Annette Funicello — American Actress born on October 22, 1942, died on April 08, 2013

Annette Joanne Funicello was an American actress and singer. Funicello began her professional career as a child performer at the age of twelve. She rose to prominence as one of the most popular "Mouseketeers" on the original Mickey Mouse Club. As a teenager, she transitioned to a successful career as a singer with the pop singles "O Dio Mio," "Tall Paul" and "Pineapple Princess", as well as establishing herself as a film actress, popularizing the successful "Beach Party" genre alongside co-star Frankie Avalon during the mid-1960s... (wikipedia)

When you are young and healthy, it never occurs to you that in a single second your whole life could change.
I have always thought of Walt Disney as my second father.
Whatever ambivalence I felt about my own career, Frankie more than made up for it with his ambition and tenacity.
In 1993 my birthday present was a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.
Most original viewers of the Mickey Mouse Club didn't face the crush of family and social problems children have today.