She was a Mouseketeer. She was the girl on Spin and Marty. She was a young teenager visiting Los Angeles who met Senor Zorro. And she was a beach bunny who was always the sensible girlfriend of Frankie Avalon. There were songs like "Pineapple Princess", and "Tall Paul".
The "Iron Lady", Margaret Thatcher, may have passed away earlier today, but she only ruled a country in an era when it was a boy's club (and still is for the most part). Her polices did much to harm her country, and the people of her country, and the countries which followed the lead she and Ronnie provided.
Annette ruled our hearts. She partied on the beach like every teenager since wanted to do, following the lead she and Frankie provided. She solved all of the gang's problems, and triumphed over bullies and her often thick headed boyfriend. And she had a sense of humor about it all, even appearing as herself with Frankie on Pee Wee's Playhouse, and in a "Back to the Beach" movie.
In the late 1990's there were rumors that she had a problem with alcohol. Usually a private person, she went public and announced that she had MS. She took it on in typical Annette fashion, and started The Annette Funicello Fund for Neurological Diseases . My Uncle had MS. When it's in the family, one tends to notice things like this.
I hope the youth of today discover her now, and follow the lead she provided. It's a much better path than the other woman who passed on today.
Rest in Peace, Lady. Rest in Peace.
6 comments:
A sad day indeed.
There was a silly philosophy to Annette's movie image that proposed most problems could be solved by luaus and pajama parties. Over a half-century later, I still have not entirely dismissed it.
Aside from the Mouseketeers, I wasn't much of an Annette fan. But she was by all accounts a good and brave woman. RIP
As for Maggie, if I could I'd throw coal at her coffin.
mbj/Delores - Agreed. While I knew about the MS and had seen reports about her failing health, this news was still something of a - well, not quite a surprise, but enough to disturb the day. About a half an hour after the news hit, the internet was unusable for awhile. I think it was everyone looking for the news, a photo, a clip from tv or the movies.
Geo - if you have a pajama party on the beach, please do let me know. I'd just as soon you don't invite Erich von Zipper and his gang, though. They might be fun but they always bring trouble that takes an hour and a half to work out.
Austan - the Beach Party women are decidedly retro by today's standards. But Annette, while looking all mooney eyed at her man, was really the one figuring everything out and fixing things, all while having fun. At least that's the way I remember those movies. As for that other woman in England, here, let me pass you some more coal.
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