Annette Funicello, who started her career as a member of the original Mickey Mouse Club in the 1950s and became every* teenage boy’s fantasy, died today in Bakersfield. She was 70. She died peacefully from complications due to multiple sclerosis, a disease she battled for over 25 years.
Sad news. She was a beloved icon, and someone I always admired.
(* perhaps not every teenage boy...)
Just heard.
Very sweet lady.
RIP
So young!
She was a part of my childhood...
So sad, got to know her work well from her beach party films when we produced the uk premiere of Psycho Beach Party, RIP xx
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
Loved her. To me her late career highlight was on Pee-Wee's Christmas Special, the defining television artifact of the Reagan era.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/28/07
Extremely sad to hear this! She was a very talented individual. R.I.P.
No, no, no, no. noooo!!!
My heart just broke into a million pieces!!
She will be missed. What a stunning lady.
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/28/07
Although the 1961 film, 'Babes in Toyland', had some flaws I really enjoyed her performance as Mary in it.
Funicello's only daughter, Gina Gilardi, said in a statement, "She's on her toes dancing in heaven... no more MS. My brothers and I were there, holding her sweet hands when she left us."
Link
I'm going I watch BABES IN TOYLAND and BACK TO THE BEACH tonight. Such an amazing woman.
Rest in peace....
Oh No!!!I got to meet her for a minute before she got sick.
Rest in Peace Dear Lady
Oh...this is rough. I feel like I'm who I am because of Annette Funicello.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h02oh5Ri4Y0
Very sad. Loved watching her in the repeats of the Mickey Mouse club. Rest in Peace, thank you for all the wonderful performances.
Annette sang great covers of the Beatles' "All My Loving" on her "Something Borrowed, Something Blue" album and Eydie Gorme's "Blame it on the Bossa Nova" on her "Annette at Bikini Beach" album.
I actually prefer her version of "Blame it on the Bossa Nova" over Eydie's.
I will be listening to some of my favorite Annette songs and watching the original "Annette" serial from "Mickey Mouse Club" in her honor.
Here is my favorite Annette recording:
FOR ANNETTE
I think I'm going to watch THE MISADVENTURE OR MERLIN JONES tonight. Oh...if I only had the DVD of ESCAPADE IN FLORENCE!
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