Mickey Mouse Club Still Resonates With Baby Boomer

Mickey Mouse Club Still Resonates With Baby Boomers Those who were teens in the 1950′s remember with fondness coming home from school in the latter years of the 50′s to watch Walt Disney Studios’ Mickey Mouse Club. The second television show offered by Disney, The Mickey Mouse Club was televised in part to help finance the creation of the Disneyland theme park. From 5:00-6:00 in its first two seasons and from 5:00-5:30 in its last two, American teens were glued to the television.

The idea was that of a variety show hosted by Jimmie Dodd who, incidentally, came up with the brilliant idea for the cast members to wear Mickey Mouse ears. The series featured a cast of young stars who signed on to each episode with the energetic Mouseketeer Roll Call. The most beloved cast member by far was Annette Funicello. The show contained a potpourri of newsreels, talent features, cartoons, musical numbers, and serials, including Spin and Marty, The Hardy Boys, and Corky and White Shadow.

Every day had a unique theme. Monday was “Fun with Music”; Tuesday featured a guest star; Wednesday ushered in “Anything Can Happen Day”; Thursdays utilized a circus theme, and Friday concluded the week with a Talent Round-up. The music was fun, the kids were wholesome, and the message to teens of the fifties resonated through the years.

Though it only lasted four seasons, its fans never forgot it, and it was the Baby Boomers’ misty memories of the show that instigated its reruns from 1975 to 1977 and the eventual development of the All New Mickey Mouse Club in January 1977. It, too, continued the idea of themed weekdays remixed to a disco beat. The revival did not catch on with 70′s teens, however, and the show was cancelled.

A 1990′s revival did much better. It carried the same title as the first revival, but was nicknamed MMC. Produced with a live audience in Orlando, the show employed a mixed race cast. Famous “graduates” of the MMC, which debuted in 1989 and continued in reruns until 1996, included pop stars Christine Aguilera, Britney Spears, and Justin Timberlake. The original

Mickey Mouse Club stands as a excellent example of what programming for older children could aspire to. Wholesome, fun, and educational, modern television producers could take a few lessons from it.

Did you ever pretend to be a mouseketer? Do you remember the song?

Who’s the leader of the club

That’s made for you and me

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

Hey! there, Hi! there, Ho there

You’re as welcome as can be

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

Mickey Mouse! Mickey Mouse!

Forever let us hold our banner High! High! High! High!

Come along and sing a song And join the jamboree!

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

Mickey Mouse club We’ll have fun

We’ll be new faces High! High! High! High!

We’ll do things and We’ll go places All around the world

We’ll go marching Who’s the leader of the club

That’s made for you and me

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

Hey! there, Hi! there, Ho! there

You’re as welcome as can be

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

Mickey Mouse! Mickey Mouse!

Forever let us hold our banner High! High! High! High!

Come along and sing a song And join the jamboree!

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

Great memories!!!!

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.By: Steve CollinsArticle Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com