Not to be confused with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

The Mickey Mouse Club was an American variety television show produced by Walt Disney Productions that ran from 1955 to 1996. It was first televised from 1955 to 1959 by the ABC, featuring a regular but ever-changing cast of teenage performers. The Mickey Mouse Club was created by Walt Disney. The series has been revived, reformatted and reimagined several times since its initial 1955–1959 run on ABC, first in 1977 for syndication and later (1989-95) for seven seasons on the Disney Channel.

The 1950s series[link]

The Mickey Mouse Club was Walt Disney's second venture into producing a television series, the first being the Walt Disney anthology television series, initially titled Disneyland. Disney used both shows to help finance and promote the building of the Disneyland theme park. Being busy with these projects and others, Disney turned The Mickey Mouse Club over to Bill Walsh to create and develop the format, initially aided by Hal Adelquist.^[1]

The result was a variety show for children, with such regular features as a newsreel, a cartoon, and a serial, as well as music, talent and comedy segments. One unique feature of the show was the Mouseketeer Roll Call, in which many (but not all) of that day's line-up of regular performers would introduce themselves by name to the television audience. In the serials, teens faced challenges in everyday situations, often overcome by their common sense or through recourse to the advice of respected elders. Mickey Mouse himself appeared in every show not only in vintage cartoons originally made for theatrical release, but in opening, interstitial and closing segments made especially for the show. In both the vintage cartoons and in the new animated segments, Mickey was voiced by his creator Walt Disney. (Disney had previously voiced the character theatrically from 1928 to 1947, and then was replaced by sound effects artist Jimmy MacDonald.)

Cast[link]

1957 cast photo. From left: Annette Funicello, Karen Pendleton, Cubby O'Brien. Row two: Charley Laney, Sharon Baird, Darlene Gillespie, Jay Jay Solari. Row three: Tommy Cole, Cheryl Holdridge, Larry Larsen, Doreen Tracey, Eileen Diamond. Back row: Lonnie Burr, Margene Storey, Jimmie Dodd, Bobby Burgess.

Mickey Mouse Club was hosted by Jimmie Dodd, a songwriter and the Head Mouseketeer, who provided leadership both on and off screen. In addition to his other contributions, he often provided short segments encouraging young viewers to make the right moral choices. These little homilies became known as "Doddisms".^[1] Roy Williams, a staff artist at Disney, also appeared in the show as the Big Mooseketeer. Roy suggested the Mickey Mouse ears (Mouseke-ears or Mouseket-ears) worn by the cast members, which he helped create, along with Chuck Keehne, Hal Adelquist, and Bill Walsh.

The main cast members were called Mouseketeers (a play on "musketeers"), and they performed in a variety of musical and dance numbers, as well as some informational segments. The most popular of the Mouseketeers comprised the so-called Red Team, which consisted of the following:

• Annette Funicello
• Tommy Cole
• Darlene Gillespie
• Cheryl Holdridge (joined in second year)
• Bobby Burgess
• Doreen Tracey
• Cubby O'Brien
• Karen Pendleton
• Lonnie Burr
• Sharon Baird
• Dennis Day (first and second year)
• Nancy Abbate (first year only)
• Jay-Jay Solari (second year only)

(Cubby and Karen were initially Meeseketeers because they were the youngest of this group)

The remaining Mouseketeers, consisting of the White or Blue Teams, were Don Agrati (later known as Don Grady when starring as "Robbie" on the long running sitcom My Three Sons), Sherry Alberoni, Billie Jean Beanblossom, Johnny Crawford, Jonathan A. Kahn (a.k.a. Tio Juan), Eileen Diamond, Dickie Dodd (not related to Jimmie Dodd), Mary Espinosa, Bonnie Lynn Fields, Judy Harriet, Linda Hughes, Dallas Johann, John Lee Johann, Bonni Lou Kern, Charlie Laney, Larry Larsen, Paul Petersen, Lynn Ready, Mickey Rooney Jr., Tim Rooney, Mary Lynn Sartori, Bronson Scott, Michael Smith, Margene Storey, Ronnie Steiner, Mark Sutherland and Don Underhill.^[2] Dennis Day was a Mouseketeer for two seasons; the others served for shorter periods. Larry Larsen, on only for the 1956-57 season, was the oldest Mouseketeer, being born in 1939. Among the thousands who auditioned but didn't make the cut were future vocalist/songwriter Paul Williams and future actress Candice Bergen.

