One of the many delights of the D23 Expo is catching up with old friends. Granted, it’s the place to find out what’s new and what’s next. (Star Wars Land, anyone?) And it’s the place to reconnect with the Disney magic. (Johnny Depp as Capt. Jack Sparrow springs to mind.) But for those who were seeking an hour or more with old friends, the Sunday evening presentation of “Celebrating Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse Club: 60 Magical Years” more than fit the bill.
The show kicked off with the infectiously familiar Mickey Mouse Club March, and color video of the familiar program opening. Hosting the event was Lorraine Santolli, author and friend of the many Mouseketeers who participated in the program. There were seven of the original crew on hand: Sherry Alberoni, Sharon Baird, Bobby Burgess, Tommy Cole, Darlene Gillespie, Cubby O’Brien, and Doreen Tracey. Together they shared stories about how they became Mouseketeers, what it was like in 1955, and how it had affected them through the years.
A highlight of the presentation was a series of musical numbers performed live, accompanied on the big screen by the original numbers as presented on the program. Sherry and Sharon delighted the crowd with a novelty song, “Some Day There Ain’t No Fish.” Darlene (with an assist from Bobby) presented “All Alone at Coney Island.” Doreen sang the popular “Beauty Is As Beauty Does.” Bobby spoke warmly of Jimmie Dodd before soft-shoing his way through “Father and Son.” Tommy Cole’s selection celebrated the most popular Mouseketeer, Annette Funicello, with the original song “Annette” by Jimmie Dodd. Cubby O’Brien was pleased to present a lengthy clip from the original show that highlighted the drumming skills of his father, his brother, and himself.
Other filmed highlights touched on the Mickey Mouse Newsreel, Fun With Music Day, and the popular serials. Of course, the most fondly remembered of those serials were the two built around “The Adventures of Spin and Marty.” To the crowd’s pleasure, Santolli brought the two stars of the serial, Tim “Spin” Considine and David “Marty” Stollery up to the stage to reminisce about their days on the Triple R Ranch.
As the evening wound down, Santolli mentioned each of the three adult members of the Mickey Mouse Club cast. Bob Amsberry was recalled as a multi-talented performer who was never shy about taking on an assignment, even if it meant putting on full makeup and costume as Bob-O the Clown. Roy Williams, the Big Mooseketeer, was remembered fondly as a gruff but big-hearted presence who was most like an irascible member of the family. Finally, every Mouseketeer pledged their devotion to the club’s “leader.” Jimmie Dodd. His calm presence and effortless talent left a great impression on each of the talented youngsters in the troupe.
The penultimate section of the evening was kicked off with the arrival of a beloved artifact—Jimmie’s own Mousegetar. While it had been brought out from time to time for various reunions, this time it was actually played live on stage to accompany a sing-a-long of memorable Jimmie Dodd tunes. And, of course, the evening would not have been complete without the bittersweet strains of the Mickey Mouse Club Alma Mater. To the surprise of the crowd, this was performed not just by the seven who had shared the stage, but by five other “mice” who had been seated in the audience.The arrival of Nancy Abbate, Billie Jean Beanblossom, Mary Espinosa, Judy Harriet, and Paul Petersen brought the mouse count up to twelve.
And as the last strains of the Alma Mater faded, Becky Cline, the Director of the Disney Archives announced a surprise presentation. Joining her was noted film historian, author, and “Number One Mouseketeer Fan” Leonard Maltin. He explained that there was a special award within the Walt Disney Company, the “Mousecar.” (Think “Mouse” and “Oscar.”) This statuette was created in the 1940s by Walt Disney to honor special achievement within the Disney organization. It had not been awarded, Maltin stated, since Walt Disney passed away in 1966. A cache of the statuettes had been discovered in the archives, and it was felt that there were no more worthy recipients than the original Mouseketeers.
“Celebrating Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse Club: 60 Magical Years was a celebration in every sense of the word. Thanks to the D23 Expo, it was a celebration shared with friends old and new.
