Original Mickey Mouse Club Home

Time 2021-10-24 12:10:50

Web Name: Original Mickey Mouse Club Home

WebSite: http://www.originalmmc.com

ID:211388

Keywords:

Mickey,Original,Mouse,Home,Club,mouseketeer,mouseketeers,MickeyMouseClub,Disney,

Description:

keywords:mouseketeer, mouseketeers, Mickey Mouse Club, Disney, Disneyland
description:Tribute site for the Original Mickey Mouse Club 1955-58
The Original Mickey Mouse Club Show Home | Cast | The Show | Serials | Talent Winners | Media | Crew | FAQ | Lost Episodes | Links | Contact a more complete notice may be read here.


May 5th, 2018

Two new updates from our favorite Mousekereporter Randall Nakashima: first another in the series of Lost Episodes, and second a brief Road Trip article with video clips..... For the feature video there's a first season Circus Day show with Pansy the Costume Horse.....

April 4th, 2018

Farewell to Lynn Ready

Mouseketeer Lynn Ready's family revealed he passed away from cancer on February 26th, 2018. He was a professional musician for most of his adult life, and very much part of the Sunset Strip music scene during the sixties. His obituary appeared only in a small local paper on March 14th, 2018.


February 14th, 2018

Randall Nakashima brings us another in the series of Lost Episodes, while the profile for John Lee Johann has been revised by a long-time contributor to the website..... For the feature video, here's a second season Talent Roundup Day with Nancy Druckenbrod and Benn Zeppa.....

January 22nd, 2018

Although it is very short, this feature video from a first season Anything Can Happen Day shows the Blue Team mice playing the What Am I? game.....

January 10th, 2018

Farewell to the Merriest Mouseketeer

January 1st, 2018

Happy New Year! To open the new year here's a lesser known third season FWM Day skit for the feature video. Your webmaster's prediction for 2018 is that this video, like so many others from this site, will sooner or later find its way to a certain YouTube channel.....

December 2nd, 2017

Randall Nakashima has favored us once again with a Lost Episode having a strong tie-in to a well-known Disney animated short..... For the feature video there is a second season Circus Day equestrian act, The Platos.....

August 10th, 2017

A new article in the Lost Episodes series by Mousekereporter Randall Nakashima is now available..... Watch Karen Pendleton learn about animation in Karen in Kartoonland.....

June 30th, 2017

A new series of articles debuts with Mousekereporter Randall Nakashima recounting the first entry in Road Trips..... Your webmaster recently had the pleasure of hearing Tommy Cole sing in person, and can happily report his voice has slightly deepend since his performance in this Unbirthday Celebration.....

June 16th, 2017

For those of you in the Chicago area, some of the mice will be making a rare live visit outside Southern California, at the Tivoli Theatre in Downer's Grove, on Sunday June 25th at 1:00 pm. They are appearing to support fund raising for The Center for Early Childhood Creativity at the Walt Disney Birthplace. No official word yet on which mice will be there. Your webmaster will be checking this out and will hopefully get some photos for the website....

May 6th, 2017

Hack O'Brien, who was a guest on the very first Talent Roundup Day show, passed away Wednesday at age 102. He was the last living Mouskedad to my knowledge; at least two Mousekemoms still survive..... Mousekereporter Randall Nakashima gives us another chapter in the irregular series of Lost Episodes...... And here's a brief video appropriate to the Great American Pastime.....

April 1st, 2017

Through the courtesy of Ron Steiner come some candid photos of Mouseketeers at the MMC Circus, including a couple that violate Disney standards (see if you can guess which and why)..... Another in the series of Lost Episodes is presented by Randall Nakashima..... Finally here's a jaunty little tune Do-Mi-So for the feature video

March 4th, 2017

Mouseketeer Ron Steiner gave an interview to Randall Nakashima about his days as a mouse...... And along those lines here's a feature video with him and his pals

December 31st, 2016

Death Revealed: Kurt over at the Cinch and Set website has a brief eulogy for one of the main actors in the Spin and Marty serials......

December 24th, 2016

Longtime website visitor Jim E. from Canada recently got Winnipeg reporter John Einarson interested in Ronnie Steiner and his two brothers, all of whom appeared on the MMC. The result was a marvelously written and illustrated recounting of their long show business career..... After a six month engagement by the Amandi's its time for a new feature video......

November 2nd, 2016

Thanks to roving Mousekereporter Randall Nakashima we have another in the series of Lost Episodes and an updated season one FWM skits page......

July 4th, 2016

Another in the series of Lost Episodes comes your way. This one will be updated on an irregular basis as new information becomes available..... A website visitor requested our new feature video, otherwise it probably would not have been shown due to video quality concerns.....

May 18th, 2016

First season director Dik Darley passed away on April 21, 2016 at age 92, though his death wasn't reported in the media until just recently (thanks to Justin B)......

May 9th, 2016

Sherry Alberoni gets the Baby Boomers Talk Radio treatment starting today......

April 17th, 2016

Lonnie Burr will be the next Mouseketeer to be interviewed on Baby Boomers Talk Radio starting tomorrow, Monday April 18th...... and speaking of Lonnie, a thoughtful retrospective on him attending a 1956 fan party was posted a few years back at this blog site.....

April 4th, 2016

Cubby O'Brien is the new Mouseketeer interview on Baby Boomers Talk Radio......

March 24th, 2016

Mouseketeer J.J. Solari does an interview with Baby Boomers Talk Radio......

March 1st, 2016

Regular twice monthly updates, a feature of this site for many years, will give way to a much more irregular schedule going forward...... For the third season (1964-65) of the Mickey Mouse Club's first syndication the studio offered some hastily produced new material to entice local stations into renewing their subscriptions. One of these new segments featured college science teacher Julius Sumner Miller as Professor Wonderful......

February 17th, 2016

YouTube has a new channel called MickeyMouseClubChannel. Hmmmm...... The mid-month video is a rare item from a second season short serial called Children of the Arctic......

