May 16th, 1955 28 children signed contracts with Disney to become cast members of the Mickey Mouse Club, also known as Mouseketeers.

Original Mouseketeers:

Mickey Mouse Club Disney Cast Members: Annette Funicello, Karen Pendleton, Cubby O’Brien, Sherry Alberoni, Dennis Day, Charley Laney, Sharon Baird, Darlene Gillespie, Jay-Jay Solari, Tommy Cole, Cheryl Holdridge, Larry Larsen, Eileen Diamond, Lonnie Burr, Margene Storey, Doreen Tracey, Jimmie Dodd, Bobby Burgess

Notice the original opening did not have mouse ear hats! They were created and designed by Disney Legend, Cast Member and Artist, Roy Williams, known as “Big Roy” in the Mickey Mouse Club. “Big Roy” designed and introduced the mouse ears worn by the mouseketeers and sold throughout Disney Parks to this day.

Did you know, in Hollywood Studios, in the Muppet 3D room of Muppet Vision, there is a display hanging from the ceiling of “a net, full of Jell-O”. This is a play on words to symbolize Annette Funicello!