Johnny Crawford was a kid on a real cowboy set back when millions of other youngsters across North America were faking it at home. Difference was, Crawford was getting paid big bucks to live out his fantasy as a child star on the late ’50s, early ’60s TV western The Rifleman. I met him in
News of Annette Funicello’s passing Monday at age 70 sent me scrambling through a box of old cassette tapes. Thanks to my friend Lorraine Santoli, a former Disney publicity manager who authored a book on the Mouseketeers and who formed a close bond with Funicello, I was able to interview the Disney princess. That memorable
Annette Funicello was one of the biggest stars on television back in the mid-’50s. As the main attraction on The Mickey Mouse Club, the original Mouseketeer was much more than just the Justin Beiber of her day, a child star kids wanted to know, be like, grow up and marry. Parents adored her too.Funicello went on