February 1st, 2016

The leadoff video this month is from a first season Anything Can Happen Day show broadcast November 16, 1955 and called Gadget Band #2......

January 16th, 2016

There's an update to the other magazines page thanks to Marcia from Kansas..... The mid-month video is an interesting glimpse of what the film editors did to shape the fourth season reruns......

January 1st, 2016

Happy New Year! To open the new year here's a complete TRU Day show from the first season (including the original commercials) for our feature video......

December 1st, 2015

Though some may decry an interest in set stills sans mice your webmaster finds them worth a glance..... Our lead off video this month comes from a second season Fun With Music Day skit called Day's End.....

November 15th, 2015

From a first season Fun With Music Day show comes a website visitor's request for our mid-month feature video.....

November 1st, 2015

Those who grew up in Southern California during the fifties may remember how crowded the schools were as new construction couldn't keep up with the Baby Boom. Competition for scarce resources within the school could lead to a situation like our lead-off video depicts in Basketball Ballet.....

October 25th, 2015

Lonnie Burr will once again be a guest on Stu Shostak's internet radio show this coming Wednesday, October 28th, at 7 pm EDT/4 pm PDT. Stu Shostak's program is devoted to interviewing Television's early stars, including the Mouseketeers.......

October 23rd, 2015

Serial actor George Ferrante, who was credited as "Brand Stirling" in The Adventures of Spin and Marty and Further Adventures of Spin and Marty, passed away October 18th. For a retrospective on his early television and film career visit the Cinch and Set website.

October 15th, 2015

Rotating video clips on this site are usually from Mouseketeer numbers but occasionally one of the lesser known serials is featured, as is the case with Border Collie.

October 7th, 2015

Serial actor Kevin Corcoran passed away in Burbank, California yesterday after a long battle with cancer.

October 1st, 2015

A new limited series called "Lost Episodes" begins with a look at some Newsreel Specials from the summer of 1956..... For the monthly video we'll take a journey south of the border.

September 15th, 2015

Today we have two more in our irregular series of set still photos, this time from the skit Holiday in Hawaii..... A website visitor's request leads to a complete Talent Roundup Day Mouseketeer segment from Nov 4, 1956 for the mid-month video.

September 1st, 2015

For those who missed the live event you can watch the complete D23 Mouseketeer show on YouTube courtesy of Laughing Place (thanks to Marcia from Kansas)..... J. J. Solari and Darlene Gillespie are the featured performers in this month's lead-off video.

August 18th, 2015

Disney's 60th Anniversary Celebration of the Mickey Mouse Club, held at the Anaheim Convention Center, attracted a number of original Mouseketeers, including those shown in the photo at left (courtesy of Mary Espinosa Goff, photo credit Michael Goff). The mice in attendance all received their 'Mousecar' (Disney Oscar) award. More photos can be found here.

August 15th, 2015

Here's another of our infrequent pages devoted to Set Still Photos..... Just in time for Sharon's birthday lets watch The Sharon Show for the video update.

August 1st, 2015

Happy Birthday to Karen Pendleton..... Sherry Alberoni, whose brief tenure on the MMC was marked by near invisibility, has become remarkably visible in recent decades..... In honor of Karen's birthday one of her most unusual (and charming) numbers is the video update.

July 25th, 2015

Disneyland's 60th Anniversary Celebration was attended by a number of original Mouseketeers, including those shown in the photo at left (courtesy of Mary Espinosa Goff). The mice took part in the ceremonies in front of the castle, along with actor Dick Van Dyke and choreographer Miriam Nelson.

July 13th, 2015

The official Disney fan club D23 will present Celebrating Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse Club-60 Magical yEARS on Sunday, August 16, at 5 p.m. in Stage 23 at the D23 EXPO in Anaheim, CA. On stage celebrities will include original Mouseketeers Sherry Alberoni, Sharon Baird, Bobby Burgess, Tommy Cole, Darlene Gillespie, Cubby O'Brien, and Doreen Tracey, along with actors Tim Considine and David Stollery. In addition, many more Mouseketeers and serial actors will be present as VIP guests. For more information on D23 EXPO, please visit D23EXPO..... No video update this time, your webmaster will be in Los Angeles for the next two weeks.

July 1st, 2015

S u m m e r t i m e, and your webmaster is livin' easy..... still has a long way to catch up with Lonnie Burr's website which is well into its second decade..... And speaking of that old hoofer Lonnie lets watch him and Margene Storey set the floor on fire in our feature video......

April 15th, 2015

A rarity has appeared on YouTube, a video clip of the Steiner Brothers on the Ed Sullivan Show during 1958. Click on the photo at left to view it (thanks to Marcia from KS)..... For our own mid-month video a special request for the Lennon Sisters.....

April 1st, 2015

April has arrived and hopefully spring-like weather with it..... There have been a lot of video requests lately, and here's another for the Thompson Brothers on Talent Roundup Day......

March 15th, 2015

Bill Robinson of the Rolling Robinsons (pictured) is looking for a copy of his family's performance on the first Guest Star Day of the second season (Oct 2, 1956). Contact the webmaster of this site if you have a copy and are willing to share..... The mid-month video clip is a special request from a website visitor in honor of St. Patrick's Day.....

March 1st, 2015

A website visitor's request for a first season Mouseketeer number is honored by two "Mouseketune Specials"......

February 15th, 2015

The Mickey Mouse Club Alma Mater started off as a simple question-response chant between Jimmie Dodd and twenty or so mice sitting in bleachers. By the end of first season filming however the song had been expanded to its familiar form and became another showcase for the dozen Red Team members. A special request for that late first season Alma Mater is presented along with one of the Disneyland ride shows for the mid-month video......

February 1st, 2015

Bobby Burgess will be at Disneyland on February 28, 2015 for a special appearance and signing of his memoir...... The lead-off video is a dance performance by a second season Mouseketeer talent winner......

January 15th, 2015

While winter keeps a hard cold grip and icicles form on your webmaster's mustache you can enjoy dreams of balmy weather with some Hawaiian music courtesy of two charming third season talent winners......

