Editing Annette Funicello (section)

===Post-''Mickey Mouse Club''===
[[File:Annette Funicello 1959.JPG|thumb|right|Funicello and Richard Tyler on ''The Danny Thomas Show'' (1959)]]
After the ''Mickey Mouse Club'', Funicello remained under contract with Disney for a time. She had a role on the Disney television series ''[[Zorro (1957 TV series)|Zorro]]'', playing Anita Cabrillo in a three-episode storyline about a teen-aged girl arriving in Los Angeles to visit a father who does not seem to exist to the citizens there. This role was reportedly a 16th birthday present from Walt Disney, and it was the first of two different characters she played opposite [[Guy Williams (actor)|Guy Williams]] as Zorro, whom Funicello had developed a crush on.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Annette Is Getting Older...: Hollywood|author=Korman, Seymour|date=February 7, 1959|work=Chicago Daily Tribune|page=c3}}</ref><ref name=Family/> She had a multiple-episode guest arc on ''[[The Danny Thomas Show]]'' as an Italian exchange student.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Ex-Mouseketeer Wins Thomas Role|date=December 14, 1958|work=Los Angeles Times|page=G6}}</ref>

Funicello made her feature film debut in the Disney-produced comedy ''[[The Shaggy Dog (1959 film)|The Shaggy Dog]]'' (1959) with [[Fred MacMurray]] and [[Tommy Kirk]]. The film was a success at the box-office.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Mayor, Out West, Sees Film Studio: Visits Fox Lot, Meets Stars and Governor Knight -- Blaustein Script Added|last=Pryor|first=Thomas M.|date=July 30, 1958|work=The New York Times|page=18}}</ref>

Although uncomfortable being thought of as a singer, Funicello had a number of pop record hits in the late 1950s and early 1960s, mostly written by the [[Sherman Brothers]] and including: "[[Tall Paul (song)|Tall Paul]]", "First Name Initial", "[[O Dio Mio]]", "Train of Love" (written by [[Paul Anka]]) and "[[Pineapple Princess]]". They were released by Disney's [[Disney Music Group|Buena Vista]] label. She also recorded "It's Really Love" in 1959, a reworking of an earlier Paul Anka song called "Toot Sweet" (which was later reworked again into ''Johnny's Theme'' for ''[[The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson]]'').{{Citation needed|date=April 2024}}

In an episode of the [[Disney anthology television series]] titled "[[Disneyland After Dark]]", Funicello can be seen singing live at [[Disneyland]]. Walt Disney was reportedly a fan of 1950s pop star [[Teresa Brewer]] and tried to pattern Funicello's singing on the same style. However, Funicello credits "the Annette sound" to her record producer, [[Tutti Camarata]], who worked for Disney in that era. Camarata had her [[Double tracking|double-track]] her vocals, matching her first track as closely as possible on the second recording to achieve a fuller sound than her voice would otherwise produce.{{citation needed|date=January 2012}}  Early in her career, she appeared on the [[NBC]] interview program ''[[Here's Hollywood]]''.<ref name="interview"/>

In December 1959, Funicello attempted to have her contract with Disney set aside, claiming that it was unequitable and that she was without an agent or legal counsel when she signed it. She was receiving $325 a week (About $3,000 in 2020 dollars). The court refused.<ref name="court">{{cite news|first=Fred|last=Stanley|title=Hollywood Mulls Court Decisions|work=The New York Times|date=March 26, 1944|page=1|id={{ProQuest|106872448}}}}</ref>