Finally on the fifth audition, a producer said “Be on your best today, because Walt Disney is going to be here”. I lived in Long Beach, it was an hour each way. MS: What was your first meeting with Walt Disney like?īB: The first time that Walt Disney was ever involved with us was at the audition. Jimmy Dodd was so great, and Roy Williams.we had guest stars, and Circus Day, Anything Can Happen Day…we had just a great time on that show. But still it was entertaining to the kids who were watching. Not only did we sing and dance Monday through Friday, but we had Spin and Marty, the Annette series, Corky and White Shadow, Hardy Boys…we were one of the first shows to have a cartoon every day, even though some of them went back to the 30’s, I think. I hope it (the show) comes back on television, wouldn’t that be great? It was such a classic show. And now, next year is our big 60th and they are calling us again! ( The Mouseketeers just performed at the Disneyana Convention this year and may have more plans soon). Everybody was in good spirits and good health, thank goodness, those of us who were still with us. I jitterbugged with Sharon, and Cubby played the drums, and Tommy sang, and we sang Monday Through Friday, and we did all the moves. So finally, even on the 50th they called us. Well, every big holiday at Disneyland we were in parades, and we were singing and dancing at Videopolis at the Space Stage. They won’t ask us back to do anything else”. At that time, we thought “Gosh, it’s been 25 years since the Mickey Mouse Club debuted in 1955. As a matter of fact, when we had our 25th anniversary at Disneyland, we did 5 shows a day, 16 numbers. MS: Did you think as a teenager that at this point in your life, you’d still be talking about the Mickey Mouse Club?īB: (Laughing) No. I went from one family institution to another, I was really lucky in my career. It’s my recollections of all the great times that I had with the Mickey Mouse Club and the Lawrence Welk Show. Lorraine Santoli, who worked for Disney for years as publicist for Disneyland and at the Studio edited it for me. I wrote it long hand on yellow paper and finally my wife typed it up and we got Theme Park Press to publish it for me. MS: What inspired you to write Ears and Bubbles?īB: Ears and Bubbles: Dancing my Way from the Mickey Mouse Club to the Lawrence Welk Show…well, I had fans who, when I would tell stories to them would say “Why don’t you write a book, and put these down on ink and paper?” And I thought, well, someday I will.