A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes: The Annette Funicello Story
TV Movie
This highly-rated television film covers the life of American movie/TV/pop music idol Annette Funicello. The movie starts with the move of her family from New York to California, where in 1955 shy Annette becomes one of the cast of The Mickey Mouse Club. The movie covers her child stardom, her teen idol years, her singing career with big hits like "Tall Paul", her romance with Paul Anka, her classic beach party films with Frankie Avalon, and her first marriage. It also shows her large comeback in the late 1980s and her second marriage, and the day when she found out she had multiple sclerosis.
1995-10-22
en
Cast
Director
Bill Corcoran
Eva LaRue as Annette Funicello
Len Cariou as Walt Disney
Frank Crudele as Joe Funicello
Rob Stewart as Jack Gilardi
David Lipper as Paul Anka
Don S. Davis as Glen Holt
Louis Ferreira as Young Frankie Avalon
Andrea Nemeth as Annette Funicello (age 12-15)
Frankie Avalon as Self
Annette Funicello as Self
Linda Lavin as Virginia Funicello
Jay Brazeau as Uncle Pete
Demetri Goritsas as Jimmie Dodd
Gary Jones as Production Assistant
Lorraine Landry as Young Shelley Fabares
Hrothgar Mathews as Plastic Surgeon
Alexandra Purvis as Heather
Claire Riley as Neurologist
Suzanne Ristic as Aunt Irene
Blair Slater as Jason Gilardi
Kavan Smith as Young Dick Clark
George Touliatos as Grandpa Albano
Dick Clark as Self (uncredited)
Shelley Fabares as Self (uncredited)