At 70 Annette Funicello died, complications of MS.
It is always sad when someone from the past, is gone. In Annette's case her loss is also a reminder of mortality of a generation, a generation of TV viewers of the mid-50's, that after school, could go home and having moved on from Howdy Doody watch The Mickey Mouse Club, then Bandstand and at the end of the afternoon, Rocky and Bullwinkle, all on ABC, the other network then NBC and CBS.
In Annette's case she grew up with us, and she went on to do records and movies, nothing great, but nothing like Britney, Lindsey, Justin and the latter incarnation of the Club. In the movies she wasn't allowed to show her navel as dictated by Walt Disney, who guided her career after the Mickey Mouse Club.
It was a different time, a different place for preteens and teenagers to be and act which was going to change and was changing but never in ways that could have been anticipated then.
And no, it wasn't just a matter of being innocent or just square, it was an acceptance as to what was being appropriate and respectful of others, such as; parents, teachers, adults and elders. And yes, of course there were the Eddy Haskells' who used that respect of others to twist to one's own advantage.
So, another has moved from what is remembered to having an end, an end of a fond and important memory for all of us of that time.
She was my favorite mouseketeer. So fresh and natural.
I keep forgetting that I have been lucky enough up til now to continue climbing
up the higher numbers in years, and so this surely is as you said
"a reminder of mortality of a generation" as I too was one that
looked forward to the novelty and entertainment of
The Mickey Mouse Club after school, in a neighbor's home
as it was such a big deal to actually own a t.v. back then.
I have not seen her for decades and so I am wondering
how Annette spent her last years, as I can `see' her face
in my mind's eye at this very moment.
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