Actress, Beach Party (1963), Beach Blanket Bingo (1965), How To Stuff a Wild Bikini (1965). Within a year into her second marriage, Annette was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. In 1977, Annette played the Blue Fairy in Disneyland's "Main Street Electrical Parade". Full name: Annette Joanne Funicello Noted For: cast member, "The Mickey Mouse Club" (1955-59). The Disney studio wasn't like other studios. Life Expectancy The average age of a Funicello family member is 71. Apparently she is still alive. Annette Funicello Birthday and Date of Death Annette Funicello was born on October 22, 1942 and died on April 8, 2013. Jackson called together some of his old friends and former guests from his Hollywood television show, "Memory Lane" who were now "Honorary" mayors of various small towns in the San Fernando Valley. 70 years (1942–2013) Click to see full answer. She rose to prominence as one of the most popular Mouseketeers on the original Mickey Mouse Club. It has been claimed that she was the first crush for many boys of the baby boomer generation. Annette Funicello, here at 14 as one of the original Mouseketeers in 1956, became one of the most popular kids on … She hid her condition for five years before making a formal announcement (in 1992) for fear that her uncontrollable movements might be characterized as drunkenness. When she was cast in her first beach movie. Use this page to find out if Annette Funicello is dead or alive. (Funicello died at 70 in 2013 of complications due to multiple sclerosis). Annette still resided in her first house several miles from where she grew up. Annette Funicello -- the undisputed queen of the "Mickey Mouse Club" -- has died, according to Disney's official fan club Twitter. In 1965, during her beach party run, she married her agent, Jack Gilardi. |  Publicity Listings read more. Following her death, she was cremated and interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) in Los Angeles, California. Their busy careers led to them parting ways.During the early 1960s, American International Films wanted to use her in a fun-on-the-beach movie. Annette was escorted by film and television performer. His song "Venus" became his first No. Her popularity was such that by the late 1950s, she was simply known as "Annette" -- America's sweetheart and the first "crush" for many a teenage baby boomer. Receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1993, Annette was eventually wheelchair-ridden and went into complete seclusion.Following a tragic March 2011 incident in which their Los Angeles house burnt to the ground and both Annette and husband Glen were hospitalized with smoke inhalation, the couple moved to Bakersfield, California. The true star of the Mickey Mouse Club, Annette needs no introduction. Birthday: October 22, 1942Date of Death: April 8, 2013Age at Death: 70. Actor Avalon has been featured in numerous movies and TV shows. Jetet (Dog - Jetet was a gray poodle Annette owned in her teens). A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes: The Annette Funicello Story, View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro. She was the oldest girl to be cast as a Mousketeer on the "Mickey Mouse Club" (1955). The couple had three children before divorcing in 1983. She spent her final years mostly confined to a wheelchair that was specially designed by her horse-trainer husband with a seat from a harness-racing sulky. On movie screens, at least. Had two brothers: Michael Funicello and Joey Funicello. By the early 1970s, she had become a commercial spokesperson for a variety of products and remained closely tied to Disney. Annette Joanne Funicello achieved teenage popularity starting in October 1955 after she debuted as a Mouseketeer. Whenever anyone spoke of Annette, no last name was ever needed as everyone knew who you were talking about.The popular teenager became synonymous with wholesome entertainment and was borrowed by Danny Thomas in 1959 to play Gina, a foreign exchange student, on The Danny Thomas Show (1953) (aka "The Danny Thomas Show") and also that same year had a recurring role on the Disney television series Zorro (1957). April 8, 2013. Is Annette Funicello still alive? Annette had a good example in her own parents, Joseph and Virginia Funicello, Italian-Americans who moved the family from Utica, New York, to Hollywood when Annette was 4. During this time, the modest young singer had a couple of hit singles on the "Hot 100" charts, notably, "Tall Paul", and as a result, traveled with Dick Clark's caravan on singing tours around the country. Everybody else looked like I wanted to look my entire life: blue eyed and freckle faced.". Sadly, she passed away on April 8, 2013, at the age of 70. While appearing in a few other movies that did nothing to further her career, including Fireball 500 (1966), Thunder Alley (1967) and Head (1968), she appeared as a guest on shows and, most famously, became the spokesperson for Skippy Peanut Butter in a host of commercials. Together he found a new passion with forming the Annette Funicello Research Fund for Neurological Diseases. has 4,450 members. In fact, she was chosen by Walt Disney himself out of 200 kids at the audition. Annette's cause of death was multiple sclerosis. Likewise, what age did Annette Funicello get MS? Annette Funicello, long-time Disney and Beach Party star, passed away on Monday April 8 at Mercy Southwest Hospital in Bakersfield, Calif., at the age of 70. Her funeral was conducted in a private ceremony at Cherished Memories Memorial Chapel in Bakersfield, California. In 1986 he married Annette Funicello and was a faithful husband and caregiver to her until her passing in 2013. Check out 8 things you never knew about those beach party … In the late 1950s, teen idols were often given roles in films, supporting older male stars in order to attract a younger audience, such as Ricky … Recently Passed Away Celebrities and Famous People. But she phased out her career in favor of family.She and Gilardi divorced in 1983. Died four days after film critic Roger Ebert. During the 1960s Annette Funicello, who passed away April 8 of this year, and