Other notable non-Mouseketeer performers appeared in various dramatic segments:^[1]

• Tim Considine
• Tommy Kirk
• Roberta Shore a.k.a. Jymme Shore
• Steve Stevens (not to be confused with musician of same name)
• David Stollery
• Judy Nugent
• Kevin Corcoran, a.k.a. Moochie
• J. Pat O'Malley
• Sammy Ogg
• Alvy Moore
• Julius Sumner Miller as "Professor Wonderful"^[1]

These non-Mouseketeers primarily appeared in numerous original serials filmed for the series, only some of which have appeared in reruns. Certain Mouseketeers were also featured in some of the serials, particularly Annette Funicello and Darlene Gillespie.

Major serials[link]

Major serials included the following:^[1]

• Spin and Marty (three serials, starring Tim Considine and David Stollery in the title roles)
• The Hardy Boys (two serials, starring Tim Considine and Tommy Kirk)
• Corky and White Shadow, starring Darlene Gillespie
• Walt Disney Presents: Annette, starring Annette Funicello
• Adventure in Dairyland, featuring Funicello and Sammy Ogg, and introducing Kevin Corcoran as Moochie
• Jiminy Cricket educational serials (four Animated serials educating kids on various topics).
• The Adventures of Clint and Mac (starring Neil Wolfe as Clint Rogers and Jonathan Bailey as Alastair "Mac" MacIntosh.)
• Boys of the Western Sea

Music[link]

The opening theme, "The Mickey Mouse March," was written by the show's primary adult host, Jimmie Dodd.^[1] It was also reprised at the end of each episode, with the slower it's-time-to-say-goodbye verse. A shorter version of the opening title was used later in the series, in syndication, and on Disney Channel reruns. Dodd also wrote many other songs used in individual segments over the course of the series.

Show themes[link]

Each day of the week had a special show theme, which was reflected in the various segments. The themes were:

• Monday - Fun with Music
• Tuesday - Guest Star
• Wednesday - Anything Can Happen
• Thursday - Circus
• Friday - Talent Round-up

Scheduling and air times[link]

The series ran on ABC Television for an hour each weekday in the 1955–1956 and 1956-1957 seasons (from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. ET), and only a half-hour weekdays (5:30 to 6:00 p.m. ET) in 1957–1958, the final season to feature new programming.^[3] Although the show returned for the 1958–1959 season (5:30 to 6:00 p.m. ET), these programs were repeats from the first two seasons, re-cut into a half-hour format. The Mickey Mouse Club was featured on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and Walt Disney's Adventure Time, featuring re-runs of The Mickey Mouse Club serials and several re-edited segments from Disneyland and Walt Disney Presents, appeared on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Cancellation[link]

Although the show remained popular, ABC decided to cancel the show after its fourth season, as Disney and the ABC network could not come to terms for renewal.^[4] The cancellation in September 1959 was attributable to several factors: the Disney studios did not realize high-profit margins from merchandise sales, the sponsors were uninterested in educational programming for children, and many commercials were needed in order to pay for the show. After canceling The Mickey Mouse Club, ABC also refused to let Disney air the show on another network.^[5] Walt Disney filed a lawsuit against ABC, and won the damages in a settlement; however, he had to agree that both the Mickey Mouse Club and Zorro could not be aired on any major network. This left Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color (later retitled the Wonderful World of Disney) as the only Disney series left on prime time until 1972, when The Mouse Factory went on the air. The prohibition against major U.S. broadcast network play of the original Mickey Mouse Club (or any later version) became moot when Disney acquired ABC in 1996, but no plans have been announced for an ABC airing of any version of The Mickey Mouse Club produced between 1955 and 1996 or for a new network series.

Australian tour[link]

Although the series had been discontinued in the United States, many members of the cast assembled for highly successful tours of Australia in 1959 and 1960. The television series was very successful in Australia and was still running on Australian television. The cast surprised Australian audiences, as by then they had physically developed and in some cases, bore little resemblance to the young cast with whom Australians were so familiar. Mainstream television did not reach Australia until 1956 so the series screened well into the sixties when the back catalogue expired.

Syndication[link]

In response to continuing audience demand, the original Mickey Mouse Club went into edited syndicated half-hour reruns that enjoyed wide distribution starting in the fall of 1962, achieving strong ratings especially during its first three seasons in syndicated release. (because of its popularity in some markets, a few stations continued to carry it into 1968 before the series was finally withdrawn from syndication). Some new features were added such as Fun with Science, aka "Professor Wonderful" (with scientist Julius Sumner Miller) and Marvelous Marvin in the 1964–1965 season; Jimmie Dodd appeared in several of these new segments before his death in November 1964. Many markets stretched the program back to an hour's daily run time during the 1960s rerun cycle by adding locally produced and hosted portions involving educational subjects and live audience participation of local children, in a manner not unlike Romper Room.

