NEW YORK — She was the first crush for a generation of boys and the perfect playmate for a generation of girls. Annette Funicello, who became a child star as a cute-as-a-button Mouseketeer on "The ...

NEW YORK (AP) — Annette Funicello, who became a child star as a cute-as-a-button Mouseketeer on “The Mickey Mouse Club” in the 1950s, then teamed up with Frankie Avalon on a string of ’60s ...

Handpicked by Walt Disney to be one of the original Mouseketeers, Annette Funicello was America's girl next door. She spoke to Fresh Air in 1994 about Mickey Mouse ears and why she went public with ...

In the ever-changing landscape of American pop culture, only a precious few manage to grow up in front of an audience and remain beloved across decades. Actress and singer Annette Funicello was one of ...

(AP) Annette Funicello, the most popular Mouseketeer on “The Mickey Mouse Club,” who matured to a successful career in records and ’60s beach party movies but struggled with illness in middle age and ...