January 1st, 2015

Happy New Year! A website visitor noted that three Blue team girls have birthdays during the first week of January and so requested something featuring them for the monthly video clip. Your webmaster thought to go him one better and include the fourth Mouseketeer girl with a birthday this month as well in a brief compilation video......

December 15th, 2014

A special request leads to the mid-month video of the Oberkirchen Children's Choir first perfomance on the MMC......

December 1st, 2014

Something a bit different to start this month... a video clip of a dozen 21st Century Mouseketeers (and three original mice) recreating the MMC daily roll call dances......

November 15th, 2014

A website visitor requested two different first season Fun with Music Day video clips be shown when possible. Since one of these is very short, both are included with this update. The first is Orange in the Orchard and the second the slightly oddball Humphrey Hop......

November 1st, 2014

A request for showing the second season Fun with Music Day roll call is honored for this month's opening feature video......

October 15th, 2014

Hey, let's all go peek into Darlene's bedroom, courtesy of some more set still photographs..... From the first season, Jimmie Dodd and the Mouseketeer guys are Painting Aunt Polly's Fence......

October 1st, 2014

Were parents allowed on the MMC set? At least one was as yet another special page for an MMC set still photo shows..... The lead-off video this month is a second season Fun with Music Day skit called Switzerland......

September 15th, 2014

Be sure to check out Lonnie Burr's official website for some news and photos of his recent Disney Legends award..... Here's another special page for an MMC set still photo..... The mid-month video is a second season Guest Star Day with the Firehouse 5 + 2......

September 1st, 2014

Here's something that hasn't been done on this website for awhile, a special page covering an MMC set still photo. It includes a brief video clip in a format new to this site.... The lead-off video is from a first season Guest Star Day with The Sons of the Pioneers......

August 16th, 2014

The mid-month video is a first season feature from the time slot usually given over to the Newsreel Segment on Circus Days called Karen in Kartoonland......

August 9th, 2014

Well, someone finally got around to telling your webmaster there was a problem viewing the feature clip; thanks to Dan in Los Angeles it's now fixed. ..... Dan has also provided a link to a YouTube clip of Cheryl Holdridge playing "Betty" in an unsold TV pilot for a live-action Archie Andrews sitcom. (Be warned, this has some commercials)......

August 2nd, 2014

Another review has been added to the Books section, for the autobiography of Mouseketeer Bobby Burgess..... The lead-off video clip this month is a third season Talent Roundup Day performance by the Half-Tones.....

July 25th, 2014

More Mouseketeer photos from the The Hollywood Show held last weekend, this time through the courtesy of photographer David Keeler.......

July 21st, 2014

Some Mouseketeer photos from the The Hollywood Show held this past weekend, courtesy of website visitor Randall Nakashima and his family.......

July 19th, 2014

A number of Mouseketeers received Disney Legend awards this week from the Disneyana Fan Club. These awards have been given out annually since 1993, but not until this year have any Mouseketeers been honored with it. (This award is distinct from the Disney Legend award given out by the official Disney fan club D23). The identity of all mice who received this award has still not been confirmed. Those known for certain are: Nancy Abbate, Sherry Alberoni, Sharon Baird, Bobby Burgess, Lonnie Burr, Tommy Cole, Cubby O'Brien, Karen Pendleton, and Doreen Tracey. Apologies for anyone left out.......

July 15th, 2014

The Mouseketeers in Australia: check out photos on this webpage from their appearence on a live children's program during their first tour in May 1959 (thanks to David from Oz)..... For the mid-month video clip there is a much better quality episode of the series previously called English Correspondant, this one on the Blues and Royals Household Cavalry, hosted and narrated by Annette.......

July 14, 2014

On Friday, July 18, Lonnie Burr will be honored at the Disneyana Fan Club's Disney Legends Award Luncheon from 12:00 noon - 2:30 p.m. at the Wyndham Anaheim, 12021 Harbor Blvd, Anaheim, CA. (If you know the area, until very recently this was a Crowne Plaza hotel). Lonnie will be interviewed, and after the luncheon, there's an autograph session and sale of Lonnie's updated memoir The Accidental Mouseketeer, photographs, and DVDs for DisneyanaMania attendees and friends..... Also, please help inaugurate Lonnie's new Roll Call GuestBook. The previous one was lost when the company hosting it just vanished one day......

July 9, 2014

Some dates to remember for those who will be in Southern California late next week: First up on July 17th at the Disneyland Hotel is the Disneyana Fan Club's Thirty Years of Ears luncheon that will include a silent auction to benefit A Minor Consideration. Rumor has it there will also be a brief Mouseketeer performance or two, and a group panel. Check the link for registration form and a list of Guests of Honor..... Later that weekend The Hollywood Show will host a mini MMC reunion at the Westin LAX Hotel in Los Angeles, CA, on July 19th and 20th. Several Mouseketeers are scheduled to appear to meet with fans, sign autographs and take photos.....

July 1, 2014

Serial actor Glen Graber's profile has been added with unique photos and information about Adventure in Dairyland...... The lead off video this month is from a second season travel serial English Correspondant that focuses on scouting.....

June 17, 2014

Whoops! Your webmaster got his signals crossed; only one Red Team Mouseketeer is to be awarded Disney Legend status come July 18th. Apologies for any confusion created by this misunderstanding...... The mid-month video is from a first season Circus Day featuring some female acrobats.....

June 1, 2014

From Troy Lewis with The Hollywood Show comes word of a MMC reunion at the Westin LAX Hotel in Los Angeles, CA, on July 19th and 20th. Bobby Burgess , Cubby O'Brien, Karen Pendleton, Sharon Baird, Sherry Alberoni, Tommy Cole, Steve Stevens, and Tommy Kirk are all scheduled to appear to meet with fans, sign autographs and take photos..... The lead-off video this month is a first season Guest Star Day featuring the original performers from Disneyland's Golden Horseshoe Revue.....

