Annette Funicello
The "sweetheart" of TV's The Mickey Mouse Club, American entertainer Annette Funicello began performing at age 10. The Disney people themselves sensed that Funicello had star quality, building several...
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BirthDate BirthPlace |
10/21/1942
Utica, NY |
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Paying Tribute to Chris Kelly with the 5 Best Kris Kross Music Videos
May 02, 2013 1:33pm ESTThe tragic passing of Chris Kelly, one half of the '90s hip-hop duo Kris Kross, is bound to weigh on the hearts of his fans. Just a glance at the statement released by Kelly's performing partner and friend Chris Smith, via E!, is enough to conjure up a steady flow of tears: "Chris Kelly was my Best Friend. He was like a brother. I love him and will miss him dearly. Our friendship began as little boys in first grade. We grew up together. It was a blessing to achieve the success, travel the world and entertain Kris Kross fans all around the world with my best friend. It is what we wanted to do and what brought us happiness. I will always cherish the memories of the C-Connection." But what's just as important as our sensitivity to the death of a beloved artist is our celebration of his life and work. The 1990s had legions of fans entertained by Kris Kross' upbeat, wholesome, good-natured songs — cheerful hits about bus rides to school and heavier numbers about the dangers of crime and violence. The young duo's career gave us a handful of memorable entries, and we've rounded up some of our favorites in honor of "Mac Daddy" Kelly and his work with friend and fellow artist, "Daddy Mac" Smith: "Jump" "I Missed the Bus" "Warm It Up" "Live and Die for Hip Hop" "It's a Shame" Follow Michael Arbeiter on Twitter @MichaelArbeiter More:Chris Kelly of Kris Kross Dead at 34Former Child Star Deanna Durbin Dies at 915 Things You May Not Know About Annette Funicello From Our Partners:Beyonce Flaunts Bikini Bod for H&M (Celebuzz)33 Child Stars: Where Are They Now? (Celebuzz)
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Former Child Star Deanna Durbin Dies at 91
May 01, 2013 9:23am ESTIn today's film industry, the phrase "child star" is a term associated with downward spirals and dead-end careers. But memories of Hollywood's golden 1930s are paved with sprightly, beloved young faces: our Shirley Temples, our Mickey Rooneys, and of course one young lady whose movie career granted her designation as the world's richest woman and Winston Churchill's favorite performer: Deanna Durbin. The Depression's teen star, an actress and singer alike, who headlined films like One Hundred Men and a Girl and First Love, has died at age 91, as reported by her son Peter H. David in the Deanna Durbin Newsletter (via The New York Times). David confirmed that Durbin "died a few days ago," choosing not to elaborate further. Canada-born Durbin's big screen career began when she was 15, with the 1935 feature Three Smart Girls, a musical comedy about three sisters who quest from Switzerland to New York City to stop their divorced father from marrying a nefarious socialite. Stories with this plucky, innocent charm carried through Durbin's career via films from Mad About Music to For the Love of Mary (her final film, in 1948, in which she starred at age 26). Following this White House-set comedy, Durbin quit acting and moved to France with her third husband, filmmaker Charles David (who, incidentally, directed Durbin's film Lady on a Train). Prior to David, Durbin was married to assistant director Vaughn Paul, and then screenwriter Felix Jackson. Durbin's career earned her the honors of an Oscar nomination for her second movie, One Hundred Men and a Girl, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill's favor (he allegedly screened aforementioned film following military victories), and stature as the richest woman in the world at the time of her official retirement at age 29. The actress, who also lent her vocal abilities to a number of films, avoided the public eye during the remainder of her life. She is survived by son Peter and daughter Jessica Louise Jackson. Follow Michael Arbeiter on Twitter @MichaelArbeiter More:5 Things You May Not Know About Annette FunicelloChrissy Amphlett, Lead Singer of the Divinyls, DiesVoice Actor Jonathan Winters Dies From Our Partners:Eva Longoria Bikinis on Spring Break (Celebuzz)33 Child Stars: Where Are They Now? (Celebuzz)
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'M*A*S*H' Actor Allan Arbus, a.k.a. Dr. Sidney Freedman, Dies
