“See You Real Soon”: The Original Mouseketeers!

Annette’s Devastating Illness

While reuniting in order to promote a reunion film with her co-star Frankie Avalon, she began to exhibit weird physical symptoms. There were many rumors and speculation regarding her condition including people believe that she was suffering from alcoholism. It turns out that she was suffering from multiple sclerosis. She went public with her diagnosis and later opened the Annette Funicello Fund for Neurological Disorders at the California Community Foundation.

Over the years her health deteriorated including losing the ability to walk and speak. She died at the age of seventy in April of 2013. Annette was named a Disney Legend, has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and in Disneyland Paris, there is a restaurant named after her.

Bobby Burgess Then and Now

Bobby Burgess was one of the original Mouseketeers selected by Walt Disney. He also starred in various shows throughout the years including The Donna Reed Show and as a regular on The Lawrence Welk Show. Later he went back to “normal life” and went to Long Beach State University. Bobby still often dances and even has his own dance studio where he now teaches.

Bobby ended up marrying a woman named Kristin Floren, whom he met while working on The Lawrence Welk Show. She is the daughter of Welk accordionist Myron Floren. They still remain settled in the Hollywood Hills today.