The Mickey Mouse Club

Next year this children's show of children's shows marks its 50th anniversary, and I am steamed that The Disney Channel does not air the retreads anymore. In fact, The Disney Channel hardly airs anything Disney anymore. Therefore, I don't watch The Disney Channel anymore.

It would be a great tribute to a classic if the following happened:

1) The Disney Channel would start airing the shows and airing them WITHOUT those cuts.

2) Disney Studios would put together either a 'season' or 'best of' set on DVD.

(At least, Disney should consider putting the Club serials on DVD, you know, Spin and Marty, The Hardy Boys, Corky and White Shadow, Annette).

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

For the five years of the run of Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse Club it was the most exclusive club in the world for the cool kids. So what if you had to wear those dorky ears and in front of millions of viewers to be a member. You got to wear those cool cowboy clothes at the end of the week on Talent Roundup Day. And wouldn't you like to leave the world you knew behind just to hang out with everyone from Annette and Bobby to the little ones Karen and Cubby.

Kids who grew up watching this show faithfully when they learned the world according to Disney wasn't exactly the truth were the ones that tuned in, turned on and dropped out in the next decade. I wasn't one of them, but I sure knew where they were coming from.

These kids in the Disney movies, in the serials on the Mickey Mouse Club and in their singing and dancing and all around talent were the role models of a generation. It seemed like if you put on those Mousekeears you could dance like Bobby Burgess, sing like Darlene Gillespie, or even play the drums like Cubby O'Brien. Millions like me wished they were good enough to join.

The show had two big Mooseketeers as they were called, Disney cartoonist Roy Williams who should have gotten a lot more money for looking so ridiculous and singer/actor Jimmy Dodd.

In fact Dodd I believe was a big part of the reason for the show's success. As an adult he looked right at home with the kids and I'm not talking about Michael Jackson kind of at home. Dodd had a middling career as a journeyman character actor, mostly in western roles. Mainstream movie fans might remember him for his small bit in Yankee Doodle Dandy calling young George M. Cohan out to greet his public, the public being a group of tough kids who took literally his boast to lick any kid in town in Peck's Bad Boy.

Dodd reached real stardom in the Mickey Mouse Club. He set a respectful tone to the show, told the kids at home to mind their parents and lead an upright life. Dodd according to contemporaries was a religious man, but never overtly proselytized. According to many of the now grownup Mouseketeers Jimmy Dodd was the real deal, exactly as you saw him on television

In the hour you saw Disney cartoons, true life adventure films, good kid's serials like Spin and Marty and Corky and the White Shadow and the singing and dancing of the coolest kids on the planet. Those good enough to be members of the Mickey Mouse Club.

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!