April 23, 2013 3:54pm ESTActor Allan Arbus, best known for his role as Dr. Sidney Freedman on M*A*S*H and, in real life, as the ex-husband of fashion photographer turned activist Diane Arbus, has died in his Los Angeles home. He was 95. In dozens of episodes of M*A*S*H, Arbus mended psychological wounds with caustic zingers and a decidedly left-wing worldview that mirrored that of show creator Larry Gelbart. He's perhaps best known for his work tending to Alan Alda's Hawkeye in the series finale, "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen," then the highest rated U.S. broadcast of all time. In that epic 150-minute episode, Hawkeye finally had a nervous breakdown — after 11 seasons, mind you — because he witnessed a South Korean woman he was protecting smother her baby so that it wouldn't cry and reveal them to North Korean troops. It was a powerful episode, and demanded a lot from Freedman, who, like Hawkeye, may have realized that witty barbs can only keep the reality of war at bay for so long. Though Arbus was best known for M*A*S*H, he had a previous claim to fame. Born in 1918, Arbus enrolled at New York's City College at the age of 15, but left a year later for a job at Russek's Department Store in Manhattan. There he met a young woman named Diane Nemerov, the daughter of the store's owners. They got married, and after they started a photography business together, Diane Arbus became world famous as a fashion photographer and, later, a documentarian of marginalized people. Arbus remains a major icon in the fashion world for her lush photo spreads in Vogue and Glamour from the '50s and '60s. But her husband got tired of the photography world and closed his business to pursue a career in acting. He appeared in exploitation fare like the Pam Grier classic Coffy, before getting the call-up to M*A*S*H, and continued acting as recently as 2000. His final TV appearance came as Larry David's uncle on Season 1 of Curb Your Enthusiasm, an uncle who's falsely accused of sexually abusing Larry. But that mix of comedy, awkwardness, and outright pain? That's classic Allan Arbus, even at the end. Follow Christian Blauvelt on Twitter @Ctblauvelt More: Jonathan Winters Dies at 87 Roger Ebert, Legendary Film Critic, Dies Annette Funicello Dies From Our Partners:Eva Longoria Bikinis on Spring Break (Celebuzz)33 Child Stars: Where Are They Now? (Celebuzz)
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Jonathan Winters, Comedian and Voice Actor, Dies at 87
April 12, 2013 1:28pm ESTJonathan Winters, a comedian known for his stand-up, impressions, and guest starring roles on tons of movies and TV shows (including the final season of Mork & Mindy) died of natural causes on Thursday at his home, the New York Times reports. Winters got his start in the '50s performing comedy routines and his many voices on radio stations in the midwest. He soon moved on to live performances, best-selling comedy albums, and The Tonight Show , which made his character Maude Frickert, a mean old lady, quite famous. He played small roles in scores of movies and was a regular panelist on the original Hollywood Squares. He also did a stint on the long-running Hee-Haw in the '80s. Later in life, Winters had a second career using his incredibly versatile voice in cartoons. He did a guest spot on Scooby-Doo as himself and later did voices for The Smurfs, Pound Puppies, and Animaniacs. Winters was famously institutionalized in the '50s and urban legend had it that he couldn't distinguish himself from his many characters. In reality he was diagnosed as bipolar. Today we try not to think of that and remember, instead, his hilarious and versatile skills as a comedian. Follow Brian Moylan on Twitter @BrianJMoylan More: Roger Ebert, Legendary Film Critic, DiesAnnette Funicello, Mouseketeer and Beach Mainstay, DiesMeryl Streep Pays Tribute to Margaret Thatcher From Our Partners:Eva Longoria Bikinis on Spring Break (Celebuzz)33 Child Stars: Where Are They Now? (Celebuzz)
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Annette Funicello: 5 Things You May Not Know About Her
