Why? Because We Still Like You
An Oral History of the Mickey Mouse Club (R)
By: Jennifer Armstrong
Published: October 29, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 256 pages
ISBN-10: 0446545953
ISBN-13: 978-0446545952
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
"The cast of the Mouseketeers - known as 'Mice' to those on the inside - were the most popular kids in the country, the envy of every kid growing up in the mid-1950s, privileged members of the fairy-tail-perfect Walt Disney family", writes senior writer at Entertainment Weekly, Jennifer Armstrong, in her fascinating and unauthorized behind the scenes book Why? Because We Still Like You: An Oral History of the Mickey Mouse Club (R). The author presents a balanced and intriguing portrait of the teenagers and preteens who formed the wildly popular mid-1950s phenomenon of the original Mickey Mouse Club (R).
Jennifer Armstrong recognizes the appeal and importance of the groundbreaking children's television series as a cultural icon. Devised to fill a programming gap in the third rated ABC Network, the show became an instant sensation from its premiere on October 3, 1955. For an entire generation of kids and teenagers, the familiar music and features of the show, were must see TV at 5:00 pm every weekday. What created the excitement were the wildly popular Mouseketeers themselves. The visionary genius of Walt Disney created a show where seemingly ordinary kids would be the stars of a program aimed directly at the kids of America. The concept was fresh, and the resulting audience ratings were so powerful, that the rival networks simply got out of the way. The cast of the Mickey Mouse Club (R) became daily visitors in America's living rooms, and friends to millions of children across the country. The secret to the show's success were the iconic Mouseketeers themselves.
Jennifer Armstrong (photo left) shares the inside stories and behind the scenes interviews with former Mouseketeer cast members; both famous and almost forgotten. For children, tweens, and teenagers growing up on camera, the daily routine of songs, dancing, and skits was an all encompassing life. The members of the cast, according to the author, worked forty-eight hour weeks, attended an on set school, and provided the additional marketing and publicity power to drive the show's success. As expected with a group of kids, the close intimacy generated rivalries, jealousies, and lifelong friendships. Cast members who failed to make the elite "red team" - known by the familiar role call of names - were often unceremoniously fired, as the production team sought more breakout stars. The burgeoning celebrity of the iconic Annette Funicello created pressures to discover more new superstars. The "red team" featured a host of stars in their own right, including Doreen Tracey, Darlene Gillespie, Bobby Burgess, Lonnie Burr, Cubby O'Brien, Tommy Cole, Sharon Baird, and adult host Jimmie Dodd. The creative team at Disney wanted even more, especially as the show peaked and entered its decline phase.
For me, the power of the book, is how Jennifer Armstrong blends the memories of cast members, with her own impressions of the show history. The author acknowledges fully that that some of the cast memories have morphed into myth and legend, but even that aspect of the story is important. How the Mouseketeers remembered the show, related to the other cast members, and thought of the experience is central to the book. The time spent at the Mickey Mouse Club (R) was not always as idyllic as presented to the public, and Jennifer Armstrong shares the cast's insights into their personal perspectives on the show. There were obvious jealousies, on the part of some of the female Mouseketeers, toward the growing stardom of the emerging "America's Sweetheart" Annette Funicello. The male cast members were often placed in positions of rivalry for spots as well.
Jennifer Armstrong not only describes how the Mickey Mouse Club(R) was understood in its own 1950s context, but also its legacy as an American institution. The show represented, for millions of young Americans, the best side of postwar American culture. The clean cut kids, in their name embossed sweaters and trademark mouse ears, were one ideal of the 1950s youth culture. As time and tastes moved on, the show began to lose its luster and appeal, but as the author points out, the overall appeal never disappeared entirely. The show continued in various iterations in syndication, and continued to air in North America and around the world to always eager audiences.
The author also provides a discussion of the newer versions of the Mickey Mouse Club (R), and how new cast members provided different entertainment to later generational tastes. Jennifer Armstrong also follows the cast members to the present day, where some former Mouseketeers have made peace with their ear wearing youth, others have tried to distance themselves, and still others have embraced their time in television history. In the end, the lives of the Mouseketeers, their loyal and devoted fans, and the very nature of children's television were changed forever.
I highly recommend the insightful and entertaining book Why? Because We Still Like You: An Oral History of the Mickey Mouse Club (R) by Jennifer Armstrong, to anyone seeking an excellent primer on the cultural importance of the original Mickey Mouse Club (R) and the memorable and endearing Mouseketeers. The book provides a fine introduction and overview to a cultural phenomenon that swept a nation, and transformed the lives of their youthful cast members in ways they never imagined possible.
Read the delightful and revealing book Why? Because We Still Like You: An Oral History of the Mickey Mouse Club (R) by Jennifer Armstrong, and relive the glorious days of early television, when kids entertained kids for the very first time. Their influence and lasting fame are a tribute to themselves, to the vision of Walt Disney, and to their devoted fans everywhere. "M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E".
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