Annette Funicello (1942-2013)

This is my first blog post! Today is a sad day for us pop culture addicts. One of the most beautiful, talented, and kind hearted stars, Annette Funicello, has passed away. She was the original "Disney Starlet", a precursor to that of Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, and Bridgit Mendler. Often just credited as "Annette", Funicello starred in The Mickey Mouse Club, beginning in 1955. Her association with the company continued into films and music. She had pop hits with "Tall Paul" (#7 in 1959) and "Pineapple Princess" (#11 in 1960). Both songs were written by Disney songwriters Robert and Richard Sherman, who did the music for the films Mary Poppins and The Happiest Millionaire. 

                                        

  In films, Funicello appeared in two Disney firsts: The first live-action Disney comedy (1959's The Shaggy Dog) and the first live-action Disney musical (1961's Babes In Toyland). Also in 1961 she recorded the theme song for the popular Disney comedy The Parent Trap with Babes In Toyland co-star Tommy Sands. This is where I remember seeing her as a child in the mid-1990's. I would rent Babes in Toyland frequently from the local library and I remember being quite taken with Annette's beauty.

Post-Disney, Annette appeared in the popular Beach Party movies with Frankie Avalon. She appeared in a total of six:  Beach Party (1963), Muscle Beach Party (1964), Bikini Beach (1964), Pajama Party (1964), Beach Blanket Bingo (1965) and How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (1965). 

In her later years, Funicello still remained with cameos in films and television. She appeared on Full House in 1991 with her frequent co-star Frankie Avalon. She also was very vocal about her struggle with Multiple Sclerosis. Due to the disease, she had lost the ability to walk in 2004 and the ability to speak in 2009, which brings us to today. I have always loved Annette Funicello and I will greatly appreciate her mark on films and television.