Annette Funicello, the ultimate Girl Next Door to a generation of Baby Boomers who first fell in love with her on the original 1955-'59 incarnation of The Mickey Mouse Club – died Monday after a long battle with multiple sclerosis. She was 70.

Her family told Extra that Funicello passed away from complications of her illness, and they were by her side when she was taken off life support. Funicello had been in an MS coma for years,
I remember watching old Mousketeer episodes with her and movies with Frankie Avalon. R.I.P Annette :\'(

Aww, this is sad news for me, I watched many of the beach blanket films with Frankie Avalon.

http://www.beachpartymoviemusic.com/images/Img167.gif

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4W9bgh19Ys

R.I.P. Annette Funicello




Dan

Sooo sad. I knew she had MS-had it quite a while. At least she isn't in any pain anymore.


One of her last movies, Back to the Beach, a lot of people said should have never been made because it was such an awful film. But, it was really Frankie Avalon's idea to help Annette. Even though she didn't announce that she had MS at the time, Frankie knew it and convinced her to make the movie-but in reality it was for her.

She also made a few cameos like in a made for TV movie about her life-she appeared in the last scene. I thought it was a good film.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ne2yFQPYYmU

BTW, that is Dick Clark dancing with her.



Cat

Sooo sad. I knew she had MS-had it quite a while. At least she isn't in any pain anymore.


One of her last movies, Back to the Beach, a lot of people said should have never been made because it was such an awful film. But, it was really Frankie Avalon's idea to help Annette. Even though she didn't announce that she had MS at the time, Frankie knew it and convinced her to make the movie-but in reality it was for her.

She also made a few cameos like in a made for TV movie about her life-she appeared in the last scene. I thought it was a good film.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ne2yFQPYYmU

BTW, that is Dick Clark dancing with her.



Cat

I read she was having problems way back in 1987 but never announced it till 92 and she lost her ability to walk in 04 and speak in 09. I had a great uncle who suffered from MS for over 35 years and it is awful and though you hate to hear someone passed away she is no longer in pain.
Now her and Dick can dance in Heaven.

Not very well-known here, but some of her bigger-selling records did get released...

Including this - quite collectable due to the Beach Boys connection, with Mike Love doing a passable impersonation of a spare part!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRTlfFlJ4o8

Not very well-known here, but some of her bigger-selling records did get released...

Including this - quite collectable due to the Beach Boys connection, with Mike Love doing a passable impersonation of a spare part!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRTlfFlJ4o8



I was about to post that clip but decided to do the Tall Paul one instead since that was a bigger hit of hers rather than The Monkey's Uncle.



Cat

In lieu of flowers, the money should be used to donate jars of Skippy Peanut Butter to the Child Hunger Ends Here Project. I think AF & her mentor Walt Disney would approve. Let's hope they serve that in Heaven.

Your Pal,
Doc
8)

Her Skippy Peanut Buter ads rocked.  8)

So sad.  I knew she had MS but didn't realize it was bad enough that she was on life support.  At least she is no longer in pain.

Rest in peace, Ms. Funicello.

My favorite Annette flick was "Head" which co-starred The Monkees' Mike Nesmith, Davy Jones, Mickey Dolenz, and Peter Dork.  8)

I don't remember Beach Blanket Bingo but I do remember her Skippy Peanut Butter ads from the 80's.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-VfjUnT29g

"For good nutrition, It's hard to beat Skippy".

RIP Annette.  :\'(

I knew her best from 'Back to the Beach', one of my favourite movies of the 80s.
R.I.P. to a talented star

I seem to recall her and Frankie guest-starring on Full House once, but the girls only knew HER from the Skippy ads. Can anyone confirm that? Pretty sure she didn't do many tv guest spots.

Your Pal,
Doc
???

http://www.mousewait.com/disneyland/chat_images/472068_c_img.jpg

Yes, tough loss for Baby Boomers who loved Annette Funicello from the Mickey Mouse Club.  :(

My favorite Annette flick was "Head" which co-starred The Monkees' Mike Nesmith, Davy Jones, Mickey Dolenz, and Peter Dork.  8)


Annette was in "Head"?  I never actually saw that one, but we had the Monkees records and watched Monkees reruns whenever possible, so I've seen clips of it here and there.
8)

I seem to recall her and Frankie guest-starring on Full House once, but the girls only knew HER from the Skippy ads. Can anyone confirm that? Pretty sure she didn't do many tv guest spots.

Your Pal,
Doc
???


This is correct.  The episode involved Joey landing a part on a Frankie and Annette comeback TV special

So sad.  I knew she had MS but didn't realize it was bad enough that she was on life support.  At least she is no longer in pain.

Rest in peace, Ms. Funicello.



Me either.... I had no idea she'd been in a coma

I seem to recall her and Frankie guest-starring on Full House once, but the girls only knew HER from the Skippy ads. Can anyone confirm that? Pretty sure she didn't do many tv guest spots.

Your Pal,
Doc
???


http://www.v-like-vintage.net/uploads/images/Cropped700/00180410.jpg

This one was from 1991.

http://www.mousewait.com/disneyland/chat_images/472068_c_img.jpg


We all feel the same way as Mickey does.  :\'(

:\'( I liked her from when I saw the movie based on her life. I used to watch told mouseketeer programs on disney too.

Sad to hear!  Another childhood icon, gone  :\'(  :\'(  :\'(

R.I.P. Annette Funicello

http://www.thebrasshalo.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Back-to-the-Beach-1-1024x1024.jpg

anyone see this film?

I seem to recall her and Frankie guest-starring on Full House once, but the girls only knew HER from the Skippy ads. Can anyone confirm that? Pretty sure she didn't do many tv guest spots.

Your Pal,
Doc
???

Yes, they did guest-star on a season 4 episode of "Full House" (namely the 91st episode of the series); it was the episode in which Joey lands a part in a new TV comedy show (show-within-a-show) alongside Frankie and Annette... but the program ultimately gets turned into an animated series, which is never seen again in the main show.

Sad to hear!  Another childhood icon, gone  :\'(  :\'(  :\'(

R.I.P. Annette Funicello

She will be missed by many, that's for sure. :\'( :\'(