Annette Funicello: Difference between revisions

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After the ''Mickey Mouse Club'', she remained under contract with Disney for a time. She had a role on the Disney television roles in ''[[Zorro (1957 TV series)|Zorro]]'', 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 birthday present from Walt Disney, and the first of two different characters played opposite [[Guy Williams (actor)|Guy Williams]] as Zorro.
After the ''Mickey Mouse Club'', she remained under contract with Disney for a time. She had a role on the Disney television roles in ''[[Zorro (1957 TV series)|Zorro]]'', 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 birthday present from Walt Disney, and the first of two different characters played opposite [[Guy Williams (actor)|Guy Williams]] as Zorro.


She had a multiple-episode guest arc on ''[[Make Room for Daddy]]'' as an Italian exchange student.
Annette also co-starred in Disney-produced movies such as ''[[The Shaggy Dog (1959 film)|The Shaggy Dog]]'', ''[[Babes in Toyland (1961 film)|Babes in Toyland]]'', ''[[The Misadventures of Merlin Jones]]'' and ''[[The Monkey's Uncle]]''. ''The Monkey's Uncle'' featured Annette singing with the Beach Boys.<ref name="Cotter">{{cite book

⚫
| last = Cotter
Annette made her feature film debut in the Disney-produced comedy ''[[The Shaggy Dog (1959 film)|The Shaggy Dog]]'' (1959) with [[Fred MacMurray]] and [[Tommy Kirk]]. The film was a huge hit at the box office.
⚫
| first = Bill
⚫
| title = The Wonderful World of Disney Television
⚫
| publisher = [[Hyperion Books]]
⚫
| year = 1997
⚫
| location = New York
⚫
| isbn = 0-7868-6359-5 }}</ref>


Although uncomfortable being thought of as a singer, Funicello had a number of [[pop music|pop record]] hits in the late 1950s and early 1960s, mostly written by the [[Sherman Brothers]] and including: "[[Tall Paul]]", "First Name Initial", "O Dio Mio", "Train of Love" (written by [[Paul Anka]]) and "[[Pineapple Princess]]". They were released by Disney's [[Disney Music Group|Buena Vista]] label. Annette also recorded "It's Really Love" in 1959, a reworking of an earlier [[Paul Anka]] song called "Toot Sweet". Paul Anka was noted to have a crush on her, however, Walt Disney overprotected Annette, which broke Paul's heart. This resulted in his song "[[Puppy Love (Paul Anka song)|Puppy Love]]", which was inspired by his hopeless romantic crush on Annette.
Although uncomfortable being thought of as a singer, Funicello had a number of [[pop music|pop record]] hits in the late 1950s and early 1960s, mostly written by the [[Sherman Brothers]] and including: "[[Tall Paul]]", "First Name Initial", "O Dio Mio", "Train of Love" (written by [[Paul Anka]]) and "[[Pineapple Princess]]". They were released by Disney's [[Disney Music Group|Buena Vista]] label. Annette also recorded "It's Really Love" in 1959, a reworking of an earlier [[Paul Anka]] song called "Toot Sweet". Paul Anka was noted to have a crush on her, however, Walt Disney overprotected Annette, which broke Paul's heart. This resulted in his song "[[Puppy Love (Paul Anka song)|Puppy Love]]", which was inspired by his hopeless romantic crush on Annette.
Line 74: Line 69:
In an episode of the [[Disney anthology television series]] titled "[[Disneyland After Dark]]", Funicello can be seen singing live at [[Disneyland]]. Walt Disney was reportedly a fan of 1950s pop star [[Teresa Brewer]] and tried to pattern Funicello's singing on the same style. However, Funicello credits "the Annette sound" to her record producer, [[Tutti Camarata]], who worked for Disney in that era. Camarata had her double-track 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.{{citation needed|date=January 2012}} Early in her career, she appeared on the [[NBC]] interview program ''[[Here's Hollywood]]''.<ref name="interview"/>
In an episode of the [[Disney anthology television series]] titled "[[Disneyland After Dark]]", Funicello can be seen singing live at [[Disneyland]]. Walt Disney was reportedly a fan of 1950s pop star [[Teresa Brewer]] and tried to pattern Funicello's singing on the same style. However, Funicello credits "the Annette sound" to her record producer, [[Tutti Camarata]], who worked for Disney in that era. Camarata had her double-track 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.{{citation needed|date=January 2012}} Early in her career, she appeared on the [[NBC]] interview program ''[[Here's Hollywood]]''.<ref name="interview"/>