Frankie Avalon would emerge as America's Sweethearts. Beach Blanket Bingo is an American International Pictures beach party film, released in 1965 and was directed by William Asher.It is the fifth film in the Beach Party film series.The film stars Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello, Linda Evans, Deborah Walley, Paul Lynde, and Don Rickles. Sadly, while making this film, Back to the Beach, in 1987, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Annette Funicello. To everyone's surprise, he gave his consent, with the only condition being that she make sure her navel was completely covered by a one piece bathing suit. Annette (TV Series 1958) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. She was 70 years old when she died. She made her well as other Disney film vehicles for several years, including The Shaggy Dog (1959), Babes in Toyland (1961) and The Monkey's Uncle (1965). Her biggest hit single was "Tall Paul" (#7 US Pop 1959). She waited five years before publicly disclosing her condition. Annette passed away on April 8, 2013 at the age of 70 in Bakersfield, California. Regarding this, what year did Annette Funicello die? She was hired, and the show made its debut in 1955. She was involved in the Annette Funicello Bear Company which made collectible teddy bears. Your contribution is much appreciated! She became the most famous spokesperson for the disease. Three years later, she married Glen Holt, a harness racing horse breeder/trainer. Her home suffered major fire damage and wheelchair-bound Annette and her husband were hospitalized and treated for smoke inhalation. Born on September 18, 1940, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Frankie Avalon is considered one of the first manufactured teen idols. She had a collectable bear business, a line of perfume and she started the Annette Funicello Fund for Neurological Disorders (2006). In 1986, Annette married her second husband, Glen Holt, and started making plans for a new film in which she would act and produce alongside Frankie Avalon. Real soon ♪ ♪ k-e-y ♪ why, because we like you. She kept her condition a secret and felt that this was necessary to go public in order to combat rumors that her impaired ability to walk was the result of alcoholism. Glen Holt is an actor, known for A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes: The Annette Funicello Story (1995), Biography (1987) and Fame, Fortune and Romance (1986). Related Story Bill Hafker thehuntzie@yahoo.com, Other Works If you see something that doesn't look right on this page, please do inform us using the form below: © 2021 Dead or Kicking / All Rights Reserved. Annette Joanne Funicello was an actress and a singer, born on 22nd October 1942 in Utica, New York State USA, and rose to stardom as one of the most popular Mouseketeers of the original ’’Mickey Mouse Club“, and continued her career as a successful singer with … Annette Funicello, an icon to legions of baby boomers, first as a breakout star on “The Mickey Mouse Club” in the 1950s and then as a wholesome pinup opposite Frankie Avalon in a series of teen movies, died Monday at Mercy Southwest Hospital in Bakersfield after a long battle with multiple sclerosis. When asked in a 20/20 interview how she got the role as a mouseketeer on the Mickey Mouse Club program, she replied: "I was the ethnic one. She had a collectable bear business, a line of perfume and she started the Annette Funicello Fund for Neurological Disorders (2006). Annette Funicello lives !!! Annette Funicello's marriage to Gilardi ended in 1981 after sixteen years and three children. Very user friendly navigation and includes a search function and interactive quizzes. Coronavirus Update. She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6834 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on September 14, 1993. Covering the event was the "Valley News and Green Sheet"--now "The Valley News"--and the Los Angeles Times. Annette Joanne Funicello Wiki Biography. Gina Portman's information is not available now. annette funicello died on 04/08/2013 at the age of 70. annette was prominently known as an actress, and is remembered fondly by family, friends, and fans. By the run-through in 1958 of The Mickey Mouse Club (1955) in which she appeared in her own multi-segmented series entitled "Annette", she had become the most popular Mousketeer of them all and the only one kept under contract by Walt Disney after he canceled the show. After several years of music and dance lessons, Annette was spotted by Walt Disney and asked to audition for a new show, The Mickey Mouse Club. It came about when "Television's Singing Troubadour, Jimmie Jackson" arranged for her to be given the designation of the "Sweetheart of the San Fernando Valley Mayors" at the May 2, 1957, grand opening of his new Tambour restaurant (tambour is African for "Drum") in Tarzana. Born in Utica, New York, on October 22, 1942, actress and singer Annette Funicello's family relocated to southern California following the end of World War II. Both were unable to eat, drink and talk for their last years. Joseph Funicello's information is not available now. Earl Wilson and Buster Keaton appear. Alongside Frankie Avalon, Funicello starred in a series of wildly popular (amongst teens, at least) beach movies in the 1960s. What age did Annette Funicello die? Annette Funicello, the most beloved of the early Walt Disney Mouseketeers and a pioneer in one-name adolescent stardom, died Monday at a hospital in Bakersfield, Calif. She was 70. Annette still resided in her first house several miles from where she grew up. Annette Funicello got an early start, as illustrated by The Guardian.. She was only 12 years old when she was offered a chance to be a part of Disney's children's TV show, The Mickey Mouse Club. With forming the Annette Funicello 's marriage to Gilardi ended in 1981 after sixteen years and children. For his coupling with actress Annette Funicello 's marriage is annette funicello still alive Gilardi ended 1981. International Films wanted to use her in a series of wildly popular ( teens! 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