Original Mickey Mouse Club Member Passes Away at 73

Karen Pendelton, an actress and performer who served as one of the original members of the Mickey Mouse Club, has passed away at the age of 73. According to a statement from Disney historian and author Lorraine Santoli (via The Hollywood Reporter), Pendelton died from a heart attack in Fresno, California on Sunday, October 6th. Pendelton served as a member of the iconic children's series for its entire original run from 1955 to 1959, and was only one of nine children to do so. She also holds the title of one of the youngest children to be a Mouseketeer on the original series. As a member of the group, Pendelton regularly performed alongside Carl "Cubby" O'Brien, particularly on the Mickey Mouse Club's closing number, "Alma Mater".

Pendelton was born in Glendale, California on August 1st, 1946. The youngest of three children, Pendelton was convinced to audition for the Mickey Mouse Club after producers searched for potential talent at Los Angeles dance schools. As a member of the Mouseketeers, she was also part of the show's tour to Australia in 1959 and 1960.

Once Mickey Mouse Club wrapped, Pendelton left show business, eventually getting married and having a daughter in the 1970s. In 1983, the actress was caught in an automobile accident, which led to her being paralyzed from the waist down and spending the rest of her life in a wheelchair. Following the accident, Pendelton earned a bachelor's and master's degree in psychology, and pivoted towards humanitarian work. She worked at a shelter for battered women, and also served as a board member for the California Association for the Physically Handicapped. In the decades since Mickey Mouse Club originally aired, Pendelton reunited with her castmates several times at reunion shows and Disneyland parades.

"My mom loved her Mouseketeer family," her daughter, Staci Bletscher, said in a statement. "Getting together with them was always a high point. It gave her the opportunity to relive great memories and to meet so many 'Mickey Mouse Club' fans that watched the show as kids and loved her. Many told her that they named their daughters 'Karen' in her honor."

Our condolences go out to Pendelton's family, friends, and fans.