Mary Espinosa (Jan 16, 1945)
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Upside Down Mary
Mary came to the Mickey Mouse Club having done one television show and some live performances. She was a Blue Team member who lasted the entire first season, and after leaving the show continued working in show business, off and on, while also pursuing a career in aerospace.
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Background
Born Mary Danella Espinosa in Los Angeles, she told webmaster Steve at the old MouseStars.com that she was of Spanish, Mexican, Chinese, and French heritage.
She was the middle child of seven kids, having three brothers and three sisters. At age four, Mary started dancing lessons at
Burch Mann's University of Dance in Alhambra, specializing in tap. There she would meet other future Mouseketeers
like Bonni Lou Kern and Darlene Gillespie. Prior to auditioning for the club, Mary
appeared on an episode of The Loretta Young Show. Mary did a tap dance and sang some songs at her first club audition. She and
Bonni Kern were called back for a second audition, and both made the cut then.
Performance
Having been trained at Burch Mann's studio, Mary had strong dancing skills, but as a Blue Team member had few opportunities to show them off. She did get to do a short fast tap routine with Sharon and Bronson on live television for the Disneyland debut, and took part in a "saloon" chorus line when the stars of the Golden Horseshoe Revue appeared on the show. For the most part though, she spent her time watching guest stars and circus acts, and occasionally, getting in on the latter.
The "hurry up and wait" atmosphere on the sound stage led a sometimes bored Mary to do cartwheels and handstands while awaiting her next turn to perform. The other Mouseketeers and their moms took to calling her "Upside Down Mary" to distinguish her from
Mary Sartori. Like all the Mouseketeers, she had her turn doing the Mousekartoon introduction, revealing a pleasant singing voice. Though her opportunities for solo performances were limited, she apparently remembers her experience as favorable, though very hectic.
Aftermath
When her time on the club came to an end in January 1956, Mary said she felt relieved to escape the pressure. She went back to public school
while continuing dancing lessons. The money she earned from the club helped buy a new home for her large family. During the sixties she was in
two stage musicals and a drama. In 1964 she married John Adams. They had a daughter and son together, but divorced in 1974.
While still married Mary had attended Long Beach City College, and took a job in the medical field. By 1977 she had switched to aerospace,
and would be employed for many years by McDonnell-Douglas, Hughes Aircraft, and Northrop. In 1980 she appeared on the televised 25th Anniversary
reunion for the Mickey Mouse Club. After leaving aerospace in 1987, she resumed work in show business, doing bit parts in four films
and six television series, including Star Trek - The Next Generation, Moonlighting, Cagney and Lacey, and L.A. Law.
During the nineties she resumed her business career, while also completing her college education. She married Michael Goff in 1994, and in 1996
received a Bachelor's degree from the University of San Francisco. In 2005 she took part in the 50th Anniversary celebrations for Disneyland
and the Mouseketeers. More recently (September 2008) she was honored by the Disneyland Hispanic Employees Association (HOLA) for being the
first Hispanic female child on an American television series.
