A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes: The Annette Funicello Story

120 minutes

10/22/1995

Overview

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.

Cast List

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
Ahnee Boyce
as Gina Portman
Austin Basile
as Jack Gilardi Jr.
Jay Brazeau
as Uncle Pete
Victoria Brooks
as Jill
Stephania Ciccone
as Grandma Albano
Demetri Goritsas
as Jimmie Dodd
Elysa Hogg
as Annette Funicello (age 4)
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
Greg Rogers
as Al Gilbert
Nina Roman
as Fortune Teller
Domenico Sansalone
as Young Joey
Michelle Skalnik
as Cissy
Blair Slater
as Jason Gilardi
Kavan Smith
as Young Dick Clark
George Touliatos
as Grandpa Albano
Scott Augustine
as Mouseketeer
Kim Bailey
as Mouseketeer
Talia Derksen
as Mouseketeer
Laura Jenkins
as Mouseketeer
Ben Newcombe
as Mouseketeer
Kelli Stewart
as Mouseketeer
Rene Tardle
as Mouseketeer
Kimberly Wallace
as Mouseketeer
Virginia Funicello
as Self
Joe Funicello
as Self
Glen Holt
as Self
Gina Portman
as Self
John Portman
as Self
Jason Gilardi
as Self
Jack Gilardi Jr.
as Self
Jack Gilardi
as Self
Dick Clark
as Self (uncredited)
Shelley Fabares
as Self (uncredited)