The Forgotten Mouseketeers

The Mickey Mouse Club is a beloved Disney institution with most people remembering either the classic 50's show with Annette Funicello or the 90's incarnation with future pop superstars Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. Few people unless they watched it during its original run (like I did) seem to recall the 1970's version.



I think that's a shame since The New Mickey Mouse Club as it was called is pure 70's cheese at its finest. Just picture it, 12 new Mouseketeers decked out in pink and lime green polyester pantsuits doing vaudevillian comedy sketches and musical numbers set to a disco beat. They kept some of the traditions of the old show such as the mouse ears but added moog synthesizers, robot dancing and an ocean of color. There's not a trace of cynicism to be found. It's like Up With People only with 12 year olds.



The new Mouseketeers included Allison, Angel, Curtis, Julie, Kelly, Lisa (Blair from the Facts Of Life), Nita, "Pop" (he liked soft drinks), Scott, Shawnte, Todd and Mindy (the youngest and Corey Feldman's sister). Sadly the show never quite caught on and was cancelled in less than two years. While the 50's and 90's shows have had DVD releases the 70's version remains locked somewhere in the Disney vault possibly next to Song Of The South.