Mouseketeer Annette Funicello can be seen at far left. ©2021 FOX News Network, LLC. Gina Gilardi graduated from LaJolla Design Institute, she is today VP and marketing executive at Grand Entertainment, before that she worked at  Echo Bridge Entertainment, Maya Entertainment, and The Girls Party Planning and Design. Funicello was the recipient of numerous awards in recognition of her professional accomplishments and her efforts to raise … Jimmy Dodd, red-haired and fortyish, is master of Mouseketeer ceremonies. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images), ‘KING KONG’ STAR FAY WRAY ENDURED PERSONAL TRAGEDIES, REMAINED DEVOTED TO FAMILY DESPITE FAME, DAUGHTER SAYS, “My wife went through back surgery and was in bed for over a year,” said Cole. ‘SOPRANOS' ACTOR MICHAEL IMPERIOLI RECALLS SMASHING CAR WITH JAMES GANDOLFINI, REACTS TO PREQUEL CASTING, Photo of Anette Funicello, circa 1970. But there’s a reason. Annette Joanne Funicello was born in Utica, N.Y., on Oct. 22, 1942 and moved with her parents to Los Angeles when she was 4 years old. (Photo by Getty Images), KARL MALDEN’S DAUGHTERS REFLECT ON LIFE WITH THE ‘STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE’ STAR: ‘HE WAS LIKE A BIG CHILD’. Annette talks about going public with her MS, as well as her career and family life. According to Walt Disney World Magic's forum, Dallas Johann was the first Mouseketeer hired for the Mickey Mouse Club. “Annette’s squeaky-clean image wasn’t fake. 49. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Funicello drew public attention as a child, when she appeared in Walt Disney’s production of ’’Swan Lake“ after which she was invited to audition for ’’The Mickey Mouse Club“ children’s show. Gina Gilardi Portman is Annette Funicello's Daughter - DailyEntertainmentNews.com We lost a great personality today, Annette Funicello became famous for her role at the Mickey Mouse Club House, she endured a long and painful battle with multiple sclerosis for more than 20 years. Annette Funicello-- the darling of "The Mickey Mouse Club" and star of many '60s beach movies -- has died at age 70. Why me? So you try to find the good things that come out of anything, and there are good things.”. She was 70. When he told his beloved friend to update her famous eyebrows for a new look, Funicello refused. (Photograph by Getty Pictures) Libra. She was a genuinely nice person.”. (Photo by AP/Ernest K. Bennett), 'KNIGHT RIDER' STAR REBECCA HOLDEN RECALLS ON-SCREEN CHEMISTRY WITH DAVID HASSELHOFF, WHY SHE LEFT SERIES, She also became a recording star, singing on 15 albums and hit singles, such as “Tall Paul” and “Pineapple Princess.”. Gina Gilardi October 17, 1965 Los Angeles, California, USA. Star Sign. She is survived by her husband Glen Holt, daughter Gina, and sons Jason and Jack. By year’s end 1965, Annette had officially put her career on the back burner to focus on married life. “We opened the door to find my mom sitting at my desk, fake microphone in hand, singing ‘The Best of Times’ by Styx at the top of her lungs,” Bleifer recalled to the outlet. ‘I don’t want to hurt them or have them feel like I’ve done something wrong.'". Fox News Flash top entertainment and celebrity headlines for Nov. 25 are here. or redistributed. looking on is the proud father, Jack Gilardi, and their daughter, Gina, 4. Let’s tip our hats to Bruce Gilbert Norman have gone to the great Mickey Mouse Club in the sky. Nov 12, 2015 - This Pin was discovered by MJS. Gina Gilardi Portman is Annette Funicello’s Daughter. I would appreciate it if you would wear a one-piece suit.’ I did, and I never regretted it.”. (Authentic Caption) Actress Annette Funicello cuddles her new child son, Jack, Jr., at St. Joseph’s Hospital. Market data provided by Factset. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. When Annette Funicello ’s daughter, Gina Gilardi Bleifer, and a friend came home from a high school dance one night in the ’80s, she was surprised to hear loud music blasting from her bedroom. Annette. