WASHINGTON — Karen Pendleton, one of the original Mouseketeers on the famous Disney show, has died at the age of 73.
Pendleton was among the youngest of the children on "The Mickey Mouse Club."
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Disney historian and author Lorraine Santoli issued a statement saying Pendleton died of a heart attack Sunday in Fresno, California.
Pendleton was born in Glendale, California on August 1, 1946. She was asked to audition for The Mickey Mouse Club after producers saw her at a dance school in Los Angeles. Pendleton co-starred in various reunion shows for The Mickey Mouse Club and could be seen at Disneyland parades, fan shows and conventions.
Pendleton later quit show business to finish school and start a family. She was paralyzed in a car crash in 1983 and used a wheelchair for the rest of her life.
She is survived by her daughter and two grandchildren.
