) S ...

'' (guest star, 1988) *''

Full House ''Full House'' is an American television Situation comedy, sitcom created by Jeff Franklin for American Broadcasting Company, ABC. The show is about widowed father Danny Tanner who enlists his brother-in-law Jesse Katsopolis and childhood best ...

'' episode "Joey Goes Hollywood" (guest star with Frankie Avalon, March 29, 1991) *''A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes: The Annette Funicello Story'' (1995; TV movie) – Annette Funicello (final film role)
''The Mickey Mouse Club Story''
(1995; documentary)

Books

* Funicello, Annette and Patricia Romanowski. ''A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes: My Story'' 1994, * ''The Annette Mysteries'': Includes ''The Desert Inn Mystery'', ''The Mystery at Moonstone Bay'', ''The Mystery at Smugglers' Cove'', Mystery of Medicine Wheel and ''Sierra Summer''

References

External links

Annette Funicello Research Fund for Neurological Diseases
* * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Funicello, Annette 1942 births 2013 deaths 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American singers 20th-century American non-fiction writers 20th-century American women writers Actresses from New York (state) American autobiographers American child actresses American women pop singers American film actresses American people of Italian descent American television actresses Disney people Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) Deaths from multiple sclerosis Neurological disease deaths in California People with tetraplegia Mouseketeers Musicians from Utica, New York Singers from New York (state) Women autobiographers 20th-century American women singers American women non-fiction writers