In response to an upsurge in demand from baby boomers entering adulthood, the show again went into syndicated reruns from January 20, 1975, until January 14, 1977. It has since been rerun on cable specialty channels Disney in the U.S. and Family in Canada. The original Mickey Mouse Club films aired five days a week on the Disney Channel from its launch in 1983 until the third version of the series began in 1989. The last airing of the edited 1950s material was on the Disney Channel's "Vault Disney" from 1997 to September 2002.

Reunions[link]

Almost all of the original Mouseketeers were reunited for a TV special, which aired on Disney's Wonderful World in November 1980.

Several original Mouseketeers performed together at Disneyland in the fall of 2005, in observance of Disneyland's 50th birthday, and the 50th anniversary of the TV premiere of The Mickey Mouse Club.

[edit] 1970s revival, The New Mickey Mouse Club

In the 1970s, Walt Disney Productions revived the concept but modernized the show cosmetically, with a disco re-recording of the theme song and minority cast members. The sets, though colored, were simplistic, lacking the fine artwork of the original. Like the original, nearly each day's episode included a vintage cartoon, though usually color ones from the late 1930s and onward.

Disney voice actor and sound effects editor Wayne Allwine voiced Mickey in the animated lead-ins for the show. He would keep providing the voice for the character up to his death in 2009.

Serials[link]

Serials were usually old Disney movies, cut into segments for twice-weekly inclusion. Movies included Third Man on the Mountain, The Misadventures of Merlin Jones and its sequel The Monkey's Uncle (both starring Tommy Kirk), Emil and the Detectives (retitled The Three Skrinks), Tonka (retitled A Horse Called Comanche), The Horse Without a Head (about a toy horse), and Toby Tyler (starring Kevin Corcoran). In addition, one original serial was produced, The Mystery of Rustler's Cave, starring Kim Richards and Robbie Rist.

Theme days[link]

Theme days were:

• Monday - Who, What, Why, Where, When and How
• Tuesday - Let's Go
• Wednesday - Surprise
• Thursday - Discovery
• Friday - Showtime (at Disneyland, with performers usually at Plaza Gardens)

Troubled syndication run[link]

The series debuted on January 17, 1977, on only 38 local television stations in the United States, and by June, when the unsuccessful series was discontinued, only about 70 stations in total had picked up the series. Additional stations picked up the canceled program, which continued to run until January 12, 1979; 130 new episodes, with much of the original material repackaged and a bit of new footage added, and a shortened version of the theme song, were produced to start airing September 5, 1977. The series has not had more than token reruns, unlike its 1950s predecessor, and while both the 1950s and 1990s series had DVD releases in July 2005, the 1970s series seems forgotten except by that short generation of youthful viewers for whom it defined the Club.

Cast[link]

The cast had a more diverse ethnic background than the 1950s version. Several 1970s cast members went on to become TV stars and other notable icons.

The show's most notable alumnus was Lisa Whelchel, who later starred in the NBC television sitcom The Facts of Life before becoming a well-known Christian author. Mouseketeer Julie Piekarski (born St. Louis, 1963) also appeared with Lisa Whelchel on the first season of The Facts of Life. Kelly Parsons (born Coral Gables, Fla., 1964) went on to become a beauty queen and runner-up to Miss USA. Shawnte Northcutte (born Los Angeles, 1965) appeared then too. Billy 'Pop' Attmore (born at US military base in Landstuhl, West Germany, 1965) appeared in a few movies before and after the series, a fifth-season episode of The Brady Bunch ("Kelly's Kids"), and as a streetwise hood in the short-lived Eischied crime drama. Nita Dee appeared at the tail end of an episode of Fantasy Island.

Other Mouseketeers from the 1970s show:^[2]

• Scott Craig — born in Van Nuys, California, in 1964; lived in Las Vegas, died December 30, 2003.
• Nita Dee (Benita DiGiampaolo) — born in Long Beach, California, 1966
• Mindy Feldman — born in Burbank, California, 1968, and sister of Corey Feldman.
• Angel Florez — born in Stockton, California, 1963; died April 25, 1995.
• Allison Fonte — born in Anaheim, California, 1964
• Todd Turquand — born in Hollywood, California, 1964
• Curtis Wong — born in Vancouver, British Columbia, 1962

Disney voice actor and sound effects editor Wayne Allwine voiced Mickey Mouse in the animated lead-ins for the show, replacing both Jimmy MacDonald, who in 1947 had replaced Walt Disney as the voice of Mickey for theatrical cartoons, and Walt Disney himself, who had been the original voice of Mickey and once again provided the voice for animated introductions to the original TV show but had passed away in 1966. Allwine would keep providing the voice for the character up to his death in 2009.