May 15, 2014

Electric guitars were vastly outnumbered by accordions as a favored instrument for kids to play during the mid 1950's, but that would soon change as this first season video of some teenage talent winners shows......

May 5, 2014

Cartoonist and illustrator Dan Cunningham has just posted a Q many thanks to all the folks who have contributed information, photos, and videos over the years..... Speaking of videos, the feature video is again a special request from the first season, this time an Anything Can Happen Day number.....

April 15, 2014

Craig Adams has written a well-researched and very informative article on Bob Amsberry and Ginny Tyler's early days in radio and television (Thanks to Marcia again) ..... The feature video is a special request for a first season Guest Star Day.....

April 8, 2014

Long-time website contributer Marcia from Kansas has pointed out this interesting video of the MMC Circus from November 1955. Uploaded by the legendary Dave Oneal of the Extinct Attractions Club, it features intermittant glimpses of Mouseketeers amongst the circus wagons, parades, and animal acts..... The feature video has been uploaded to YouTube in honor of Darlene's 73rd Birthday.....

April 1, 2014

Something a bit different for this month's lead off video, a Darlene song sampler......

March 15, 2014

An interesting video link from a website visitor: here's a Dobie Gillis episode from 1959 with Sherry Alberoni and talent winner Larrian Gillespie as sisters (starting about 3:10) while Judy Harriet can be briefly glimpsed (for about ten seconds at 8:09) in a walk through scene (Thanks to globor) Whoops this is already gone from YouTube..... For the mid-month video here's the introductary episode to a third season serial......

March 1, 2014

Though it was not the first Disney or even MMC use of this theme, there's a simple charm about this month's lead-off video ......

February 24th, 2014

Be sure to listen in this Wednesday February 26th from 4-6 pm PST as Lonnie Burr appears on Stu Shostak's internet radio show. Stu does marvellous in-depth interviews with his subjects; among his previous Mouseketeer guests have been Cubby O'Brien, Bobby Burgess, and Sherry Alberoni. The program is free to listen to live, and will become permanently available in the Archives section of Stu's website as a download within a few hours after the live show.......

February 1, 2014

Brrr! Winter dreams, of milder climes and gentler times, takes us to the Land of Me-Oh-My......

January 19, 2014

The Mouseketeer segment for a first season Talent Roundup Day is reconstructed from different syndicated shows......

January 1, 2014

Happy New Year! Some YouTube clips related to Mouseketeers and the Mickey Mouse Club have made a reappearence after a brief hiatus; for video tributes to Doreen Tracey and Lonnie Burr click on their names, while you can watch Nancy Abbate sing by clicking on her name as well..... Let's start the new year with both musical numbers from the skit Sweet Shoppe Rock......

December 16, 2013

Mouseketeer Lonnie Burr has updated his website, give it a visit..... The pages for the Anything Can Happen Day programs have been updated for the first and second seasons..... It's cold and snowy where your webmaster lives, a perfect day for going Strollin' by the Beach......

December 2, 2013

As a Blue Team Mouseketeer Dick Dodd didn't always get a chance to say lines on camera, but in this feature video he not only speaks but he also gets to dance with guest star Helene Stanley......

November 30, 2013

From Mary Espinosa Goff comes this sad news:

"Dick Dodd passed away peacefully, surrounded by family and friends in the hospital, on Fri. 11/29/13 at 10pm. He had courageously been battling 4th stage cancer, and throughout his confinement, remained in great spirits - happy to see his visitors. So honored to be his friend. A memorial fund is available for those who wish to donate".

November 20th, 2013

Diane Disney Miller, elder daughter of Walt Disney, passed away yesterday of complications resulting from a fall......

November 15th, 2013

The Fun with Music Day pages for musical numbers and skits for the first, second, and third season have been updated..... Feeling a bit disappointed with the dating scene? Here's someone else with the Blind Date blues......

November 1st, 2013

Mouseketeer Dick Dodd is fighting against stage four cancer. For more information, visit DickDodd.com..... A first season FWM Day number is the lead-off video this month......

October 17th, 2013

Your webmaster has had few surprises with Mickey Mouse Club items so unexpected as yesterday's eBay auction of sheet music for Sho-Jo-Ji, which went for $159. This traditional Japanese children's song formed the basis for a first season Fun with Music Day number with voice-over singing by folk artists Frances Archer and Beverly Gile. They also sang in voice-over for another FWM number and appeared themselves on Guest Star Day.

October 15th, 2013

Circus Day performer Kumar of India has passed away after a long career in show business. Video of his performance is sadly unavailable; one Mouseketeer recalls his act as being the most amazing ever shown on the MMC (thanks to RichardF)...... For the mid-month video here's an episode from Further Adventures of Spin and Marty......

October 1st, 2013

A long-time contributor to this site had a special request for the feature video, a clip not shown on here before, featuring the Lennon Sisters in their second appearence on the show......

September 15th, 2013

Those who enjoy equine activities might like these first season four-legged visitors to the show......

September 1st, 2013

For the lead-off video this month here's a first season guest star presenting his version of Fractured Fairy Tales with cello accompaniment......

August 15th, 2013

Two new videos on YouTube have been delighting MMC fans; click on the photos to watch them (thanks to Rick from Dallas)..... Our own mid-month video features two Mouseketeer girls and a young serial star in his first ever Disney serial.....

August 1st, 2013

This past weekend a local Disney fan group called Friends of the Mouse featured original Mouseketeer Nancy Abbate as their guest speaker in Garden Grove, California. If you are a Facebook member, check out their page for photos and videos of other event as well...... For our feature video, here's a third season clip featuring a children's choir from Germany.....

July 15th, 2013

Back in 2008 MMC guest star Ralph Heid contacted your webmaster looking for a video clip of his 1956 performance. Unfortunately one wasn't available then, but last year a copy came this way and is now our mid-month feature......