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images), WARNER BROS TO LAUNCH FILM ON RIN TIN TIN, THE HOUND WHO SAVED THE STUDIO FROM BANKRUPTCY, AS A MILITARY HERO, “She didn’t want to change her image,” he said. “Her dream in life was always to be a mom,” she explained. Annette Joanne Funicello was born on Oct. 22, 1942 in Utica, NY. I’ve never intentionally hurt anybody.' She was beyond thrilled to have a baby as this was what she had been praying for. Bleifer’s brothers Jack Jr., 49, and Jason, 45, also shared they have wonderful childhood memories, all thanks to Funicello. 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 th… (Photo by Underwood Archives/Getty Images), (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images), Fox News Flash top entertainment headlines for Nov. 25, Kim Kardashian shares that she’s 'really shy' in new bikini post, Brooke Burke reveals fitness advice she wishes she gave her younger self: 'Sweat smart', Larry King's widow Shawn King files lawsuit over TV icon's secret will, claims he had 'secret account', Allison Janney says it was 'very odd' returning to 'Mom' after Anna Faris' exit: 'She's very missed', 'Jeopardy!' ©2021 FOX News Network, LLC. Donations in her honor can be sent to the Annette Funicello … Though multiple sclerosis robbed Annette Funicello of the ability to walk and talk, the disease didn’t slow her down — … Aug 20, 2016 - Annette Funicello with her sons Jason and Jack and daughter Gina watching a revival of the Mickey Mouse Club, a show that was her claim to fame in the late 50s. And even then, Funicello remained devoted to her loved ones. Gina Gilardi Portman is Annette Funicello’s Daughter. Funicello revealed she received plenty of support from fans and friends, including Frankie Avalon, as well as Frank Sinatra and his wife Barbara. Originally aired October 1992. Still, Funicello would come forward in 1992. Discover (and save!) “We had rules, and we were given so much love.”. We lost a great personality today, Annette Funicello became famous for her role at  the Mickey Mouse Club House, she endured a long and painful battle with multiple sclerosis for more than 20 years. your own Pins on Pinterest Let’s tip our hats to Jimmie Dodd, Roy Williams, Bob Amsberry, Annette Funicello, Doreen Tracey, Cheryl Holdridge, Don Agrati, Dickie Dodd, Bonnie Lynn Fields, Charley Laney, Mike Smith, and Tim Rooney have gone to the great Mickey Mouse Club in the sky. She remembered in 1987: “Mr. We lost a great personality today, Annette Funicello became famous for her role at the Mickey Mouse Club House, she endured a long and painful battle with multiple sclerosis for more than 20 years. She rose to prominence as one of the most popular Mouseketeers on the original Mickey Mouse Club. Born: 22-Oct-1942 Birthplace: Utica, NY Died: 8-Apr-2013 Location of death: Bakersfield, CA Cause of death: unspecified. But the 13-year-old unfortunately suffered from terrible stage fright. Who is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s husband/ boyfriend. Among his early clients was former Mouseketeer and star of American-International’s “Beach Party” film franchise Annette Funicello, who he … Daughter of Jack Gilardi and Annette Funicello. Saved by MJS. (Photo by Underwood Archives/Getty Images), CARY GRANT'S EX-WIFE DYAN CANNON EXPLAINS WHY SHE TURNED DOWN JACKIE KENNEDY'S OFFER TO TELL ALL IN MEMOIR. “Now I’m not embarrassed to ask for a wheelchair,” she said. Annette Funicello (1942-2013) was the star of the popular 1950s television series The Mickey Mouse Club .She also starred in the motion pictures Babes in Toyland and The Shaggy Dog , as well as several beach party movies with Frankie Avalon.Ms. Read More About: BREAKING NEWS, MOVIES, TV. Cole, who would later become a makeup artist, revealed Funicello always kept her fans in mind. DEBBIE GIBSON PRAISES ‘REBEL’ MILEY CYRUS: ‘SHE’S GOT THE GOODS TO BACK IT UP’, In this Aug 20, 1957, file photo, Walt Disney's Mouseketeers enter a large trailer that serves as their school on the Disney lot in Hollywood, Calif. Greeting them is their teacher Jean Seaman of the Los Angeles Public School System. Annette passed away at the age of 70 on April 6th, 2013 at a at a hospital in Bakersfield, Calif. Annette is survived by her beloved second husband Glen Holt who took care of her until her last breath, and her three amazing children Jack, Michael and her only daughter Gina, the special person in our story.. 