Annette DVD: The Mickey Mouse Club

Annette. To legions of Mickey Mouse Club fans she was magic. Chosen by Walt himself as an original cast member, Annette soon became the most popular Mousketeer and was given a daily series of her own. Showcased here is the entire fish-out-of-water series, about an innocent girl from the country who moves to the suburbs to live with her well-to-do aunt and uncle. Airing during the third and final season of The Mickey Mouse Club, the 20-episode series was unlike earlier series -- it featured original music including the song that helped launch Annette's music career. 

Annette Funicello was the only Mouseketeer hand-picked by Walt himself, and her appearance on the show marked a departure for the previously very white-bread medium, as Funicello was "ethnic-looking," her dark Italian features unusual on '50s TV.