July 7th, 2013

Some photos of Mouseketeers attending last month's dedication of the Annette Funicello soundstage, courtesy of Mary Espinosa and Nancy Abbate. Because she appears in so many of these Nancy suggested cropping her out of some, but your webmaster will do no such thing.....

July 3rd, 2013

The Disney Studio rededicated one of it's sound stages on June 24th to Annette Funicello in a ceremony hosted by CEO Bob Iger. Many of her former colleagues were there (video) with one delightful surprise being the inclusion of Darlene Gillespie..... Two website visitors have independently written in about Jimmie Dodd's guitar (which incidently figures into our feature video). Mark Josephs of the Tenor Guitar Foundation informs us Jimmie played a four string tenor guitar tuned CGDA, the same tuning as his Mousegetar, while from Mac Birch comes a link on the origin of Jimmie's guitar.....

June 1st, 2013

Only one update this month, as your webmaster will be travelling in Southern California the latter half of June..... Another special request for the monthly video, a first season Fun with Music Day number featuring Tommy Cole and Darlene Gillespie singing Do-Mi-So......

May 15th, 2013

Another Mouseketeer turns septuagenarian at the end of this month, for which occasion Lonnie Burr's profile page has been spruced up with a few new photos. Be sure to drop by Lonnie's own website and wish him a Happy 70th Birthday..... and in keeping with the Lonnie theme, here he is with three other Mouseketeer guys singing and dancing to A Whale of a Sailor......

May 1st, 2013

May marks seven years on the web for this site, with last month bringing nearly seven million hits and delivering over 200 gigabytes of photos, videos, and information (equal to about 100 DVD's) to website visitors..... A few updates to the Other Magazines page, including one with more rope twirling by Johnny Crawford, come courtesy of Marcia from Kansas..... By special request the monthly video is an odd little first season Fun with Music Day number featuring Tommy Cole, Nancy Abbate and a trio of Mousekegirls......

April 25, 2013

Through the courtesy of photographer David Keeler we have a photo montage of Johnny Crawford and his skill with a rope at the Hollywood Collector's Show last week (click photo at left). After leaving the Mickey Mouse Club Johnny was an Emmy-nominated star of The Rifleman and later competed on the rodeo circuit.....

April 22, 2013

The Oregonian has posted a video of Lonnie Burr singing the MMC Alma Mater a capella.....

April 16th, 2013

For the mid-month video there's a Talent Roundup Day show from the second season featuring singer Pamela Beaird......

April 14, 2013

Lonnie Burr posts unique photos and a reminder in a valedictory reminisence for Annette.....

April 12, 2013

Among the many eulogies for Annette Funicello that have appeared since her passing is this brief memorial in the San Diego Union-Tribune with Nancy Abbate that includes a photo from one of the numbers they performed together, Cooking with Minnie Mouse (photo at left).....

April 8, 2013

Goodbye to Mouseketeer Annette Funicello, who passed away today in Bakersfield, California.



April 1st, 2013

YouTube has a new video for Doreen Tracey's 70th birthday with clips from her MMC days.... A brief profile with photos of Mouseketeer Eileen Diamond appears in the Santa Fe New Mexican (thanks to Marcia from Kansas)..... Talent Winner Patti Lee has an audio clip added to her page, while the Rudy Hazucha Trio gets its own page..... This month's video is appropriate to April Fool's Day......

March 18th, 2013

A late arrival for the mid-month video: a first season Circus Day animal act......

March 1st, 2013

Several of the magazine pages have been updated with new material (here, here and here), largely courtesy of Marcia from Kansas..... Apologies to users of the Chrome browser about the MP3 audio files on some of the pages. Apparently that browser automatically starts playing them when the page is visited..... For the monthly video, here's the complete version of a Fun with Music Day skit from the second season featuring nearly all the Mouseketeers......

February 15th, 2013

The video links page has been updated to include some more clips of Mickey Mouse Club clips from around the internet.... For our own mid-month video, here's a charming little Anything Can Happen Day show from the first season featuring the Mouseketeers playing a game......

February 3rd, 2013

Magician Bill Chaudet, who with his first wife appeared as Circus Day act The Chaudets twice during the first season, passed away last month at age 91. Read Kerry Ross' tribute to his friend and mentor in Daily Variety......

February 1st, 2013

For those using a Mac or other Apple products who are having problems viewing video clips on this site, try installing Flip4Mac. It's free and available at Macupate or by going to Flip4Mac's website (Thanks to Rick O'Leary)...... There were a lot of "givens" to Mouseketeer performances, and one illustrated by our lead-off feature video is when the producers needed a female prat fall they inevitably turned to Doreen Tracey.....

January 15, 2013

The Disney Studio created roughly 266 hours of programming for the original Mickey Mouse Club, however it's anyone's guess how much of it survives. Much of what is accesible today exists in fragmentary form. Two such short excerpts have been combined for the mid-month feature video.

January 4, 2013

Author and Mouseketeer (though Disney's CEO winces everytime he hears this) J. J. Solari features in a new memoir by Los Angeles radio personality Dave Hull. In between his dancing and writing careers J. J. performed as a shill for Dave Hull's Lovelines radio program during the seventies. The book even has a full page photo of J. J. counselling a fellow author.....

January 1, 2013

Happy New Year! Speaking of Biden and the Fiscal Cliff, here's a complete second season Fun with Music Day skit, hearkening back to depression-era tramps and railroad cops.

December 28, 2012

Actor Harry Carey Jr, who played counselor Bill Burnett in all three Spin and Marty serials, has died at age 91. (Thanks to webmaster Kurt Spitzner)

December 15, 2012

Disney Historian and author Jim Korkis has written up some interview notes from earlier this month with four Mouseketeers..... Jim Hill's website reports that CalArts has a new special collection on the Mickey Mouse Club built around papers and effects from the estates of Jimmie Dodd and Ruth Carrell (thanks to Mark Hickson)...... The mid-month video feature is a first season reprise of songs from the 1946 Disney film Song of the South

December 8, 2012

Author Rita Rose has thoughtfully provided some photos and a brief description of Bonnie Lynn Fields memorial service......