47-year-old Gina Gilardi now Gina Portman or if you prefer Gina Gilardi Portman was born on October 17, 1965 to the beautiful Annette Funicello and former agent Jack Gilardi, she  has two younger brothers 42 year-old Jack and 38-year-old Jason who is drummer for the Tulsa based music band New Science. AKA Annette Joanne Funicello. Check out what's clicking today in entertainment. In 1986 he married Annette Funicello and was a faithful husband and caregiver to her until her passing in 2013. Peterson even shared Funicello may have wanted to keep her MS diagnosis a secret to avoid hurting her fans. Toward the end of her life, Annette Funicello could no longer walk or speak, due to the ravages of her illness. Annette Funicello. (c. 1975) “That’s another plus. Annette Funicello, an iconic former child star from Disney's "Mickey Mouse Club" in the 1950s, has died at the age of 70 from complications of chronic progressive multiple sclerosis, a disease she had been battling for over two decades.The Walt Disney Company reported that Funicello passed away peacefully at Mercy Southwest Hospital in Bakersfield, California, at the … Her parents, Joseph and Virginia Funicello, signed up their shy little girl - nicknamed "Dolly" by her father - for dance and music lessons to help overcome her bashfulness. Annette and daughter, Gina. All rights reserved. Personal Details Born. Walt Disney’s daughter said the nation lost a consummate professional and one of the loveliest people she has ever known with the death of … All rights reserved. There was something special about Annette Funicello that allowed her to capture our hearts, whether she was a Mouseketeer in the 1950s on The Mickey Mouse Club — which is where many of us met her for the first time — or the so-called “Beach Movies” alongside Frankie Avalon in the 1960s, sharing the joys of Skippy Peanut Butter in the 1970s or waging her battle with MS in … “Some days it does, when you think, ‘Why me? And maybe I can help others.”, 'MUNSTERS' CHILD STAR BUTCH PATRICK EXPLAINS WHY HIT ‘60S SERIES CAME TO AN END, Actress Annette Funicello, best known as a member of the "Mickey Mouse Club," suffered from multiple sclerosis. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. There’s a reason for everything. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, contestants fail to recognize NBA's Jimmy Butler, fans react, Kourtney Kardashian, Travis Barker seemingly confirm relationship on Instagram. She hoped her story would help others facing the same health battle. Legal Statement. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. “We laughed until we cried.”, ‘I DREAM OF JEANNIE’ STAR BARBARA EDEN SAYS A REBOOT IS ‘A GOOD IDEA’: ‘THEY SHOULD DO IT’, (Original Caption) Actress Annette Funicello cuddles her newborn son, Jack, Jr., at St. Joseph's Hospital. Sadly, she passed away on April 8, 2013, at the age of 70. Bleifer also revealed that despite her mother’s many accomplishments, her biggest goal was to become a hands-on parent. Follow Gina Gilardi on Twitter here and check her on Facebook here. Authorized and Authenticated by the Annette Funicello Research Fund for Neurological Diseases. Funicello would later admit it became difficult at times to face her illness. The legendary Disney Mouseketeer passed away in 2013 from complications due to multiple sclerosis, a disease she battled for more than 25 years. Annette Funicello. You learn to live with anything, you really do.”, She added, “I’ve always been religious. (Reuters), FORMER ‘M*A*S*H’ STAR ALAN ALDA EXPLAINS HOW HE’S COPING WITH PARKINSON’S DIAGNOSIS. (Original Caption) Actress Annette Funicello cuddles her newborn son, Jack, Jr., at St. Joseph's Hospital. We lost a great personality today, Annette Funicello became famous for her role at the Mickey Mouse Club House, she endured a long and painful battle with multiple sclerosis for more than 20 years. She made her … She was 70 years old. “All of us were picked because we were the kids next door,” fellow Mouseketeer Tommy Cole told the outlet at the time. I know he will see me through this.”