In 1961 Funnicello returned to ''Zorro'' playing a different role. She starred in a big budget musical for Disney, ''[[Babes in Toyland (1961 film)|Babes in Toyland]]'' (1961), alongside [[Tommy Sands]] 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]]'' (1961) and ''[[Escapade in Florence]]'' (1962).
===Beach Party Series===
[[File:Beach Party Annette Funicello Frankie Avalon Mid-1960s.jpg|thumb|left|Funicello and Frankie Avalon at the height of the "Beach Party" era]]
[[File:Beach Party Annette Funicello Frankie Avalon Mid-1960s.jpg|thumb|left|Funicello and Frankie Avalon at the height of the "Beach Party" era]]
⚫
Funicello moved on from Disney to become a [[teen idol]], starring in a series of "[[Beach party film|Beach Party]]" movies with [[Frankie Avalon]] for [[American International Pictures]]. These started with ''[[Beach Party]]'' (1963), which was so successful [[American International Pictures]] signed Funicello to a seven-year contract and starred her in a series of beach party movies.<ref>Gary A Smith, ''American International Pictures: The Golden Years'', Bear Manor 2013 p 211</ref>


Funicello guest starred on episodes of ''[[Wagon Train]]'', ''[[Burke's Law (TV series)|Burke's Law]]'' and ''[[The Greatest Show on Earth (TV series)|The Greatest Show on Earth]]'', then did another two-part Disney telemovie with Kirk, ''[[The Misadventures of Merlin Jones]]'' (1964). This was released to cinemas in the US and became a surprise box office hit.
===Beach icon and spokeswoman===

⚫
Funicello moved on from Disney to become a [[teen idol]], starring in a series of "[[Beach party film|Beach Party]]" movies with [[Frankie Avalon]] for [[American International Pictures]]. These started with ''[[Beach Party]]'' (1963), which was so successful American International Pictures signed Funicello to a seven-year contract,<ref>Gary A Smith, ''American International Pictures: The Golden Years'', Bear Manor 2013 p 211</ref> and was followed by ''[[Muscle Beach Party]]'' (1964), ''[[Bikini Beach]]'' (1964), ''[[Pajama Party (film)|Pajama Party]]'' (1964), ''[[Beach Blanket Bingo]]'' (1965) and ''[[How to Stuff a Wild Bikini]]'' (1965).
Also popular were the follow ups to ''Beach Party'', ''[[Muscle Beach Party]]'' (1964) and ''[[Bikini Beach]]'' (1964).


When she was cast in her first beach movie, Walt Disney requested that she wear only modest bathing suits and keep her [[navel]] 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.<ref>{{cite web| title = The Myth of the Hidden Navel |url=http://www.beachpartymoviemusic.com/TheMythoftheHiddenNavel.html|accessdate=February 20, 2012|publisher = Beachpartymoviemusic.com}}</ref>
When she was cast in her first beach movie, Walt Disney requested that she wear only modest bathing suits and keep her [[navel]] 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.<ref>{{cite web| title = The Myth of the Hidden Navel |url=http://www.beachpartymoviemusic.com/TheMythoftheHiddenNavel.html|accessdate=February 20, 2012|publisher = Beachpartymoviemusic.com}}</ref>


