http://variety.com/2013/film/people-...tte-funicello/



This one hit me pretty hard. I know she'd been suffering from multiple sclerosis for many years, so I'm glad that the ordeal is finally over for her, but still... I was a huge fan of hers as a child, mainly from seeing the BEACH PARTY movies and I even went to see her in person when she did a live appearance at a local theater for THE MISADVENTURES OF MERLIN JONES.

Here she is with Frankie Avalon in BEACH PARTY:


She made a film called THUNDER ALLEY with Fabian that would have made a perfect vehicle for her and Elvis. Too bad those two never teamed up.


She and Frankie got together in 1987 to make BACK TO THE BEACH, a 24-years-later parody of the Beach Party movies, and it was pretty funny.



And here's an even later pic of her and Frankie:

She'll be missed.

Damn. I loved Back to the Beach as a kid.

They'll... I mean she will be missed.

Reprinted from my blog.



I’ve probably had a crush on Annette Funicello for as long as I can remember. Even at a young age, I began to recognize the massive awesome appeal of doe-eyed, curvy brunettes, one which has stayed with me until this very day. I mean honestly, was there ever a prettier actress than Annette in Babes In Toyland? I’m waiting…

I grew up watching so many of her movies. Many of them were staples on “Night Owl Movies with Big Wilson”. They became synonymous with summertime and carefree innocence. Mostly the Disney ones. I loved The Shaggy Dog, Merlin Jones, The Monkey’s Uncle, and of course all of those ridiculous “beach movies” that featured Frankie Avalon, endless gag humor, and evil motorcycle gangs. Always with the evil motorcycle gangs! And Paul Lynde, for some reason. Weird. Nonetheless, I was a fan. Her “Mickey Mouse Club” era was way before my time — I’m ‘only’ 42 folks — but she probably became ‘the first crush’ of an entire generation of guys ahead of me. Just ask Kenickie, after all…

In the late 70s and 80s, she became the spokesperson for Skippy peanut butter. These commercials were pretty popular, if I recall correctly. I only bring this up because in 1982 or ’83 they filmed one at my middle school. The school had to pick a dozen or so boys and girls from around my year to appear in the commercial, and I desperately wanted in. I mean, hardcore desperately. Naturally, I wasn’t picked. Crestfallen doesn’t even begin to describe it. But I remember watching the filming (from a distance) and thinking rather wistfully to myself that this was going to be the closest I’d ever get to Annette Funicello. It was still worth it.



She basically disappeared from the public eye in the early 90s, after she was apparently forced to go public with details of her battle with Multiple Sclerosis. Sadly, her quality of life took a huge hit in the 2000s, losing her ability to walk and speak, requiring round-the-clock medical care by the final few years. Yet for so many, she will eternally remain the same vision she was when she shone her brightest. Something about her radiated youth, innocence, beauty, talent, and happiness. That’s the kind of immortality so few will ever achieve, and one towards which so many will endeavor.

RIP Annette. I’ll always remember you kind of as you were in The Monkey’s Uncle (seen here with The Beach Boys singing the movie’s theme song).

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I was too young to know about her when she was young, but my mother also has MS so I was always aware of her. RIP.

The Big Kahuna! As a kid, I only liked the movie for the surfing. I'm sure I can't stomach the movie now.

The only kid I remember from the old Mickey Mouse Club. RIP.

I just watched her "Jamaican ska" clip (Duet with Fishbone) from that movie. Still a catchy tune!

I remember seeing tabloid headlines in the early 90s claiming she's was living her "brave last days" so I'm kind of surprised she lived as long as she did, I know she was struggling with MS for quite awhile.

I never watched many of her "beach" movies but she always seemed like a sweet lady in real life.

As with Roger Ebert and his cancer, I think everyone should be happy they are no longer suffering. RIP

RIP Annette. I spent the afternoon listening to her music.

RIP.


I'm gonna jack-off to some of your pictures eventually.

I never saw it, but there was a 1995 TV movie based on her life A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes: The Annette Funicello Story. Eva La Rue (CSI:Miami, All My Children) played Annette.

I never really thought they were all that. When she was a mouseketeer they seemed kind of small, even for the era.

I just watched it. A little too sad and depressing for me. And I was thrown off by the juxtaposition of the real people and the actors. For instance, Frankie Avalon is played by a (bad) actor in the early scenes but when they get to the 1980s, Avalon plays himself opposite the actress playing young Annette who's been artificially aged by this point. Dick Clark and Shelley Fabares start out being played by actors but then play themselves, also opposite Eva La Rue, the actress playing Annette. Weird.

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Annette.

Back to the Beach was my favorite movie when I was a kid... sad.

I love Back to the Beach. I think I've watched it at least once a year every year since I first saw it in theaters when I was 7.

The digital sub-channel Me-TV will show four episodes of Make Room for Daddy, featuring Annette as a foreign exchange student. The shows air Sunday, April 14 at 1pm Eastern.

http://metvnetwork.com/funicello.php

Rip.