December 1, 2012

Lonnie Burr has some photos from Bonnie Lynn Fields memorial service on his Anything Can Happen page..... When Disney released the first week of the The Mickey Mouse Club on DVD in 2005, it included five parts of the ten part serial What I Want To Be. For this month's opening video we pick up with part six......

November 17, 2012

Goodbye to original Mouseketeer Bonnie Lynn Fields, who passed away this morning in Winchester, Indiana. Emily Kay-Tillman remembers Bonnie:

I was a student of Bonnie Lynn Fields for many years. We all called her Lynn. She was my mentor, my teacher, and my friend. Her incredible talent, charisma, and enthusiasm for dance and the performing arts were a great inspiration to thousands of students. She is one of the main reasons that I am in my twenty-first year as owner of a dance studio, and it is she who was my role model for creating a learning environment with the primary work ethic to dance from the heart.

November 15, 2012

For the mid-month video a Fun with Music Day number called Old MacDonald from the first season.....

November 1, 2012

The serial page for Corky and White Shadow has been given a minor facelift, but a lady named Sandy prevented a full revision. When first setting up this page the serial's production was ascribed to October 1955 for circumstantial reasons. Upon encountering a published source that placed the filming in June 1955, the page was changed to reflect that assertion. Now new evidence has caused a reversion to the original date.... And along those lines this month's opening feature video is the Introduction to Corky and White Shadow.....

October 15, 2012

Original Mouseketeers Nancy Abbate and Mary Espinosa in a recent photo fifty-seven years after they appeared on the Mickey Mouse Club together...... The Annette Funicello Research Fund has a special message for all of Annette's fans..... And to celebrate Annette's 70th birthday the mid-month video has an episode of the third season Mousekatour to England.....

October 1, 2012

This month's opening feature video is the last half of a third season Fun with Music Day. It is a somewhat controversial piece today, but not at the time it was made (1957), and no disrespect is intended by showing Japanese Cinderella.....

September 15, 2012

A trbute site to many actors of the 1950's and 60's has a page of screen captures from some of Cheryl Holdridge's many post-MMC television appearences (thanks to Marcia from Kansas)..... The mid-month feature video is a first season Guest Star Day with the Sons of the Pioneers.....

September 1, 2012

A new section has been added to the website, where visitors can upload their own MMC related photos. Called the Gallery, everybody can view the photos, but you'll have to register to upload your own. Registration is on the honor system to start; fill out the required fields and you'll be instantly activated. For the "Full Name" field, do NOT put your real name (unless you want). This field will become the title of your personal album. For the email field, put a valid email, it will not be displayed. Webmaster reserves the right to delete any inappropriate photos

A new post-Disney song by Darlene Gillespie and her sisters has been added to her profile..... The feature video this month is the opening number for a second season Fun with Music Day.....

August 15, 2012

For Annette fans, a link to an ever changing collection of photos of her and co-stars (thanks to Richard F)..... Another third season Fun with Music Day skit for the mid-month feature video, starring a little dynamo who turns seventy tomorrow.....

August 1, 2012

A special request for this month's feature video, a third season Fun with Music Day skit whose star turns sixty-six today.....

July 31, 2012

Goodbye to Fern Persons, who was absolutley marvelous as farm wife Mrs McCandles in the serial Adventure in Dairyland. A superb actress who continued to find work long past the usual retirement age, she was also a union officer and tireless voice for the working person.

July 17, 2012

Ginny Tyler, who as the "Disneyland Storyteller" on KTTW Channel 11 in Southern California hosted live 15 minute segments for the 1962-63 syndicated Mickey Mouse Club, passed away July 13 at age 86.

July 15, 2012

Some updated information and a couple of new photos for Ruth Carrell (photos courtesy of Gary Miller)..... Two more Mouseketeers who turn 70 this month are highlighted in the mid-month feature video, a second season Fun with Music Day number.....

July 11, 2012

Be sure to check out Lonnie's Anything Can Happen Day Page for some photos and memories on Don Grady

July 7, 2012

From Disney Historian Jim Korkis comes this last interview with Don Grady, including some information that has never appeared before in print about his time with the Mouseketeers.

July 1, 2012

There are a few new photos on the Cast, Other Mags and 'Teen pages (the last two courtesy of Marcia from Kansas)..... The feature video this month is a third season Fun with Music Day skit with Don Grady......

June 28, 2012

The music stops..... goodbye to a classy guy, Don Grady, who passed away from cancer yesterday at his home in Thousand Oaks, California

June 15, 2012

The profiles for Canadian Mouseketeer Ronnie Steiner and show creator Hal Adelquist have been updated with a few new photos and some information (thanks to Greg Brown for the latter)..... Hard to believe this little red-haired girl is turning seventy, but Nancy Abbate is still as cute as when she filmed this mid-month Fun with Music Day video with Tommy Cole......

June 1, 2012

The 1995 made-for-TV movie of Annette's memoirs is now available on YouTube. Website visitor Ron F. has put together a playlist for it..... A new photo and some updated information for songwriter and studio nurse Hazel George..... For a different looking Jimmie Dodd check out these screen captures from one of his film roles (thanks to Marcia from Kansas).....And for the more familiar Jimmie watch this video clip from a first season Fun with Music Day.....

May 15, 2012

For the mid-month update, a video clip from a first season Guest Star Day with Carla Alberghetti.....

May 1, 2012

Disney Historian Jim Korkis has written an overview of the I'm No Fool animated shorts created for the Mickey Mouse Club..... To celebrate six years on the web, there are two feature videos, each one a complete serial episode. From the first season comes the San Juan Expedition and from the second season the beginning of Adventure in Dairyland.....

April 17, 2012

Apologies for the late update..... the mid-month feature video is another second season Fun with Music number.....