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]]'' (1965). ''The Monkey's Uncle'' featured Annette singing with the Beach Boys and was another huge hit.<ref name="Cotter">{{cite book
She and Avalon became iconic as "beach picture" stars and were reunited for the [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]] film ''[[Back to the Beach]]'' (1987), parodying their own surf-and-sand films two decades earlier. They toured the country as a singing act.
⚫
| last = Cotter
⚫
| first = Bill
⚫
| title = The Wonderful World of Disney Television
⚫
| publisher = [[Hyperion Books]]
⚫
| year = 1997
⚫
| location = New York
⚫
| isbn = 0-7868-6359-5 }}</ref>

Funicello made a cameo in two AIP comedies starring Avalon, ''[[Ski Party]]'' (1965) and ''[[Dr Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine]]'' (1965), then she did ''[[How to Stuff a Wild Bikini]]'' (1965) with Dwayne Hickman. Box office receipts for the series were in decline, and neither Avalon or Funicello appeared in the final instalment, ''[[The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini]]'' (1966).
===Stock Car Racing Films===
AIP tried a new formula with stock car racing films, starting with ''[[Fireball 500]]'' (1966) which starred Funicello, Avalon and [[Fabian Forte]]. 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 (TV series)|Hondo]]'' and had a cameo in ''[[Head (film)|Head]]''.
===Later Career===
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]]'' and ''[[The Love Boat]]''.


In 1979, Funicello began starring in a series of television commercials for [[Skippy peanut butter]].<ref>{{cite web
In 1979, Funicello began starring in a series of television commercials for [[Skippy peanut butter]].<ref>{{cite web
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|df=mdy
|df=mdy
}}</ref>
}}</ref>

She starred in a TV movie for Disney, ''[[Lots of Luck]]'' (1985) then was reunited with Avalon in ''[[Back to the Beach]]'' (1987).


Her autobiography, dictated to Patricia Romanowski and [[1994 in literature|published in 1994]], was ''A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes: My Story''. The title was taken from a [[A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes|song]] from the Disney movie ''[[Cinderella (1950 film)|Cinderella]]''. A [[television film]] 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]]), using a wheelchair, turns away from the camera&nbsp;— 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.<ref name=Biographycom/> The last collection in the series was made in 2004. She also had her own fragrance called "Cello, by Annette".
Her autobiography, dictated to Patricia Romanowski and [[1994 in literature|published in 1994]], was ''A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes: My Story''. The title was taken from a [[A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes|song]] from the Disney movie ''[[Cinderella (1950 film)|Cinderella]]''. A [[television film]] 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]]), using a wheelchair, turns away from the camera&nbsp;— 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.<ref name=Biographycom/> The last collection in the series was made in 2004. She also had her own fragrance called "Cello, by Annette".

Revision as of 02:17, 6 April 2019

Annette Funicello
Funicello in 1968
Born
Annette Joanne Funicello

(1942-10-22)October 22, 1942
Utica, New York, U.S.
DiedApril 8, 2013(2013-04-08) (aged 70)
Bakersfield, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Actress, singer
Years active1954–1998
Spouse(s)
Jack Gilardi
​
​
(m. 1965; div. 1981)​

Glen Holt
​
​
(m. 1986; "her death" is deprecated; use "died" instead. 2013)​
Children3

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 rose to prominence as one of the most popular Mouseketeers on the original Mickey Mouse Club.[1] As a teenager, she transitioned to a successful career as a singer with the pop singles "O Dio Mio", "Tall Paul" and "Pineapple Princess", as well as establishing herself as a film actress, popularizing the successful "Beach Party" genre alongside co-star Frankie Avalon during the mid-1960s.

In 1992, Funicello announced that she had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. She died of complications from the disease on April 8, 2013.

Early life

Annette Joanne Funicello was born in Utica, New York, to Italian Americans Virginia Jeanne (née Albano; 1921 – 2007) and Joseph Edward Funicello (1916 – 2009).[2] Her family moved to Southern California when she was four years old.[3]

Career

The Mickey Mouse Club

Funicello as a Mouseketeer on The Mickey Mouse Club (1956)

Annette took dancing and music lessons as a child to overcome shyness. In 1955, the 12-year-old was discovered by Walt Disney 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.