Future rock musician Courtney Love claims to have auditioned for a part on the show, reading a poem by Sylvia Plath; she was not selected.

Theme song and soundtrack[link]

The lyrics of the Mickey Mouse Club March theme song were slightly different from the original, with two additional lines: "He's our favorite Mouseketeer; we know you will agree" and "Take some fun and mix in love, our happy recipe."

A soundtrack album^[6] was released with the show.

Distribution[link]

This incarnation was not distributed by Disney alone; while Disney did produce the series, it was co-produced and distributed by SFM Entertainment, which also handled 1970s-era syndication of the original 1950s series (Disney since regained sole distribution rights).

[edit] 1989-95 revival MMC

In 1989, when The Disney Channel began broadcasting the very first show aired was an episode of The Mickey Mouse Club. While the show was popular with younger audiences, Channel executives felt that it had become dated over the years, particularly as it was in black-and-white. Their answer was to create a brand-new version of the Club, one geared toward contemporary audiences.

Scheduling and air times[link]

Seasons 1–5. In Season 6, the show was on from Monday to Thursday at 5:30PM. In its final season, Season 7, it aired Thursdays only at 7:30PM. The show premiered Monday, April 24, 1989, ended production in 1995, and ran reruns until Thursday, May 31, 1999. Seasons 3, 5, and 7 had the most episodes. Seasons 4 and 6 were shorter, having about 35 episodes each.

Seasons 1-7[link]

During this era,The Show was really in a rush to keep things together.For this then-new updated version The Managers at The Walt Disney Studios wanted the show to be filmed (once again) at the Burbank Studios in California.But Executive & Producer Steve Clements wanted the show to be filmed at The Lake Buena Vista Studios located at the then-named Disney M-G-M Studios for three reasons :

• The kids would have a warm/cool Climate city to work in
• Between Taping breaks,the kids could go to the parks & enjoy themselves
• It would also boost The attendance at The Walt Disney World Resort

When the Mouseketeers returned to Orlando earlier this month to resume production of Mickey Mouse Club, they found 50,000 fan letters awaiting them.It had been almost a year since the young performers left Disney-MGM Studios on an extended hiatus from the show. But Mickey Mouse Club, which continued to appear in reruns at 5:30 p.m. each weekday on the Disney Channel, only seemed to gather more momentum. The channel, in fact, was considering producing a syndicated Mickey Mouse Club special that would be seen by far more than the Disney Channel audience. Indeed, even the response to nationwide auditions for new Mouseketeers last November, December and January showed how high the profile of the show has risen. More than 20,000 children showed up for the auditions in 20 U.S. cities, compared with the 5,000 who tried out for the show's debut. The Mickey Mouse Club gang was hoofing and hamming once again at Disney-MGM Studios, but the group, which just returned from summer break, was missing some members. The Disney Channel series started up again sans two of its dozen Mouseketeers: Braden Danner, 13, of New York, and David Kater, 13, of West Covina, Calif. Disney's explanation was pat: As a continuing show with a large cast, there will continuous changes. The number of mouse cadets likely will stay in flux. Mouse Club also begins its next production cycle without line producer Kim Dawson, a key executive who came to Orlando a year ago as part of the show's launch team. Dawson, however, is staying in Orlando on an assignment to develop other Disney Channel projects to shoot at Disney-MGM. Disney is keeping the particulars of his job under wraps. Mickey Mouse Club resumed taping July 25 on a Tuesday through Saturday schedule. This week, the Mouseketeers and show hosts Fred Newman and Mowava Pryor are rehearsing comedy sketches and musical numbers such as Great Balls of Fire. The sketches include a spoof on Disney's love bug, Herbie. The living Volkswagen, it seems, was traded in for a Chevy, sold for scrap and recycled into a can of cream of mushroom soup. Also, Mowava stars in a parody of the '50s Romper Room children's series called Miss Mowava's Magic Mirror. Remember, the series' host who looked through a mirror and saw members of her TV audience? Well, Mowava's mirror goes on the blink. Snow appears, the horizontal goes out, and so on. The show remained in the Disney lineup (now aired at 5:30 p.m. weekdays) indefinitely. On Thursdays, beginning May 4, the 44 new episodes began airing under the title MMC. Reruns aired the rest of the weekdays.

