Author: DOuG pRATt

Have a Bury Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to Prue,
Happy Birthday to Prue,
Happy BIRTH-day, dear Prudence,
Happy Birthday to Prue!

The Sixties didn’t really kick into full swing until 1965. That was when the Beatles movie HELP! was released, the Beatles played Shea Stadium for the first time, and on September 1, 1965, British designer Mary Quant’s Youthquake fashion show introduced her miniskirts to America. One of the models on that trendsetting day was none other than Prue Bury, who is on the right in this newspaper photo. By Christmas, miniskirts and go-go boots were everywhere on American TV.

Sandy Moss, Sarah Dawson, and Prue Bury: NYC - September 1, 1965
Sandy Moss, Sarah Dawson, and Prue Bury: NYC – September 1, 1965

Prue married Terry, her first husband, in early 1965, then they moved to New York City. Before leaving England, Terry reprised his croupier role from A Hard Day’s Night in an episode of the TV series Danger Man, or Secret Agent as it’s called in the United States. Here are some clips that I spliced together.

[flv:http://s3.amazonaws.com/dogratcom/Video/2013/04/DangerMan.flv 512 384]

I get a chuckle from seeing in the credits that, along with Terry’s name there is, of course, a Pratt.

DangerMan

Happy birthday, Prue!

PrueLeotard

Bye, bye Annette

Shelley Fabares and Annette Funicello
Shelley Fabares and Annette Funicello

Annette Funicello’s popularity as a Disney girl was so great that to this day all you have to say is “Annette” and everybody knows who you’re talking about. Sadly, the inevitable has happened and Multiple Sclerosis has claimed Annette.

Doreen Tracey, Annette Funicello, Shelley Fabares
Doreen Tracey, Annette Funicello, Shelley Fabares

I’m too young to have been an Annette fan in the original run of The Mickey Mouse Club, and when watching re-runs as a kid I was a Cheryl Holdridge fan, but I certainly appreciate why Annette was such a hit. Annette’s best friend forever is Shelley Fabares, who was also on the Disney payroll for a time.

SHELLEY FABARES, ANNETTE FUNICELLO

After she grew up, Annette was in the Beach Party movies for American International, of course, but she also returned to work for Disney, as seen here with the Beach Boys, singing a song by the Sherman brothers, who wrote the music for Mary Poppins. How great is that??