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.

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, the second and third Spin and Marty 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 a hayride scene 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, music by Frances Jeffords and William Walsh[4][5]), that Walt Disney issued it as a single, and gave Funicello (somewhat unwillingly) a recording contract.[6]

A proposed live-action feature Rainbow Road to Oz was to have starred some of the Mouseketeers, including Darlene Gillespie as Dorothy and Funicello as Ozma. Preview segments from the film aired on September 11, 1957, on Disneyland's fourth anniversary show.[7] By then, MGM's The Wizard of Oz had already 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 popularity of the MGM film on television. 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

Funicello and Richard Tyler on The Danny Thomas Show (1959)

After the Mickey Mouse Club, she remained under contract with Disney for a time. She had a role on the Disney television roles in Zorro, 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 birthday present from Walt Disney, and the first of two different characters played opposite Guy Williams as Zorro.

She had a multiple-episode guest arc on Make Room for Daddy as an Italian exchange student.

Annette made her feature film debut in the Disney-produced comedy The Shaggy Dog (1959) with Fred MacMurray and Tommy Kirk. The film was a huge hit 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: "Tall Paul", "First Name Initial", "O Dio Mio", "Train of Love" (written by Paul Anka) and "Pineapple Princess". They were released by Disney's Buena Vista label. Annette also recorded "It's Really Love" in 1959, a reworking of an earlier Paul Anka song called "Toot Sweet". Paul Anka was noted to have a crush on her, however, Walt Disney overprotected Annette, which broke Paul's heart. This resulted in his song "Puppy Love", which was inspired by his hopeless romantic crush on Annette.

In an episode of the Disney anthology television series titled "Disneyland After Dark", Funicello can be seen singing live at Disneyland. Walt Disney was reportedly a fan of 1950s pop star Teresa Brewer and tried to pattern Funicello's singing on the same style. However, Funicello credits "the Annette sound" to her record producer, Tutti Camarata, who worked for Disney in that era. Camarata had her double-track 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.[citation needed] Early in her career, she appeared on the NBC interview program Here's Hollywood.[6]

In 1961 Funnicello returned to Zorro playing a different role. She starred in a big budget musical for Disney, Babes in Toyland (1961), alongside Tommy Sands 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 (1961) and Escapade in Florence (1962).

Beach Party Series

Funicello and Frankie Avalon at the height of the "Beach Party" era

Funicello moved on from Disney to become a teen idol, starring in a series of "Beach Party" movies with Frankie Avalon for American International Pictures. These started with Beach Party (1963), which was so successful American International Pictures signed Funicello to a seven-year contract and starred her in a series of beach party movies.[8]

Funicello guest starred on episodes of Wagon Train, Burke's Law and The Greatest Show on Earth, then did another two-part Disney telemovie with Kirk, The Misadventures of Merlin Jones (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 (1964) and Bikini Beach (1964).

When she was cast in her first beach movie, Walt Disney requested that she wear only modest bathing suits and keep her navel 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.[9]

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 (1965). The Monkey's Uncle featured Annette singing with the Beach Boys and was another huge hit.[10]

Funicello made a cameo in two AIP comedies starring Avalon, Ski Party (1965) and Dr Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine (1965), then she did How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (1965) with Dwayne Hickman. Box office receipts for the series were in decline, and neither Avalon or Funicello appeared in the final instalment, The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini (1966).

Stock Car Racing Films

AIP tried a new formula with stock car racing films, starting with Fireball 500 (1966) which starred Funicello, Avalon and Fabian Forte. 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 and had a cameo in Head.

Later Career

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 and The Love Boat.

In 1979, Funicello began starring in a series of television commercials for Skippy peanut butter.[11]

She starred in a TV movie for Disney, Lots of Luck (1985) then was reunited with Avalon in Back to the Beach (1987).

