Annette Joanne Funicello achieved teenage popularity starting in October 1955 after she debuted as a Mouseketeer. Born on October 22, 1942 in Utica, New York, the family had moved to California when she was still young. 'Walt Disney' . 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. A little more than a year later, and over 25 years after she was diagnosed with this long and painful illness, Annette passed away on April 8, 2013 from complications at age 70. To the present, her foundation continues to raise money to help find cures for this and other debilitating disorders, including Lou Gehrig's disease.
(November 1999) Underwent brain surgery to slow down the tremors which result from her multiple sclerosis. She was recovering at home.
In 1987, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. 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.
Her son, Jason Gilardi , is the drummer for the rock band Carolines Spine, which was once signed to the Disney-owned label Hollywood Records. He also appears as himself in her biopic, A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes: The Annette Funicello Story .
Had appeared with Frankie Avalon in eleven films: Beach Party , Bikini Beach , Muscle Beach Party , Pajama Party , Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine , Beach Blanket Bingo , How to Stuff a Wild Bikini , Fireball 500 , Thunder Alley , Back to the Beach and Troop Beverly Hills .
When she made the various beach pictures for American International Pictures (AIP), she was still technically under contract to Disney, doing the AIP films on a loan-out basis, something of which Walt Disney always emphatically reminded her.
Her favorite television series was "Zorro" . For her birthday one year, Walt Disney (who knew she was a huge fan of the series) arranged to have her guest star on one episode.
When she was cast in her first beach movie, Walt Disney asked her to not wear a bikini and instead wear a one-piece swimsuit because she had an image to uphold. She agreed.
In 1977, Annette played the Blue Fairy in Disneylands "Main Street Electrical Parade".
Paul Anka wrote the song "Puppy Love" about his romance with her.
When she began working for the Disney studio, she suggested to her employer that she change her Italian family name of Funicello to something more "American", as was often done in those days. Walt Disney vehemently argued against this idea, saying that her own name was actually an asset because it was so unique that no one who heard it would ever be able to forget it. He convinced the young actress to retain it.
She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6834 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on September 14, 1993.
Her biggest hit single was "Tall Paul" (#7 US Pop 1959). She had later success with "Pineapple Princess" which peaked at #11 US Pop, in the summer of 1960.
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.
(March 2011) Her home suffered major fire damage and wheelchair-bound Annette and her husband were hospitalized and treated for smoke inhalation.
Annette still resided in her first house several miles from where she grew up. She had a collectable bear business, a line of perfume and she started the Annette Funicello Fund for Neurological Disorders.
Died four days after film critic Roger Ebert. Both were unable to eat, drink and talk for their last years. They were also born in 1942 and died aged 70.
She was 17 years old at the time the Sweetheart of the Valley Mayors honor was given to her. It came about when "Televisions 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. Jackson was a longtime friend of Annettes parents Joe and Virginia, and wanted to do something special for their daughter in connection with his restaurants opening. 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. Covering the event was the "Valley News and Green Sheet"--now "The Valley News"--and the Los Angeles Times. Annette was escorted by film and television performer, J.P. Sloane. Annette would also appear with Jackson and Sloane five years later in a television special titled, An Evening at the Inn .
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. Everybody else looked like I wanted to look my entire life: blue eyed and freckle faced.".
Following her death, she was cremated and interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) in Los Angeles, California.
Her funeral was conducted in a private ceremony at Cherished Memories Memorial Chapel in Bakersfield, California.
Daughter of Joe Funicello and Virginia Funicello.
Had two brothers: Michael Funicello and Joey Funicello.
Mother of Gina Portman , Jack Gilardi Jr. and Jason Gilardi.
Mother-in-law of John Portman.
Watching television in those days was not the same experience as it is today. After years of listening to radio, we found the black-and-white images mesmerizing.
When you are young and healthy, it never occurs to you that in a single second your whole life could change.
I have always thought of Walt Disney as my second father. .
