Annette Funicello became a single mom of three after divorcing her first husband. She married an ordinary rancher who became a homebound husband. He became her caregiver after Funicello was diagnosed with a disease soon after their wedding. He saved her from their burning house a few years before the condition took her life.
Annette Funicello spent her life in the spotlight. She was a teenage star that grabbed everyone’s attention. When she was 20, she caught the eye of Jack Gilardi, a Hollywood film agent. The two were soon married, and they had three kids together.
Funicello shared that Jack called her Dolly, just like her father used to. In her immaturity, she thought this was a good thing. The actress said that she still felt like a 16-year-old when they married. Her naivety led to Jack making all the decisions, and she allowed it to avoid conflict.
Annette Funicello smiles while dancing with her husband, agent Jack Gilardi, at their wedding reception, 1965 | Source: Getty Images
After 17 years with Jack, the marriage became stifling. The actress and the agent divorced out of court, and Anette ensured the kids had a good relationship with their father. She spent the next five years on her own, with a few men – that she didn’t describe as “eligible” – calling her up.
During this time, the actress spent her days focussing on her children. She drove carpools like an ordinary mother and worked at the school where she and her children graduated, St. Cyril’s, as often as she could.
Funicello said the divorce also taught her to be more self-assured. She never viewed herself as a docile individual and enjoyed speaking her mind and defending her opinions. After she and Jack split up, the Disney star learned to assert herself, even if she still hated conflict.
Annette Funicello cuddles her newborn son, Jack, Jr., at St. Joseph’s Hospital. looking on is the proud father, Jack Gilardi, and their daughter, Gina, 4, 1970 | Source: Getty Images
After her divorce, many of the men who called were already married. Funicello remembered that this shocked her because she often knew the men’s wives. But Funicello wasn’t looking for a new husband...