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 from the Disney movie Cinderella. A television film 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), 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.[3] The last collection in the series was made in 2004. She also had her own fragrance called "Cello, by Annette".

Personal life

Funicello and Frankie Avalon reunited for the television special Good Ol' Days, 1977

Funicello's best friend was actress and singer Shelley Fabares. She and Fabares had been friends since they were young teenagers in a catechism class, and Fabares was a bridesmaid at Funicello's first wedding. She was also very close to fellow Mouseketeers Lonnie Burr (she later claimed in an autobiography that he was her first boyfriend during the first season of the Mickey Mouse Club), Sharon Baird, Doreen Tracey, Cheryl Holdridge, her "Disney" co-star, Tommy Kirk, and her "Beach" movies co-star, Frankie Avalon. She dated Canadian singer/songwriter Paul Anka and he wrote his hit song "Puppy Love" about her. Annette was raised in a Catholic family.[12]

Marriages and children

Funicello was married to her first husband, Jack Gilardi, from 1965 until 1981. They had three children: Gina Portman (b. 1965), Jack, Jr. (b. 1970), and Jason (b. 1974). In 1986, she married California harness racing horse breeder/trainer Glen Holt.[3] The couple was frequently seen at Los Alamitos Race Course and at Fairplex in Pomona in the 1980s and 1990s attending harness horse races.

In March 2011, her longtime Encino, California, home caught fire. She suffered smoke inhalation, but was otherwise unharmed.[13]

After the fire, Funicello and Holt then began living full-time at the modest ranch that they had purchased decades earlier, located just south of Shafter, California (north of Bakersfield). That remained her primary residence until her death.[14]

Illness, death and legacy

In early 1987, Funicello reunited with Frankie Avalon for a series of promotional concerts to promote their film Back to the Beach. She began to suffer from dizziness and balance issues, but initially kept the episodes from family and friends. In 1992, Funicello announced that she was suffering from multiple sclerosis.[15] She felt that it was now necessary to go public in order to combat rumors that her impaired ability to walk was the result of alcoholism. In 1993, she opened the Annette Funicello Fund for Neurological Disorders at the California Community Foundation.[16]

On October 6, 2012, the CTV flagship current affairs program W5 profiled Funicello following her fifteen years away from the public eye. The program revealed that her disease had severely damaged her nervous system; Funicello had lost the ability to walk in 2004, the ability to speak in 2009, and, at the time of the profile, she required round-the-clock care in order to survive. In the profile, Holt and her closest friend, actress Shelley Fabares, discussed Funicello's state at the time, as well as the numerous medical interventions and treatments that had been attempted in order to improve her condition.[17]

On April 8, 2013, Funicello died at Mercy Southwest Hospital in Bakersfield, California, at age 70, from complications due to multiple sclerosis.[18] At the time of her death, Funicello's family and Fabares were with her.[19] Her funeral was a private ceremony held on April 12, 2013, at the Cherished Memories Memorial Chapel in Bakersfield, California.[20] Commenting on her death, Bob Iger, Chairman and CEO of the Walt Disney Company, 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.[21]

Media coverage of Funicello's death was almost completely overshadowed by that of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher who died on the same day.[citation needed]

After her death, the Disney Channel Original movie Teen Beach Movie (2013) was dedicated to her memory.[citation needed]

In 1992, she was inducted as a Disney Legend.[22]

She received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for motion pictures on September 14, 1993, located at 6834 Hollywood Blvd.

In the Disney Village shopping and dining area of Disneyland Paris, a 1950s themed restaurant, Annette's Diner, is named after her.

