Here’s a little television commercial from our archives that should bring back some memories! Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon were advertised for an appearance at Utica’s Stanley Theatre on May 4, 1990.

For an entire generation, Annette was one of the most familiar faces on television. She became a star as one of the original Mouseketeers on Disney’s Mickey Mouse Club in the 1950s, and in 1958 starred in the Disney television serial Annette.

In the 1960s, she teamed up with Frankie Avalon for a string of lighthearted beach movies, including Beach Party and Beach Blanket Bingo. Years later, the pair reunited for performances that brought back all those songs and memories.

This Stanley Theatre commercial is a wonderful little reminder of the stars who came through Utica. Annette’s performing career would wind down in the years that followed as she dealt with multiple sclerosis, making these later appearances especially poignant in retrospect.

Take a look at the old commercial. Were you at the Stanley that night, or do you remember seeing the ad on television?