April 10, 2012

The folks at the Disney History Institute have been putting all sorts of goodies on the web lately. Pictured here is Linda Hughes from some home movies you can find at their blog or on YouTube. And visit their facebook page, click on PHOTOS, then scroll way down to see a rather puzzling picture. Mouseketeers Mary Sartori, Bobby, Karen, and Cubby are at Disneyland in December 1955, but Mary is wearing Darlene's TRU Day shirt! (Thanks to Marcia from Kansas)

April 1, 2012

A new interview with Lonnie Burr and former Disney imagineer Mark Hickson has appeared on the latter's website..... A few new photos and some corrections to the Guest Stars, Circus Acts, Talent Winners, and first season Fun with Music pages..... For our lead-off feature video this month here's a little second season gem by Darlene.....

March 29, 2012

A website devoted to the 1991 film Hook has an interview with Lonnie Burr, who appeared in the movie along with Dustin Hoffman, Robin Williams, Julia Roberts, and Bob Hoskins.

March 15, 2012

Two recently uploaded YouTube clips feature the vocal talents of Tommy Cole and Darlene Gillespie reprising the songs I Am Not Now and Never Have Been in Love and Do-Mi-So. These 1956 recordings with the Quincy Jones Orchestra have different arrangements, parts, and additional lyrics from those used in the numbers on the show..... The profile for Dick Dodd has been updated with new information, photos, and video clip..... As a lead-up to St Patrick's Day here's a Circus Day introduction for The Sullivans with Irish music and dancing......

March 1, 2012

Author Ron Ebner has written a new book Hollywood Celebrities: Where Are They Now? which covers several Mouseketeers and Disney serial actors, including Annette, Sharon Baird, Lonnie Burr, Karen Pendleton, Cubby O'Brien, Johnny Crawford, Kevin Corcoran, Tommy Kirk, and Tim Considine among many others...... A third season Talent Roundup performance with the Thompson Brothers is this month's lead-off video clip......

February 16, 2012

A website devoted to the music of sixties Beach movies has full pages for both Annette and talent winner Donna Loren (thanks to Richard F)..... Your webmaster confuses holiday seasons with a haunting number from a Fun With Music Day episode......

February 1, 2012

Listen to a recent blog radio interview with Sherry Alberoni as she discusses her MMC career and later charity work (thanks to Marcia from Kansas)..... What could possibly be better than hearing Darlene Gillespie sing? How about watching all four Gillespie sisters perform on Talent Roundup Day......

January 23, 2012

David Keeler, who has contributed many original Mouseketeer and Talent Winner photos to this website, has a side hobby to his career as a press photographer. He maintains a blog on vintage TV show crew jackets..... Serial actor Glen Graber (Adventure in Dairyland) has generously provided bright clean scans to replace the tattered images formerly on the American Dairy Association's pamphlet page.

January 17, 2012

It appears the feature video is not displaying properly in some browsers. Internet Explorer seems to work best with it for now.

January 15, 2012

From website contributor Richard F. comes another interesting Annette fan site link; this one is really comprehensive, with pages of photos, discography. book and article reviews, and more. For the mid-month video there's a rare clip of the Mouseketeers dancing in various styles while Leo Damiani and the Burbank Symphony Orchestra play live on the set. .

January 1, 2012

Happy New Year! We'll start the new year with the second half of a first season Guest Star Day video clip.

December 16, 2011

For the holiday season here's a full Talent Roundup Day performance for the mid-month video clip. Its features an original first year Mouseketeer returning as a second season talent winner.

December 12, 2011

Primo magazine's new issue features a cover story on Annette written by former Disney mouse shepard Lorraine Santoli. Editor Truby Chiaviello also wanted us to know that "PRIMO is hoping to follow up on the article with web site coverage allowing Funicello fans to share recollections and/or anecdotes of face-to-face meetings and/or correspondences with Ms. Funicello. Therefore, if fans would like, they can contact me directly at editor@flprimo.com or call toll free 866-677-7466."

December 1, 2011

There was nothing controversial about the Mickey Mouse Club when it first aired, but times change and this month's video clip features performances that might now be considered bad form.

November 15, 2011

The mid-month video has Hank Penny return for the second part of his Guest Star Day appearence with the Blue Team Mouseketeers.

November 1, 2011

Disney actor George Ferrante (stage name Brand Stirling) is the subject of a new page at the Spin and Marty website Cinch and Set..... The late actress Irish McCalla (Sheena) was on the 1960 tour to Australia with the Mouseketeers. This page (scroll down after clicking the link) from a site devoted to Tarzan and Sheena recounts some of her experiences with them and has a couple of photos (thanks to Marcia from Kansas)..... Though its been featured here before the second season Talent Roundup introduction and roll call return by special request.

October 15, 2011

Attention Spin and Marty fans: Disney historian and author Don Peri is hosting a live discussion with Tim Considine and David Stollery about their experiences filming the epic serial on November 12 at the theater of the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco. For more details, visit the museum's website.... Something different for the feature video, an entire serial episode. Not from the long dramatic serials, but one of the near-forgotten short documentary serials that deserves to be remembered....

October 3, 2011

From YouTube comes this hour-long 1995 documentary called The Mickey Mouse Club Story, with lots of rare footage, including the color 3D short filmed for the Disneyland Park. It has interviews with Cheryl Holdridge, Don Grady, Lonnie Burr, Sharon Baird, Tommy Cole, Doreen Tracey, Bobby Burgess and what is probably one of the last on-camera appearences by Annette. (Thanks to Lonnie Burr and website contributor Richard F.)

October 1, 2011

Two neat links: Todd James Pierce has a photo article about A Clown and Mouseketeers in the Magic Kingdom, and from the Disney Family Museum comes a short piece on the Mouseketeer performance at Yuba City in February 1956 (thanks to Marcia from Kansas for both).... From Richard F. comes this Annette fan page with some rare photos of her.... Gary Miller sent a neat photo of Ruth Carrell and Jimmie Dodd performing for US airmen in China during WWII.... The Crew page finally gets its own photo.... Darlene and her Troupe de Hobo do the Tramp Ballet.

