The original Mouseketeer, Bonni Lou Kern, dies at the age of 79. Her family, friends, and followers are mourning the loss of the talented lady. She was a cast member of the original TV series of the Micky Mouse Club. She died a few days after the show reached the 65th-anniversary milestone.
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Who was Mouseketeer Bonni Lou Kern Dies?
Bonni was born in 1941 in Alhambra on January 2. She started working in the popular TV series when she was 14. As per an issue released by Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse Club Magazine in 1965, the young girl loved animals. Her hobbies included swimming, horseback riding, playing with dolls, and collecting stamps.
Kern worked with Annette Funicello, Sharon Baird, and Bobby Burgess, her fellow Mouseketeers. They started right from the beginning of the show on October 3, 1955, in the ABC network.
Bonni led The Wonder Mouseketeers as well. It was an episode where we saw the co-stars saving her from the fishing net where she was caught in. The title of the episode was Save Bonni Lou Kern. Since it was named after her original name, she imprinted it forever in the history of Disney. The lady also featured in the spinoff movie named Save The Wonder Mouseketeers. After that, she received a lot of fame throughout the next two seasons in the afternoon program.
Co-stars mourn the death of Bonni Kern
After the demise of Kern, her co-stars fondly remember the memories they shared. Burgess recalls the fun girl in Bonni and said that she was his partner during many dance sequences. He said that they “were both big hoofers.” The man also recalled the funnies moment when during the MMC Circus. Kern had slid down the web he was setting and found her big toe inside his mouth.
Sharon Baird recalls Kern for her amazing prancing skills. The lady said that Kern was a beautiful dancer. Tommy Cole recollected the one work he did with Kern and said she was a delight.
Mary Espinosa was also fond of Kern’s dancing skills. She said that Mouseketeer Bonni Lou Kern was a terrific dancer and one of her favorites. She also said how athletic the lady was and knew acrobatics. From Latin swings in the Mickey Mouse Mambo song to the Mousekedance, the lady was famous for her moves.
Remembering Mouseketeer Bonni Lou Kern
Bonni received the honorary Mousecar Award – the highest level of award given by Walt Disney. She also got the key to the Fantasyland of the Magic Kingdom in Disneyland. After her career in MMC, she worked as the muppeteer on the famous The Muppet Show. Later, she was also a part of The Great Muppet Caper and The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years.
Kern came out of showbiz eventually and worked in Lowe’s for a long time. She later married husband Harold Bud Carr during the late 60s in a lovely wedding in Hawaii. The lady has three daughters Janet, Allyson, and Kimberly, who have six children and 13 grand-children.
Chasen Hampton, who was a part of the 90s version of The All-New Mickey Mouse Club, honored Bonni by tweeting. He paid respect and called her incredibly talented. He also said that the Disney family and her fans would miss her. Allyson, Kern’s daughter, who was also a child star at one time, expressed her love and emotions about her mother on Facebook.