April 08, 2013 4:46pm ESTFormer Mouseketeer and beach-movie mainstay Annette Funicello died Monday at the age of 70 after 25 years of battling multiple sclerosis. Anyone born after 1970 might not appreciate Funicello’s pop cultural significance, but let’s just say that she did that whole Disney-to-adult-star transition long before Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Justins Timberlake and Bieber, Selena Gomez, and Miley Cyrus. Here, a few things you may not have known about the late legend: Walt Disney himself discovered her at a dance-school recital in 1955. He’d instructed his minions about what he was looking for: "Go to a school and watch the kids at recess. Watch what happens to you. You’ll notice that you’re watching one kid. Not any of the other kids, but sooner or later your gaze will always go back to this one kid. That kid has star quality. That’s the kid we want to get in The Mickey Mouse Club." He spotted exactly that when he saw 12-year-old Funicello appear in a selection from Swan Lake. She began her recording career while still on The Mickey Mouse Club, despite her admitted lack of vocal prowess. During one of the show’s "serial" segments — basically mini-teen dramas — Annette played a country girl who comes to live with relatives in the city. One episode featured her singing a song called "How Will I Know My Love," despite what she described as her "three-note range." Thousands of fans wrote in asking how they could buy it on record, so Disney asked her to record it. Producer Tutti Camarata invented her "sound" when he found that her voice barely registered on the recording, so he added "an overlay of a second Annette voice," creating a distinctive echo effect. She’d go on to hit the pop charts several times more throughout her career and release several albums, including Annette Sings Anka, Hawaiiannette, and Dance Annette. Her first romance was an on-set one — with fellow Mouseketeer Lonnie Burr. The preteen lothario of The Mickey Mouse Club wasn’t the only boy on set who pined for Annette, but he was the only one who had the guts to put the moves on her. The two held hands on carpool trips to and from Disneyland appearances and shared a first kiss. She had a weakness for cute boys. She crushed on Paul Anka (whom she’d later date), Elvis Presley, Tab Hunter, and Guy Williams (who played Disney’s Zorro) during her time on The Mickey Mouse Club. She even snuck over to the Zorro set to catch a glimpse of Williams despite strict orders to the contrary from Walt himself. Williams signed a photo of himself for her, and she slept with it every night until the frame cracked. She became The Mickey Mouse Club’s breakout star because she got so much fan mail — 6,000 letters per week at her peak. TV networks put a lot of stock in letters as a gauge of popularity, and soon insisted that Annette get as much screen time as possible. "My son is six years old and has shown no noticeable desire for girls," one mother wrote to her, "but he insists on seeing you daily." Another fan said what many others were thinking: "Annette, in my book, you are beautiful. I dream of you every night." Hollywood.comcorrespondent Jennifer Keishin Armstrong wrote about The Mickey Mouse Club’s history and significance in her book Why? Because We Still Like You. She is also the author of Sexy Feminism and Mary and Lou and Rhoda and Ted, a history of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, due out in May. Visit her online at JenniferKArmstrong.com. Follow Jennifer on Twitter @jmkarmstrong More:Annette Funicello Dies at Age 70 Meryl Streep Pays Tribute to the Real 'Iron Lady,' Margaret ThatcherWestboro Baptist Church Plans to Picket Roger Ebert's Funeral From Our Partners:Eva Longoria Bikinis on Spring Break (Celebuzz)33 Child Stars: Where Are They Now? (Celebuzz)
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Annette Funicello, Mouseketeer and Beach Movie Mainstay, Dies at 70
April 08, 2013 1:50pm ESTOn the air for more than 40 years, the Mickey Mouse Club launched the careers of many young men and women who would go on to earn acclaim in the realms of film, television, and music. Long before the Ryan Goslings, Justin Timberlakes, and Britney Spears we know and love, the Disney institution introduced Annette Funicello, an original Mouseketeer who won the world over as an actress-turned-pop singer. Sadly, Extra reports via confirmation from her family that Funicello has passed away following complications related to multiple sclerosis. Funicello died on Monday at the age of 70. Following her preteen turn with The Mickey Mouse Club from 1955 to '57, Utica, N.Y.