September 15, 2011

An interesting page from talent winner Bobby Crawford's website may be seen here (thanks to Richard F).... For the mid-month feature video, a second season talent roundup sisters and little brother trio.

September 1, 2011

Through the generosity of serial actor Glen Graber the Adventure in Dairyland page has been updated with many new photos including candid shots never published before.... As a nod to those who enjoyed Sooty his page has been updated with a videoclip of the introductary song used for the second season.... For the feature video here's a quick little number from the third season.

August 15, 2011

There was a lot of entertaining and interesting material on the Mickey Mouse Club, and then there was this first season Guest Star Day.

August 9, 2011

Now your webmaster isn't much for dolls and such but MMC fan Sandi had a really cute idea.

August 5, 2011

Visit Lonnie's website for a link to the Disney podcast he recorded with Nancy Abbate and Cubby O'Brien, coming Sunday August 7th. (And check out the James Dean lookalike just below the link).

August 1, 2011

Did Disney film a MMC serial in color? Apparently so, as serial actor Glen Graber explains in an email... A birthday tribute to Karen Pendleton has her singing Gershwin in this feature video. In so much as your webmaster has a philosophy of life this song expresses it.

July 15, 2011

Disney historian Bill Cotter and Lonnie Burr have teamed up to help Glen Holt replace photos and memoribilia Annette lost in the fire that destroyed her Encino home in April..... Speaking of Lonnie, he just completed recording a Disney podcast today with Nancy Abbate and Cubby O'Brien, and will soon do a radio interview and appear in a film documentary for Annette's Research Fund for Neurological Diseases. More details as they become known.... And speaking of Annette, she makes a rare Guest Star Day appearence with other Mouseketeers and the Firehouse 5 +2 in this feature video.

July 12, 2011

For collectors of MMC costumes there's an unusual offering on eBay... a chance to own spats once worn by Bob Amsberry for his performance as Bob-O the Clown with the Mickey Mouse Club Circus at Disneyland. Click on the photo at left to view them. Whoops, too late! Betcha even George Raft never owned a $400 pair of spats.

July 1, 2011

Her official website has an update on Annette and Glen Holt's plans in the wake of the fire that destroyed their home..... The profile for Art Director Bruce Bushman has been updated with photos and information courtesy of his son Chris..... A first season Fun With Music feature combines charming interplay between Annette and Jimmie with a musical number that goes "thud".

June 15, 2011

From YouTube comes this little clip featuring two former Mouseketeers who coincidently were both born in June. Watch Cheryl Holdridge and Don Agrati in this episode of My Three Sons that also stars Tim Considine (Thanks to website contributor Dan from Los Angeles)..... The feature video has Nancy Abbate, yet another Mouseketeer with a June birthday, introducing a first season talent roundup winner.

June 1, 2011

The profile for Darlene Gillespie has been updated and expanded with new photos, information, and a recording of one of her non-Disney songs. (To play the latter you may need to use IE for your browser)..... Some of the magazine pages in the Media section have been updated, thanks to contributions by Marcia from Kansas..... A special request for the feature video: the singing Smith Sisters appear for a third season Talent Roundup Day..... This will be the last update for a while as your webmaster is moving from Dairyland to the Chesapeake.

May 24, 2011

Storyjan who has provided YouTube with many video clips of the Mickey Mouse Club, has now created her own original tribute to Karen Pendleton. Combining clips of the Meeseketeer's performances with a recording of Jimmie Dodd's song Karen, she gives us an affectionate look back at the golden-haired miss with the raspy voice.

May 21, 2011

Mouseketeer Cubby O'Brien was recently interviewed by Sam Tweedle on the website Pop Culture Addict. He shares candid thoughts and opinions about some of his former colleagues, both at Disney and in after years.

May 15, 2011

With his seventieth birthday occuring this week let's watch Bobby Burgess in Father and Son.

May 7, 2011

Photographer David Keeler once again generously shares his work with us, this time capturing former Talent Winner Donna (Zukor) Loren performing at Kulak's Woodshed in North Hollywood, CA. Click on the image to see other photos and a video clip of then ten-year old Donna performing on Talent Roundup Day in 1957.

May 6, 2011

Disney historian Don Peri has published a new book through the University Press of Mississipi entitled Working with Disney: Interviews with Animators, Producers, and Artists. Among those interviewed are Sharon Baird, Bobby Burgess, and Lou Debney, whose many Disney credits include associate producer of the Mickey Mouse Club.

May 5, 2011

If anyone has knowledge about the existence of a transcript for the Opening Day Ceremonies at Disneyland (July 17, 1955) please get in contact.

May 1, 2011

To commerate the fifth anniversary of this web site a special video feature is offered... The entire second season skit In the Land of Me-Oh-My as part 1 and part 2.

April 21, 2011

For those interested in the history of Disney costumes, D23 (the official Disney fan club) has a YouTube video in their Armchair Archivist series covering an exhibition of hats worn in Disney films and television. There are three hats from the Mickey Mouse Club, including a Triple R Ranch cowboy hat, a pair of mouse ears, and the Talent Roundup hat pictured (you'll have to watch the video to see who originally wore them).

April 15, 2011

If you haven't seen it recently, be sure to check out the Cinch and Set site. Webmaster Kurt has done a terrific job exploring the physical locations and researching the background stories of the Spin and Marty series...... The taxman has been paid, springtime is here, so let's go to a ball game!

April 7, 2011

Mouseketeer Lonnie Burr has an extensive interview with the website Pop Culture Addict today. There's lots of photos and information so check it out.

April 1, 2011

Tommy Cole gave the interview pictured at left in 2008. It's a four part high-quality feature that covers his entire career from 1955 to today. Interestingly enough he's now a governor of the American Academy of Television Arts 2006-19 www.OriginalMMC.com

TAGS:Mickey Original Mouse Home Club mouseketeer mouseketeers MickeyMouseClub Disney 

<<< Thank you for your visit >>>

Tribute site for the Original Mickey Mouse Club 1955-58

Hot Websites