The Mickey Mouse Club

Disney goes to people's living rooms throughout the world in 1955 through their television sets with "The Mickey Mouse Club," a show for kids that was not only just entertaining, but in fact, so great that two more versions have been spawned: one in the late 70s, and, of course, one in the early 90s for the then-good Disney Channel (they also showed the other two versions as well on "Vault Disney").

What I like about this show: I haven't seen the 1955 version, although the old Disney Channel used to show it, but it was too late at night. However, I've heard about how great this show is and I know the theme song to it:

M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-e!!!!!

Also, remember those Mickey Mouse ear hats that you now can buy at Disney World? Those were worn, too!

"The Mickey Mouse Club" - No longer on the tube, except for DVD!!!!!

10 stars! 10 stars! 10 stars!!!!!

Current description of original MMC, verifiable by many published sources, are: 1) there was no Mouseketeer Bob (Robert Thornon); 2) Ruth Carell was not a Mouseketeer and did not "recur" on the show; 3)

Tommy Kirk was not a Mouseketeer, although there is a photo of him in the outfit; 4) Dr. Miller, Julius Sumner, did a recurring science segment on the first two years; 5) R.G. Springsteen not a director-only Miller and first year Dik Darley directed the show;6) the show ran one hour the first two years, then half hour third year, half hour reruns fourth year 1958-59; 7) Paul Petersen, later of "Donna Reed Show" only lasted a few weeks of the first year.

There were 39, only, kids on the first show 1955-59 and only 9 lasted the entire filming: Annette, Karen, Sharon, Doreen, Darlene, Cubby, Lonnie, Bobby, Tommy. First year there were 24 (+four fired)= 28. Only two lasted two seasons: Dennis years 1 & 2, Cheryl, 2, 3 & reruns. The others lasted only one season.

MHB

I was a charter member of The Mickey Mouse Club. On Oct. 3, 1955, I had my ears and my membership card as I sat in front of the TV and watched this marvelous new show. It wasn't just a show, it was my show and my club.

Disney was a genius at reaching children. Everything he touched was sprinkled with the golden glitter of fairy dust. After 48 years, I can still see it's sparkle.

To create a show or movie with an animal character, such as Lassie, Benji, Charlotte or the Black Stallion is reasonable enough, especially for children. A show based on the worship of an animal character, in this case a mouse, seems a little ridiculous. Yet the whole Mickey Mouse Club idea has to be very American. Entertainment industries have constantly capitalized on icons produced for movies and television and exploited them to the hilt for profit. The studio corporations know that when Americans fall in love with characters and worlds from the movies and television, part of the spectator public wants to connect with it on a deeper level. The Mickey Mouse Club allowed younger viewers enthralled with the Disney universe to experience their favorite mouse on television once a week instead of only when mom and dad would take them to the cinema.

Simultaneously, all things considered, The Mickey Mouse Club was a good children's show with merit. The original show incorporated games, educational segments, sing-a-longs, and even some dramatic episodes. It seems to me I remember the Hardy Boys, but I am not sure. In short, the Mickey Mouse Club encouraged children to be children. And hey, the young Annette Funicello was worth the price of admission. She will probably be best remembered for this show rather than her silly beach movies 10 years later.

Today most children's programming via the networks is about pure entertainment, barring PBS, and a lot of it seems grossly inappropriate for underage viewers who are not yet pre-adolescents. Propagating that 8-to-10-year-olds should have boyfriends and girlfriends, i.e. behave like adults or even adolescents, is I think harmful misinformation. Children are still learning what is appropriate and inappropriate except for what they see modeled in front of them, which is often on television. If the Mickey Mouse Club had a clear message, it was that childhood should be enjoyed for what it is, and there is a magical wonder about childhood that should not be missed.

Still, it raises my eyebrow that the show's participants would not only sing hymns to a fictional mouse but don mouse-inspired attire. Even as a kid, I thought the mouse ears were ridiculous, especially on the adults! But given the low-quality of material being presented to children today, maybe the mouse ears are a small price to pay. Afterall, donning the mouse ears represents "make believe", the essence of childhood.

The Mickey Mouse Club is one of the great achievements of television. A heartwarming beautiful show that always presents good individual segments. A classic that gives you a warm feeling. Great!