We've had a successful run, said Disney Channel spokeswoman Tricia Haarer. It's time to move on.

Central Florida teens Josh Ackerman, a senior at Lake Brantley High School, and Lindsey Alley, a junior at Lakeland High School, literally grew up on the show. Jennifer McGill, a senior at Dr. Phillips High School and also one of the mouseketeers from early on in the series' run, eventually moved to Orlando from Denison, Texas.

All three plan show business careers. Ackerman and McGill will attend New York University next fall.

The Mickey Mouse Club joins Thunder in Paradise, a syndicated action-adventure show, in disappearing from the Disney-MGM stable.

Theme days[link]

This version still kept the Theme Day-Format from the 50s version to 90s version. When Disney decided to revamp the show for its final season, the show was shown only on Thursdays. Probably because of the Saturday Night Live feel & money problems.

Theme days were as follows:

• Music Day - Mondays (Seasons 1-5), Tuesdays (Season 6)
• Guest Day - Tuesdays (Seasons 1-5), Mondays (Season 6)
• Anything Can Happen Day - Wednesdays (seasons 1-5)
• Party Day - Thursdays (Seasons 1-4, 6), Fridays (season 5)
• Hall of Fame Day - Fridays (Seasons 1-4), Thursdays (Season 5), Wednesdays (Season 6)

Mouseketeer roster[link]

Listed alphabetically are all 24 Mouseketeers:^[1]

Seasons 1-7 (1989-95)[link]

• Jennifer McGill
• Lindsey Alley
• Josh Ackerman
• Tiffini Hale (came back for the final season)

[edit] The Party (Formers club Members)

• Deedee Magno
• Tiffini Hale
• Albert Fields
• Damon Pampolina
• Chase Hampton

Seasons 1-2 (1989)[link]

• David Kater
• Roque Herring
• Joe Krienke
• Braden Danner

Seasons 3-5 (1990-92)[link]

• Mylin Brooks
• Terra Mcnair
• Jason Minor
• Tasha Danner
• Jason Blain Carson

Seasons 3-7 (1990-95)[link]

• Ricky Luna
• Ilana Miller
• Rhona Bennett
• JC Chasez
• Dale Godboldo
• Tony Lucca
• Nita Booth
• Matt Morris
• Marc Worden
• Keri Russell (she left after season 6 to film Honey, I Blew Up the Kid,but still made guest appearances on Season 7)
• Dale Godboldo

Seasons 6-7 (1993-95)[link]

• Britney Spears
• Christina Aguilera
• Justin Timberlake
• Nikki DeLoach
• Tate Lynche
• T.J Fantini
• Ryan Gosling

See also[link]

• Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

References[link]

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} Cotter, Jim (1997). The Wonderful World of Disney Television. New York: Hyperion Books. pp. 181–196 (1950s), 197–198 (1970s), 295 (MMC). ISBN 0-7868-6359-5. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Smith, Dave (1998). Disney A to Z: The Updated Official Encyclopedia. New York: Hyperion Books. pp. 387–388. ISBN 0-7868-6391-9. 
3. ^ Mickey the Magnificent. TV-Radio Mirror. May 1957. p. 21. http://www.otrr.org/FILES/Magz_pdf/TV_Radio_Mirror/TV%20Radio%20Mirror%205705.pdf. Retrieved 12 February 2012. (PDF)
4. ^ The Mickey Mouse Club
5. ^ Zorro - the hour-long episodes
6. ^ Disneyland Records DQ-2501

External links[link]

• The Mickey Mouse Club at the Internet Movie Database (1950s version)
• The New Mickey Mouse Club at the Internet Movie Database (1970s version)
• MMC at the Internet Movie Database (1990s version)
• The Mickey Mouse Club at TV.com
• The New Mickey Mouse Club at TV.com
• MMC at TV.com

DVD releases

• Walt Disney Treasures: The Mickey Mouse Club at UltimateDisney.com
• Mickey Mouse Club: Best of Britney, Justin & Christina at UltimateDisney.com

Fan websites

• Classic TV - The Mickey Mouse Club
• The New Mickey Mouse Club Renaissance Project
• New Mickey Mouse Club.com, via Archive.org
• Original Mickey Mouse Club
• Mickey Mouse Club (Turkish)