. “'[My fans are] used to seeing me a certain way,’ she explained. Annette Funicello Research Fund for Neurological Disease. Annette Joanne Funicello (October 22, 1942 – April 8, 2013) was an American actress and singer. Born to Italian Americans in New York, Annette grew up in Los Angeles as her parents moved there when she was four years old. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. “Annette was sick and getting sicker, but she called my wife to make her feel better. Annette Funicello, beloved Disney star of the fifties and sixties, died Monday from complications stemming from multiple sclerosis. “She always preferred spending time with her family over living the Hollywood life.”, “She was the best — sweet, beautiful and patient yet stern,” added Bleifer. Gina Gilardi Portman is Annette Funicello’s Daughter. “I get down sometimes — I’m not going to lie to you and say ‘No, it doesn’t bother me at all,’” Funicello told ET at the time. That’s the kind of person she was.”, “She was still beautiful, even in a wheelchair,” added Mouseketeer Johnny Crawford. “She was very loving and family-oriented,” Jason told the magazine. Gina Gilardi Portman is Annette Funicello’s Daughter. wanting on is the proud father, Jack Gilardi, and their daughter, Gina, 4. At the time, Bleifer and a friend came home from a high school dance one night in the ‘80s when they heard loud music blasting from her bedroom. Funicello would continue to speak openly about the degenerative effects of MS. “My equilibrium is no more; it’s just progressively getting worse,” she said in 1995. Disney said to me one day, ‘Annette, I have a favor to ask of you. We lost a great personality today, Annette Funicello became famous for her role at the Mickey Mouse Club House, she endured a long and painful battle with multiple sclerosis for more than 20 years. Mrs. Gilardi became Mrs. Gina Portman in 1994 when she got married to her loving husband 51-year-old John Portman, Mr. Portman is the owner od Palisades Realty, he graduated from The University of Southern California with a BA, Physiology. Market data provided by Factset. Although stage fright among child actors is now recognized as a curable condition, there … Funicello began her professional career as a child performer at the age of twelve. “She was hesitant to disclose her illness because she was afraid people wouldn’t love her,” said Peterson. September 12, 2013 Filed Under: TV THE ANNETTE FUNICELLO COLLECTION: The Personal Property of Annette Funicello. I know all the girls are wearing bikinis, but you have an image to uphold. In March 2018, those who knew Funicello told Closer Weekly just as the star charmed fans with her sweet, sunny personality on screen, she was genuinely the real deal. I searched high and low for someone who looked so much like her, in her youth. Funicello would go on to appear in Disney films, such as “The Shaggy Dog” and “Babes in Toyland,” among others. Receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1993, Annette was eventually wheelchair-ridden and went into complete seclusion. Annette's life was filmed as a television movie with A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes: The Annette Funicello Story (1995) co-starring her good friend, Shelley Fabares. “I wish I could talk to her again.”. looking on is the proud father, Jack Gilardi, and their daughter, Gina, 4. Funicello is still remembered by fans for her time on the iconic Disney show. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Funicello would also captivate audiences in ‘60s teen beach films, such as “Muscle Beach Party,” “Bikini Beach,” and “Beach Blanket Bingo,” just to name a few.