What was Annette Funicello's Net Worth?
Annette Funicello was an American actress and singer who had a net worth of $10 million at the time of her death in 2013. Annette Funicello began her professional career at the age of 12 as a Mouseketeer on the original "Mickey Mouse Club" variety television show. She went on to have a successful singing career with such hit singles as "O Dio Mio," "Tall Paul," and "Pineapple Princess." Meanwhile, as an actress, Funicello was famous for starring opposite Frankie Avalon in the "Beach Party" film series in the 1960s.
Early Life
Annette Funicello was born on October 22, 1942 in Utica, New York to Italian-American parents Virginia and Joseph. When she was four, she moved with her parents to Southern California. Growing up, Funicello took dance and music lessons to overcome her timidity.
The Mickey Mouse Club
While performing as the Swan Queen in a "Swan Lake" dance recital at the Starlight Bowl in Burbank, California in 1955, Funicello was noticed by Walt Disney himself. Impressed, he cast the young girl as one of the original Mouseketeers on his television variety show "The Mickey Mouse Club." Funicello ended up signing a seven-year contract with Disney. She quickly proved to be among the most popular Mouseketeers on the program, and by the end of the first season was earning more than any of her fellow players. In addition to appearing in regular Mouseketeer sketches and dances, Funicello starred in a number of "Mickey Mouse Club" serials, including "Adventure in Dairyland" and the second and third "Spin and Marty" serials.
Singing Career
Funicello launched her singing career with the song "How Will I Know My Love," which she performed in the "Mickey Mouse Club" serial "Walt Disney Presents: Annette." The song was so popular that Disney was practically forced to give the girl a recording contract. Recording mononymously as Annette, she had successful singles with "O Dio Mio," "Tall Paul," "First Name Initial," and "Pineapple Princess," among others.
Post-Mickey Mouse Club Television
After leaving "The Mickey Mouse Club," Funicello remained under contract with Disney. From 1959 to 1961, she was in the Western action-adventure series "Zorro," and in 1962 starred in the television films "The Horsemasters" and "Escapade in Florence." Away from Disney, Funicello appeared in episodes of such shows as "Burke's Law," "Wagon Train," "Hondo," and "Love, American Style." In the 1980s, she returned to Disney to star in the television film "Lots of Luck." Funicello also appeared in episodes of "The Love Boat" and "Growing Pains." Her final role was in the 1995 television film "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes: The Annette Funicello Story," based on her autobiographical book of the same name.
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Film Career
Funicello had her first major film role in the 1959 Disney comedy "The Shaggy Dog." Two years after that, she starred in Disney's Christmas musical "Babes in Toyland." In 1963, Funicello moved on from Disney to become a teen idol, and starred opposite fellow teen idol Frankie Avalon in "Beach Party." The film was so successful that it launched a whole series of beach party movies starring Funicello and Avalon, including "Muscle Beach Party," "Bikini Beach," and "Beach Blanket Bingo." Meanwhile, Funicello made cameo appearances in Avalon's comedies "Ski Party" and "Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine." She also starred alongside Avalon in the stock car racing film "Fireball 500," and alongside Fabian in another stock car racing film, "Thunder Alley." Funicello's last film role of the 1960s was in the musical adventure whatsit "Head," starring the Monkees. She didn't appear in another film until 1987, when she reunited with Avalon for "Back to the Beach." The final big-screen appearance of Funicello's career was a cameo in the 1989 comedy "Troop Beverly Hills."
Personal Life and Death
Funicello's first boyfriend was her fellow Mouseketeer Lonnie Burr. She subsequently dated singer-songwriter Paul Anka, whose hit song "Puppy Love" was written about her.
In 1965, Funicello married her first husband, Jack Gilardi, with whom she had three children named Gina, Jack Jr., and Jason. The pair divorced in 1981. Five years later, Funicello wed Glen Holt, a harness racing horse breeder. After the couple's home in Encino burned down in 2011, they lived in a modest ranch in Shafter, California. The ranch house was located on 80 acres. In December 2020 this property was sold for $8.5 million.
In the late 1980s, Funicello was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis after experiencing dizziness and headaches. She did not publicly disclose the diagnosis until 1992. The disease caused severe damage to her nervous system, and by 2009 she required a feeding tube and 24/7 care. Funicello passed away on April 8, 2013 at a hospital in Bakersfield, California.