Coverage

• Famous Former Mouseketeers - slideshow by Life magazine

Ryan Gosling
Gosling at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival
Born	Ryan Thomas Gosling (1980-11-12) November 12, 1980 (age 31) London, Ontario, Canada
Occupation	Actor, musician, restaurant owner
Years active	1993–present

Ryan Thomas Gosling (born November 12, 1980) is a Canadian actor and musician. He began his career as a child star on the Disney Channel's Mickey Mouse Club (1993–95) and went on to appear in other family entertainment programs including Are You Afraid of the Dark? (1995), Goosebumps (1996), Breaker High (1997–98) and Young Hercules (1998–99). His first serious role was as a Jewish neo-Nazi in The Believer (2001), and he then built a reputation for playing misfits in independent films such as Murder by Numbers (2002), The Slaughter Rule (2002), The United States of Leland (2003) and Stay (2005).

Gosling came to the attention of a wider audience in 2004 with a leading role in the romantic drama The Notebook, for which he won four Teen Choice Awards and an MTV Movie Award. His performance as a drug-addicted teacher in Half Nelson (2006) was nominated for an Academy Award and his performance as a socially inept loner in Lars and the Real Girl (2007) was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. In 2007, he starred in the courtroom thriller Fracture.

After a three-year acting hiatus, Gosling starred in both Blue Valentine and All Good Things in 2010. The former performance as a frazzled husband earned him a second Golden Globe nomination. 2011 proved to be a landmark year for the actor as he appeared in three mainstream films – the romantic comedy Crazy, Stupid, Love, the thriller Drive and the political drama The Ides of March – and received two Golden Globe nominations. He is due to appear in five upcoming films: the period crime feature Gangster Squad, the generational drama The Place Beyond the Pines, the revenge drama Only God Forgives, an as-yet-untitled Terrence Malick film, and a remake of the sci-fi film Logan's Run.

Gosling's band, Dead Man's Bones, released their self-titled debut album and toured North America in 2009. He is a co-owner of Tagine, a Moroccan restaurant in Beverly Hills, California. He is a supporter of PETA, Invisible Children and the Enough Project and has travelled to Chad, Uganda and eastern Congo to raise awareness about conflicts in the region.

Early life[link]

Ryan Thomas Gosling was born in London, Ontario.^[1] He is the son of Thomas Gosling, a traveling salesman for a paper mill,^[2] and Donna, a secretary who qualified as a high school teacher in 2011.^[3] Because of his father's work, they "moved around a lot"^[2] and Gosling lived in both Cornwall, Ontario,^[4] and Burlington, Ontario.^[5] His parents were Mormons,^[6] and Gosling has said that the religion influenced every aspect of their lives.^[7] His parents divorced when he was a child and he and his older sister Mandi lived with their mother,^[8] an experience Gosling has credited with programming him "to think like a girl".^[9]

Gosling was educated at Gladstone Public School,^[10] Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational School and Lester B. Pearson High School.^[11] He "hated" being a child,^[7][12] was bullied in elementary school^[13] and had no friends until he was "14 or 15".^[14][15] In Grade 1, having been heavily influenced by the film First Blood, he took steak knives to school and threw them at other children during recess. This incident led to a suspension.^[12] He was unable to read^[16] and was diagnosed with ADHD, prescribed Ritalin, and placed in a class for special needs students.^[17] Consequently, his mother quit her job and homeschooled him for a year.^[17] Gosling has said that homeschooling gave him "a sense of autonomy that I've never really lost".^[7]

Gosling performed from an early age. He and his sister sang together at weddings; he performed with Elvis Perry, his uncle's Elvis Presley tribute act,^[18] and was involved with a local ballet company.^[19] Performing boosted his self-confidence as it was the only thing he received praise for.^[15] He developed an idiosyncratic accent because, as a child, he thought having a Canadian accent didn't sound "tough". He began to model his accent on that of Marlon Brando.^[20] He dropped out of high school at the age of seventeen to focus on his acting career.^[21]

Acting career[link]

Child star (1993–1999)[link]

In 1993, at the age of twelve, Gosling attended an open audition in Montreal for a revival of Disney Channel's Mickey Mouse Club.^[22] He was given a two-year contract as a mouseketeer and moved to Orlando, Florida.^[21] He appeared on-screen infrequently because other children were considered more talented.^[23] Nonetheless, he has described the job as the greatest two years of his life.^[21] Fellow cast members included Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera and Gosling has credited the experience with instilling in them "this great sense of focus."^[24] He became particularly close friends with Timberlake and they lived together for six months during the second year of the show. Timberlake's mother became Gosling's legal guardian after his mother returned to Canada for work reasons.^[25] Gosling has said that, while they are no longer in touch, they are still supportive of each other.^[24]

