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Then: Karen Pendleton (in the bottom middle row, to the right of Annette Funicello) came to The Mickey Mouse Club at 8 years old having never even been on a Hollywood set. She was often paired onscreen with the equally small, cute, and young Cubby O’Brien. She often made mistakes on camera due to her lack of experience — a quality producers loved to play up to make her relatable to fans — and she was continuously baffled by her own fame. But she and Cubby were an indelible TV “couple”: “I even heard that we got the most mail aside from Annette,” she says. “There were a lot of little kids who liked watching us together.” The duo, however, declined a joint contract offer from Disney at the end of the show’s run. “I can’t imagine how my life would’ve been different if I’d done it,” she says.
Now: Karen (seen here at the 50th reunion performance, front and center) dropped out of performing when she found auditions made her nervous. After moving to Fresno, she suffered a car crash in 1983 that injured her spinal cord and left her paraplegic, putting her in a wheelchair most of the time. The accident fueled her determination, however, and she finished both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology while also raising her daughter as a single mom. She worked at a battered women’s shelter, then at the Center for Independent Living in Fresno, where she still lives.
For more on the Mouseketeers’ lives on The Mickey Mouse Club and beyond, check out my book Why? Because We Still Like You.
THIS IS A SPECIAL “HELLO” TO KAREN PENDLETON.
YOU WERE WITHOUT A DOUBT THE CUTEST OF THE
MOUSEKETEERS TO ME…BAR NONE. I LOVED THE WAY YOU
DANCED AND ANNOUNCED THE MOUSEKARTOONS. I ESPECIALLY LIKED YOU AT THE 25TH REUNION AND COULD
PICTURE MYSELF JITTERBUGGING WITH YOU.
I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU!
THANKS.
FRED MEESSEN
Karen,
You were my favorite Mouseketeer. I am a year younger than you, and used to be rather shy. I saw a quiet, cute personality in you, and daydreamed of being with you, like 9 year old’s do. I looked forward to seeing you every day on the TV. I lived in Saginaw, Michigan. We had an old black and white TV that worked MOST of the time! I was sorry to hear of your car accident, but amazed that you got your Master’s degree. I graduated from Western Michigan University, and served 2 years in the U.S. Army, one year in Germany (1971). I suffered a stroke in 2008, leaving my left side paralyzed, but I have adjusted to one-handed life. Life goes on, and we must make the most of it! God bless you. You’ll always be “KAREN in the Mickey Mouse ears” to me!
HI, Karen!
I HAVE YOU BOOKMARKED FOR A FREQUENT PICK-ME-UP.
I THINK YOU HAVE MY E-MAIL ADDRESS AND WOULD LIKE TO
HEAR FROM YOU.
THANK YOU.
F.M,
Karen,
I was sorting out”stuff”tonight and came across autograph books from long ago and memories flooded in and your name was there…. and how well I remember. We met at the Sydney Stadium and I’d won the prize of being your Australian Secretary, along with another child if I recall events correctly. I remember telling you I was 11 1/2 and now I tell people I’m just over 60!
I was sorry to read of your car accident but was interested to read the commonalities between we “girls” as we say in Oz land. I also did a Degree Course and later a Masters in School Counselling. Now I work approximately 3 days a week in NSW schools and cannot imagine retiring “full time”….love the kids, love the social contact.
Most importantly, thanks for all those wonderful Mouseketeers days of my childhood – I hope Walt treated you well.
Kind Regards,
Di C.
Hello Karen. I thought of you today, out of the blue and decided to find out whatever happended to you. When I was a child, I watched the Club every day. You and cubby were my favorite. So much so, that when I was in kindergarten, my mom gave birth to my sister and allowed me to name her. Guess what is her name? Yes – Karen. I named her after YOU. Although when I told my sister a couple of years ago, she replied “You named me after a mousekateer?? Thanks!!” but then, Karen didn’t watch the mousekateer club. Your program was so much my favorite that when I was in the hospital to have my tonsils removed, my grandmother came to me in the hall of the hospital and presented me with a Minnie Mouse Doll – soft body with a hard plastic face.
I was sorry to read about your accident but you are truly a wonderful person – just like the lady named after you. May God bless you always. I hope you receive this note.
V. Reynolds
Hello Karen, I recently found out from my dad that I got my name from you, he said that he remembers watching you and thinkning he really liked the name, so I looked you up on-line what an adorable little girl you were. I read that you got your masters in psycholgy, which I too am working on. Blessings and joy to you.
Karen C.
Karen, This will go back to your high school day’s. I hope you can fill in the mental blocks. You and a close friend, Mike (can’t remember his last name) double dated. We double dated alot and had a great time. I wish I had more descriptions. I do remember Mike had an Italian last name and a great laugh. My name is John Olson (two years older) than you and Mike. You guys made a fun couple. I hope you can fill in the mental blocks!
I was saddened by the news today of Annette’s passing and it got me thinking about the Mousketeers. I watched it religiously and loved Annette and Karen and Cubby. You guys were my favourites. I wish I could turn the clock back. I especially loved fridays as it was any goes. I live in Australia. God bless x
Karen,
You were my favorite mouseketeer! We were the same age, and I thought you were perfect and so likeable. I wish you were still on TV!
Hi Karen,
You were my favorite and I was a true 6 year old fan. I even changed my name telling everyone to call me Karen. We met in Oklahoma when your aunt and my mother struck up a conversation while waiting in the airport. I later went to your home when we moved to California. It was a dream come true, and my Dad took home movies capturing your performance in the middle of a wind storm, and then us at your house.
My best wishes to you. Cindy
Karen you were my counselor at Hoover High School back in like 1999. You changed my life and I will never forget that. You are truly a wonderful person. If it wasnt for you I would have given up on everything. I would love to get in contact with you again.
Hello Karen,
You were my favorite of all. I had such an indelible crush on you as a child of your same age, I was even jealous of Cubby. LOL. I can’t tell you what a joy it was for you to inhabit my imagination. God bless you.
Karen, I will be 71 next month. I named my doll Karen after you and my four granddaughters still play with her. I tell them I named her after you . My mother bought her at Sears North Hollywood because I wanted the cryby doll (Cry baby doll) because she surely needed a home. I had to hide her under my bed when friends came over because I was way too old to have a doll. She has had a makeover and remains in the same crib she came home in. Hope you are well.
Sincerely, Trisha McMenamin
I recently saw a group picture of the MouseKeteers and immediately recognized your picture. It’s been 60 years since I saw the MMC and remember being so in love with the ‘older girl’ (You were 9, I was 7 at the time). Anyway, it is surprising to me that a 7 year old could be so smitten, but I was and just wanted to tell you a little story. At the end of each episode I used to pick you off the TV screen and put you in my shirt pocket. I’d keep my hand cupped over you. When my mother asked if my chest hurt, I said I didn’t want Karen to get squished. She told me I was being really silly, but I wouldn’t remove my hand. Just wanted you to know, as I’m sure you already do, that a million kids adored you… and one more — me. Thanks for the good memories.