<p>I used to watch the repeats. One thing that struck me, and it’s just a commentary on far we’ve come in the arts - there was a video of her dancing. That level of dance would never be considered professional enough nowadays - weak bent arms, not enough core strength. I remember being surprised as well when I watched I think it was called The Red Slippers - not Annette dancing. </p>
<p>I believe they said she was in a coma for years. Sad end for such a sparkly personality. She always seemed so kind and gentle to me.</p>
<p>I also liked Doreen. No one had the star power of Annette, though I’m not sure why she stood out.</p>
<p>Ha ha…you’re kidding, right. Annette had two prominent things that “stood out.”</p>
<p>RIP Annette and Margaret.</p>
<p>She will not live forever in my heart. In fact, the only direct thing I remember about her was when she decided babies from low-income families no longer needed subsidized milk; hence “Milk-Snatcher Thatcher.”</p>
<p>Are you sure about that? I thought she stopped “free milk” for everyone after age 7 (not babies). Before that, all children got free milk til about age 18. I’m not saying that I support her measure, but you shouldn’t say “babies” if the children are over age 7.</p>
<p>I also remember another girl, Darlene, as a sort of blonde/WASP rival or counterpart to Annette dark-haired slightly ethnic good-looks. Darlene never had Annette’s star power though.</p>
<p>I remember watching the Mickey Mouse Club in syndicated reruns in the mid-1960s. I knew at the time that Annette Funicello was supposed to be the standout, but I couldn’t see it myself. I was about 10 at the time.</p>
<p>Last night, after hearing about her death, I watched some old Mickey Mouse Club clips on YouTube. Now I see it. She had something special in the charisma department.</p>
<p>Edited to add: I don’t think there’s anything rude about saying on a message board that you have no reaction to the death of someone you didn’t know personally, even if that person was famous and historically important.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Yes, the structured fashions of the time certainly did add emphasis to full breasts, and Annette had that kind of figure.</p>
<p>Someone mentioned above that Annette’s level of skill in dance would be insufficient today. Something similar struck me about the publicity photos of Annette and Frankie Avalon taken in connection with their beach movies. Neither of them had a body that an actor could flaunt in beachwear today. Yet at the time, nobody seemed to mind that Annette had a few extra pounds on her and Frankie rather obviously didn’t exercise much.</p>
<p>Have we come to expect too much from people, in terms of both their skills and their physical appearance?</p>
<p>Does anyone else have the Joshua Giraffe song going through their head now?
( [Joshua</a> Giraffe Lyrics - Raffi - The Gangnam](<a href=“HugeDomains.com”>HugeDomains.com))
She was the best line.
I was too young to be interested in the beach blanket movies.
Read a sweet interview about her relationship with Walt Disney.
I forgot she had MS. Thats hard.
I also just read that Karen Pendelton ( the smallest girl from the original show), was in a car accident 30 years ago which left her a paraplegic, but also motivated her to finish college and earn a masters degree in pysch. She is now Director for the center of independent living in her city.
Those women are tough. :)</p>
<p>Big OOPS- I was thinking of Anita Bryant, whom I dislike intensely. Sorry, Annette- did like her. Thought about this after shut down computer and finally back on CC now to correct my mistake.</p>