Following the show's cancellation in 1995, Gosling returned to Canada and continued to appear in family entertainment television series including Are You Afraid of the Dark? (1995),^[26] Goosebumps (1996)^[27] and Breaker High (1997–98).^[28] At the age of eighteen, he moved to New Zealand to film the Fox Kids adventure series Young Hercules (1998–99).^[29] While he initially enjoyed working on the series, he began to long for an opportunity to play a variety of characters and decided not to accept any more television work.^[21]

Move to independent film (2000–2003)[link]

At the age of nineteen, Gosling decided to move into "serious film". He was dropped by his agent and initially found it difficult to secure work because of the "stigma" attached to children's television.^[30] After a supporting role in the football drama Remember the Titans, Gosling secured a lead role as a young Jewish neo-Nazi in 2001's The Believer. Director Henry Bean has said he cast Gosling because his Mormon upbringing helped him understand the isolation of Judaism.^[31] Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times praised an "electrifying and terrifyingly convincing" performance^[32] while Todd McCarthy of Variety felt his "dynamite performance" could "scarcely have been better".^[33] The film won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival^[34] and Gosling has described it as "the film that kind of gift-wrapped for me the career that I have now."^[18] Because of the controversial nature of the film, it was difficult to secure financial backing for a full theatrical release^[35] and the film was instead broadcast on Showtime.^[35] The film was a commercial failure, grossing just $416,925 worldwide from a production budget of $1.5 million.^[36]

In 2002's Murder by Numbers,^[37] Gosling and Michael Pitt portrayed a pair of high school seniors who believe they can commit the perfect murder. Sandra Bullock starred as a detective tasked with investigating the crime. Lisa Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly described him as "a phenomenal talent even in junk like this"^[38] while Todd McCarthy of Variety felt that the "strong and "charismatic" young actors were "let down by the screenplay".^[39] The film was a minor commercial success, grossing $56 million worldwide from a production budget of $50 million.^[40] His second screen appearance of 2002 was in The Slaughter Rule which explores the relationship between a high school football player and his troubled coach in rural Montana. Gosling has said that the opportunity to work with David Morse made him "a better actor".^[41] Stephen Holden of The New York Times described Gosling as "major star material" with a "rawness and an intensity that recall the young Matt Dillon"^[42] while Manohla Dargis of the Los Angeles Times was won over by his "raw talent".^[43] The film was released in just three US theaters and grossed $13,411.^[44]

In 2003, Gosling starred in The United States of Leland as a teenager imprisoned for the murder of a disabled boy. He was drawn to the role because it was unusual to find a character that was "emotionally disconnected for the whole film."^[45] Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times felt that the "gifted actor does everything that can be done with Leland, but the character comes from a writer's conceits, not from life."^[46] A.O. Scott of The New York Times noted that he "struggles to rescue Leland from the clutches of cliché"^[47] while David Rooney of Variety felt that his "one-note, blankly disturbed act has none of the magnetic edge of his breakthrough work in The Believer".^[48] The film grossed $343,847 in the United States and was not released overseas.^[49]

[edit] The Notebook and Half Nelson (2004–2009)

Gosling came to the attention of a mainstream audience in 2004 after starring opposite fellow Canadian Rachel McAdams in the romantic drama The Notebook.^[50] Gosling sought to imbue his character with "quiet strength" and was inspired by the performance of Sam Shepard in Days of Heaven.^[51] Filming took place in Charleston, South Carolina in late 2002 and early 2003.^[52] Although Gosling and McAdams became romantically involved in 2005, they had a combative relationship on set.^[53] "We inspired the worst in each other," Gosling has said. "It was a strange experience, making a love story and not getting along with your co-star in any way."^[54] At one point, Gosling asked director Nick Cassavetes to "bring somebody else in for my off-camera shot" because he felt McAdams was uncooperative.^[53] The New York Times praised the "spontaneous and combustible" performances of the two leads and noted that, "against your better judgment, you root for the pair to beat the odds against them."^[55] Desson Thomson of The Washington Post praised Gosling's "beguiling unaffectedness" and noted that "it's hard not to like these two or begrudge them a great love together".^[56] The film grossed over $115 million worldwide and, with adjustments for inflation, it remains the most commercially successful film of Gosling's career as of 2012.^[57] Gosling won four Teen Choice Awards^[58] and an MTV Movie Award.^[59] Entertainment Weekly has said that the movie contains the All-Time Best Movie Kiss^[60] while the Los Angeles Times has included a scene from the film in a list of the 50 Classic Movie Kisses.^[61] The Notebook has appeared on many Most Romantic Movies lists.^{[62][63][64][65]}

