Books About The Mickey Mouse Club Show
Independent Voices
 Richard Schickel 1968 |
 Jerry Bowles 1976 |
 Jeff Rovin 1975 |
 Paul Petersen 1977 |
 Andrea Darvi 1983 |
 Marc Eliot 1993 |
Schickel's book is the most widely read criticism of Disney as Art. Bowles book was drawn from interviews done for Esquire in 1974-5, but didn't appear until the following year. Rovin's book looks like it was hurriedly put together in the summer of 1975. Paul Petersen's book, like the previous two, was wholly devoted to the show. Andrea Darvi's book contains many comments from Darlene Gillespie and Bobby Burgess, but is otherwise focused on child actors in general. Eliot's biography of Disney consists of rare interviews and interesting research interwoven with blatant speculation, and in the short section on the MMC, careless errors.
Disney Sponsored Books
 Bob Thomas 1976 |
 Keith Keller 1975 |
 Romanowski 1994 |
 Lorraine Santoli 1995 |
 Dave Smith 1996 |
 Bill Cotter 1997 |
Despite his claim of independence, Bob Thomas's book was the Disney family's answer to Schickel. Keller's book was published by Grossett & Dunlap, but is copyright to Walt Disney Productions. Annette's memoir seems to hurry past her years on the show, and rarely mentions Mouseketeers. Lorraine Santoli's book was written when she was a Disney executive, and is wholly devoted to the show. Dave Smith's book contains scattered references to the show, cast, crew, and serials; it was updated and reissued in 1998. Bill Cotter was no longer with Disney when he wrote his book, and the large section on The Mickey Mouse Club was done from an objective standpoint.