Annette Joanne Funicello, the beloved Mouseketeer, was born on October 22, 1942, in Utica, New York, but her family moved to California when she was young. Walt Disney himself spotted her performing the lead role in "Swan Lake" at her ballet school's year-end recital in Burbank, leading to her audition and subsequent selection as one of the 24 Mouseketeers.
By the time The Mickey Mouse Club ended its run in 1958, Annette had become the most popular Mousketeer, with her own multi-segmented series, "Annette," and was the only one kept under contract by Walt Disney. Her wholesome image and charming personality made her America's sweetheart, earning her the nickname "Annette" and becoming the first crush for many a teenage baby boomer.
Annette's popularity extended beyond the Disney realm, as she appeared on The Danny Thomas Show and Zorro, and starred in several Disney films, including The Shaggy Dog, Babes in Toyland, and The Monkey's Uncle. She also had a few hit singles, including "Tall Paul," and toured the country with Dick Clark's caravan.
In the early 1960s, American International Films approached Annette with a beach party movie idea, which Disney approved on the condition that her navel be covered by a one-piece bathing suit. The film, Beach Party, starred Robert Cummings and Dorothy Malone, and Annette's character, Dee Dee, proved so popular that she and Frankie Avalon reprised their roles in several beach-themed movies.
After the surfing craze died out, Annette married Jack Gilardi, Paul Anka's agent, and had three children with him. She appeared in a few more films, including Fireball 500 and Head, and became the spokesperson for Skippy Peanut Butter. However, she eventually phased out her career to focus on her family.
Annette married Glen Holt, a harness racing horse breeder/trainer, in 1986, and was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis within a year. She hid her condition for five years before making a public announcement, fearing that her symptoms might be misinterpreted as drunkenness. She became a prominent advocate for the disease and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1993.
Tragedy struck in 2011 when their Los Angeles home burned down, and Annette and Glen were hospitalized with smoke inhalation. They moved to Bakersfield, California, and Annette passed away on April 8, 2013, at the age of 70, due to complications from her illness. Her foundation continues to raise money to find cures for multiple sclerosis and other debilitating disorders.