Discography

Albums

Numbers in parentheses after title indicate peak position in Billboard charts.[23]

  • 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

Year Titles (A-side, B-side)
Both sides from same album except where indicated 		Record Label Peak chart positions Album
US Billboard US Cashbox
1958 "How Will I Know My Love"
b/w "Don't Jump To Conclusions" 		Disneyland 102 — 55 Annette
"That Crazy Place From Outer Space"
b/w "Gold Doubloons and Pieces Of Eight" (Non-album track) 		Disneyland 114 — —
1959 "Tall Paul"
b/w "Ma, He's Making Eyes At Me" 		Disneyland 118 7 18
"Jo Jo The Dog Faced Boy"
Original B-side: "Lonely Guitar"
Later B-side: "Love Me Forever" 		Vista 336 73 59
"Lonely Guitar" /
"Wild Willie"
Multiple releases with each title as A-side 		Vista 339 50 51
"Especially For You"
b/w "My Heart Became Of Age" 		Vista 344 — —
"First Name Initial" /
"My Heart Became Of Age" (from Annette) 		Vista 349 20
74 		16
— 		The Story Of My Teens
1960 "O Dio Mio"
b/w "It Took Dreams" (from Annette) 		Vista 354 10 13
"Train Of Love"
b/w "Tell Me Who's The Girl" (from The Story Of My Teens) 		Vista 359 36 47 Annette Sings Anka
"Pineapple Princess"
b/w "Luau Cha Cha Cha" 		Vista 362 11 15 Hawaiiannette
"Talk To Me Baby"
b/w "I Love You Baby" 		Vista 369 92 98 Annette Sings Anka
1961 "Dream Boy"
b/w "Please Please Signore" 		Vista 374 87 — Italiannette
"Indian Giver"
b/w "Mama Mama Rosa (Where's The Spumoni)" (from Italiannette) 		Vista 375 — — Non-album track
"Blue Muu Muu"
b/w "Hawaiian Love Talk" (Non-album track) 		Vista 384 107 — Hawaiiannette
"Dreamin' About You"
b/w "Strummin' Song" (from The Story Of My Teens) 		Vista 388 106 — Non-album track
1962 "That Crazy Place From Outer Space"
b/w "Seven Moons (Of Batalyre)" (by Danny Saval and Tom Tyron, non-album track) 		Vista 392 — — Annette
"The Truth About Youth"
b/w "I Can't Do The Sum" 		Vista 394 — — The Story Of My Teens
"My Little Grass Shack"
b/w "Hukilau" 		Vista 400 — — Hawaiiannette
"He's My Ideal"
b/w "Mister Piano Man" (from The Story Of My Teens) 		Vista 405 — — Non-album tracks
"Bella Bella Florence"
b/w "Canzone d'Amoure" 		Vista 407 — —
"Teenage Wedding"
b/w "Walkin' and Talkin'" 		Vista 414 — —
1963 "Promise Me Anything"
b/w "Treat Him Nicely" 		Vista 427 123 — Annette's Beach Party
1964 "Merlin Jones" (with The Wellingtons)
b/w "The Scrambled Egghead" (with Tommy Kirk) 		Vista 431 — — Muscle Beach Party
"Custom City"
b/w "Rebel Rider" 		Vista 432 — —
"Muscle Beach Party"
b/w "I Dream About Frankie" 		Vista 433 — —
"Bikini Beach Party"
b/w "The Clyde" 		Vista 436 — — Annette At Bikini Beach
"The Wah-Watusi"
b/w "The Clyde" 		Vista 437 — —
1965 "Something Borrowed, Something Blue"
b/w "How Will I Know My Love" (New version of Annette's 1958 recording) 		Vista 438 — — Something Borrowed, Something Blue
"The Monkey's Uncle" (With The Beach Boys)
b/w "How Will I Know My Love" (from Something Borrowed, Something Blue) 		Vista 440 — — Annette At Bikini Beach
"Boy To Love"
b/w "No One Else Could Be Prouder" 		Vista 442 — — Golden Surfin' Hits
1966 "No Way To Go But Up"
b/w "Crystal Ball" (from Something Borrowed, Something Blue) 		Vista 450 — — Non-album track
1967 "What's A Girl To Do"
b/w "When You Get What You Want"
(Annette's name is misspelled on both sides as "Annettte") 		Tower 326 — — Thunder Alley (Soundtrack)
1981 "(Together We Can Make A) Merry Christmas"
b/w "The Night Before Christmas"
(Duets with Frankie Avalon) 		Pacific Star 569 — — Non-album tracks
1983 "The Promised Land"
b/w "In Between and Out Of Love" 		Starview 3001 — — Country Album