-native Funicello embarked upon a career in film, starring in The Shaggy Dog ('59) and Babes in Toyland ('61), and in music; she released hits such as "Tall Paul," "First Name Initial," "O Dio Mio," "Train of Love," and "Pineapple Princess," collaborating with Bob and Dick Sherman on each number. But Funicello's most memorable contribution to pop culture was perhaps her everpresent role of Dee Dee, frequent cinematic beach-goer. Funicello appeared in each of Frankie Avalon's memorable oceanside romps, Beach Party ('60), Muscle Beach Party ('64), Bikini Beach ('64... it was a sunny year), Beach Blanket Bingo ('65), and the late addition Back to the Beach ('87). A 45-year-old Funicello quit acting after the latter picture, going public in the 1990s about her MS. In '93, she launched the Annette Funicello Fund for Neurological Disorders at the California Community Foundation, and published her autobiography, A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes: My Story, the following year. The disease continued to plague Funicello, causing her to lose the ability to walk in '04 and to speak in '09. Funicello is survived by her three children, including daughter Gina, who told Extra, "She's on her toes dancing in heaven... no more MS. My brothers and I were there, holding her sweet hands when she left us." More:Meryl Streep Pays Tribute to the Real 'Iron Lady,' Margaret ThatcherWestboro Baptist Church Plans to Picket Roger Ebert's FuneralHalle Berry Pregnant with Second Child Follow Michael Arbeiter on Twitter @MichaelArbeiter [Photo Credit: Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images] From Our Partners:40 Most Revealing See-Through Red Carpet Looks (Vh1)33 Child Stars: Where Are They Now? (Celebuzz)
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Mouseketeer Bonnie Lynn Fields loses cancer battle at 68
November 21, 2012 4:00am ESTThe singer and dancer was 68. Fields was just 12 when she was offered the chance to become one of Walt Disney's Mouseketeers, and she became a show regular in 1957. She went on to enjoy a film and theatre career but her love of dance led to her creating the popular Lynn Fields School of Tap and Performing Arts in Santa Monica, California. Fields also performed in live shows at Disneyland and appeared in the TV shows The New Adventures of Spin and Marty and Annette, opposite another Mickey Mouse Club favourite, Annette Funicello.
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Annette Funicello sued by neighbours over fire
September 08, 2012 5:15am ESTThe Beach Blanket Bingo star's Encino property went up in smoke in March, 2011 and local residents are now suing the 69 year old over claims their houses were also damaged. The lawsuit, obtained by TMZ.com, states that neighbouring homes were contaminated by toxins from the blaze and were left covered in charred waste and debris. The website reports the group is suing for $25,000 (£15,625) in damages to cover property damage, medical expenses and lost wages.
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Funicello's home in blaze drama
March 11, 2011 4:00am ESTThe blaze broke out on Thursday morning (10Mar10) at the Beach Blanket Bingo star's Encino home. Three occupants of the house were taken to hospital as a precaution, according to the Los Angeles Times. It is not known if the actress was one of those. According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, the blaze was contained in less than 30 minutes, but had destroyed memorabilia in the house and furniture. The house is not listed in ailing Funicello's name, but neighbours insist the actress, who suffers from Multiple Sclerosis, has lived there for several years.
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Sick BTK Killer Had Halle Berry and Meg Ryan Fantasies
August 26, 2005 10:25am ESTConvicted murderer Dennis Rader had sick fantasies about Meg Ryan and Halle Berry--and detailed what he'd do to them if he ever found himself alone with the movie stars. Rader, who dubbed himself the BTK Killer for his method of "blind, torture, kill," was handed consecutive life sentences for the 10 murders he has admitted to on Aug. 18. And now it has emerged that the serial killer, a former Kansas dog catcher, harbored sick fantasies about his favorite actresses, which he pasted on the back of photos of Berry and Ryan which were filed away at his home. Police have also revealed Rader also confessed to a fantasy in which he kidnapped Beach Blanket Bingo star Annette Funicello, now 62. Prosecutor Nola Foulston, who put sick Rader behind bars, reveals he told police, "Annette Funicello was my favorite fantasy hit when she was on the Mouseketeers. I had these imaginary stories of how I was going to get to kidnap her, and do sexual things to her in California." Article Copyright World Entertainment News Network All Rights Reserved.
