Actress, and singer. Funicello and her family moved to Los Angeles when she was 4 years old, and nine years later in 1955, she was discovered by Walt Disney while she was dancing the lead in a production of "Swan Lake" at the Starlight Bowl in Burbank. He invited her to audition for his new television series, "The Mickey Mouse Club." She was hired on the spot to become a Mouseketeer, quickly becoming a fan favorite. After her stint with the show, which lasted through 1957, she recorded a series of successful albums and had hits with "Tall Paul" and "Pineapple Princess." She had starring roles on such TV series as 'Further Adventures of Spin and Marty,' 'Make Room for Daddy,' 'Zorro,' and 'Burke's Law.' She starred in the movies 'The Shaggy Dog' (1959) and 'Babes in Toyland (1961). In 1965, she starred in a series of successful beach party movies with teen heartthrob Frankie Avalon, in such films as 'Beach Party' (1963), 'Muscle Beach Party' (1964), 'Bikini Beach' (1964), 'Beach Blanket Bingo' (1965), and 'How to Stuff a Wild Bikini' (1965). Later, she remained in the public eye with recurring roles on TV in such series as 'Hondo,' 'Love, American Style,' 'Fantasy Island,' 'Love Boat,' and 'Growing Pains.' Funicello was married twice, first to Jack Gilardi, from 1965 to 1981, with whom she had three children. In 1986, she married horse breeder/trainer Glen Holt. She died at age 70 in 2013 from complications attributed to multiple sclerosis.
Actress, and singer. Funicello and her family moved to Los Angeles when she was 4 years old, and nine years later in 1955, she was discovered by Walt Disney while she was dancing the lead in a production of "Swan Lake" at the Starlight Bowl in Burbank. He invited her to audition for his new television series, "The Mickey Mouse Club." She was hired on the spot to become a Mouseketeer, quickly becoming a fan favorite. After her stint with the show, which lasted through 1957, she recorded a series of successful albums and had hits with "Tall Paul" and "Pineapple Princess." She had starring roles on such TV series as 'Further Adventures of Spin and Marty,' 'Make Room for Daddy,' 'Zorro,' and 'Burke's Law.' She starred in the movies 'The Shaggy Dog' (1959) and 'Babes in Toyland (1961). In 1965, she starred in a series of successful beach party movies with teen heartthrob Frankie Avalon, in such films as 'Beach Party' (1963), 'Muscle Beach Party' (1964), 'Bikini Beach' (1964), 'Beach Blanket Bingo' (1965), and 'How to Stuff a Wild Bikini' (1965). Later, she remained in the public eye with recurring roles on TV in such series as 'Hondo,' 'Love, American Style,' 'Fantasy Island,' 'Love Boat,' and 'Growing Pains.' Funicello was married twice, first to Jack Gilardi, from 1965 to 1981, with whom she had three children. In 1986, she married horse breeder/trainer Glen Holt. She died at age 70 in 2013 from complications attributed to multiple sclerosis.
Bio by: Louis du Mort
Family Members
Advertisement
See more Funicello memorials in:
Records on Ancestry
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