Filmography

Funicello as a participant in Seattle Seafair's Torchlight Parade, 1963

Television work

Books

  • Funicello, Annette and Patricia Romanowski. A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes: My Story 1994, ISBN 0-7868-8092-9
  • 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

  1. ^ McLellan, Dennis (January 9, 2009). "Cheryl Holdridge dies at 64; popular Mouseketeer". Los Angeles Times.
  2. ^ Virginia Jeanne Funicello. Pqasb.pqarchiver.com (September 6, 2007). Retrieved on April 20, 2013.
  3. ^ a b c "Annette Funicello Biography (1942–)". Crystal Reference, Biography.com. A&E Television Networks. 2003. Retrieved March 30, 2007.
  4. ^ Disney Fake Book. New York: Hal Leonard Corporation. 1996. p. 74. ISBN 0-7935-4521-8.
  5. ^ "Annette Album Release". Discogs.com. Retrieved February 20, 2012.
  6. ^ a b "Oct 22nd Happy 65th Birthday Annette". You Remember That.com. Archived from the original (video interview) on December 24, 2007. Retrieved December 22, 2007. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ ''Disneyland'' segment on YouTube (August 4, 2007). Retrieved on April 20, 2013.
  8. ^ Gary A Smith, American International Pictures: The Golden Years, Bear Manor 2013 p 211
  9. ^ "The Myth of the Hidden Navel". Beachpartymoviemusic.com. Retrieved February 20, 2012.
  10. ^ Cotter, Bill (1997). The Wonderful World of Disney Television. New York: Hyperion Books. ISBN 0-7868-6359-5.
  11. ^ "History of Skippy". Unilever. 2012. Archived from the original on May 18, 2012. Retrieved April 10, 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ Annette Funicello. People.com. Retrieved on April 20, 2013.
  13. ^ Oldenburg, Ann (March 12, 2011). "Annette Funicello suffers smoke inhalation down g fire". www.usatoday.com. Retrieved March 17, 2011.
  14. ^ Jennifer Self, "Annette Funicello's family: She fought until the end" Archived April 13, 2015, at the Wayback Machine, The Bakersfield Californian, April 8, 2013.
  15. ^ "Annette Funicello Fund For Neurological Disorders". California Community Foundation. 2008. Archived from the original on January 23, 2008. Retrieved January 28, 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ "Annette Funicello Research Foundation". Archived from the original on May 11, 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ "Annette Funicello: Her life with multiple sclerosis". CTV. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
  18. ^ "Disney Icon Annette Funicello From Utica Dead At 70 Years Old". WODZ. Archived from the original on May 11, 2013. Retrieved April 8, 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  19. ^ Silverman, Stephen M. (April 8, 2013), "Annette Funicello Dies at 70 After Long Battle with MS". People.com. Retrieved on April 20, 2013.
  20. ^ "Funeral Services For April 11, 2013" Archived December 3, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, The Bakersfield Californian, April l1, 2013. Retrieved on April 23, 2013.
  21. ^ "Beloved Disney Mouseketeer and Iconic Teen Star Annette Funicello Dies at Age 70". D23. Retrieved April 8, 2013.
  22. ^ "Disney Legends". Disney. 2005. Retrieved September 27, 2007.
  23. ^ "Billboard Artist Annette Funicello". Billboard.com. Retrieved February 20, 2012.
  24. ^ TV.com (March 3, 1979). "Fantasy Island: Birthday Party / Ghostbreaker – Season 2, Episode 20". TV.com. Retrieved February 7, 2012.

External links

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