Gosling at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival

In 2005, Gosling appeared as a disturbed young art student in Stay, a psychological thriller co-starring Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor. In an uncomplimentary review of the film, Manohla Dargis of The New York Times said that Gosling "like his fans, deserves better."^[66] Todd McCarthy of Variety felt that the "capable" McGregor and Gosling "deliver nothing new from what they've shown before".^[67] The film grossed $8 million worldwide.^[68] Gosling was unfazed by the negative reaction: "I had a kid come up to me on the street, 10 years old, and he says, ‘Are you that guy from Stay? What the f--- was that movie about?’ I think that's great. I'm just as proud if someone says, ‘Hey, you made me sick in that movie,’ as if they say I made them cry.”^[69]

Gosling next starred in 2006's Half Nelson as a drug-addicted junior high school teacher who forms a bond with a young student. To prepare for the role, Gosling moved to New York for one month before shooting began. He lived in a small apartment in Brooklyn and spent time shadowing an eighth grade teacher.^[70] Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times described "a mesmerizing performance ... that shows the kind of deep understanding of character few actors manage."^[71] Ruthe Stein of the San Francisco Chronicle drew comparisons with Marlon Brando and declared that "nobody who cares about great acting will want to miss his performance".^[72] Roger Ebert felt the performance "proves he's one of the finest actors working in contemporary movies."^[73] He was nominated for an Academy Award.^[16] The film grossed $4 million at the worldwide box office.^[74]

Gosling played an introvert who falls in love with a sex doll in the gently comedic 2007 film Lars and the Real Girl. He drew inspiration from James Stewart's performance in Harvey.^[75] Roger Ebert felt "a film about a life-sized love doll" had been turned into "a life-affirming statement of hope" because of "a performance by Ryan Gosling that says things that cannot be said".^[76] Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post described his performance as "a small miracle ... because he changes and grows so imperceptibly before our eyes."^[77] However, Manohla Dargis of The New York Times felt "the performance is a rare miscalculation in a mostly brilliant career."^[78] He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.^[79] The film was a box office failure, failing to recoup its $12 million production budget.^[80]

Gosling starred opposite Anthony Hopkins in the 2007 courtroom thriller Fracture. He originally turned down the role, but changed his mind when Hopkins signed on.^[81] He spent time shadowing lawyers and observing courtroom proceedings in preparation for the role.^[82] Claudia Puig of USA Today declared that "watching a veteran like Hopkins verbally joust with one of the best young actors in Hollywood is worth the price of admission".^[83] Manohla Dargis of The New York Times felt it was a treat to watch "the spectacle of that crafty scene stealer Anthony Hopkins mixing it up with that equally cunning screen nibbler Ryan Gosling ... Each actor is playing a pulp type rather than a fully formed individual, but both fill in the blanks with an alchemical mix of professional and personal charisma."^[84] The film grossed over $91 million worldwide.^[85]

Gosling was due to begin filming The Lovely Bones in 2007. However, he left the production two days before filming began because of "creative differences" and was replaced by Mark Wahlberg.^[86] Gosling had been cast as the father of the murdered teenage girl and initially felt he was too young for the role. The director Peter Jackson and the producer Fran Walsh persuaded him that he could be aged with hair and make-up changes.^[87] Before shooting began, Gosling gained 60 pounds in weight and grew a beard in order to appear older.^[87] Walsh then "began to feel he was not right. It was our blindness, the desire to make it work no matter what."^[87] Gosling later said, ""We didn't talk very much during the preproduction process, which was the problem ... I just showed up on set, and I had gotten it wrong. Then I was fat and unemployed."^[87] He has said the experience was "an important realisation for me: not to let your ego get involved. It's OK to be too young for a role."^[88]

Widespread recognition (2010–2011)[link]

Following a three year absence from the big screen, Gosling starred in five movies in 2010 and 2011. "I’ve never had more energy,” Gosling has said. “I’m more excited to make films than I used to be. I used to kind of dread it. It was so emotional and taxing. But I’ve found a way to have fun while doing it. And I think that translates into the films.”^[30] He has also spoken of feeling depressed when not working.^[15]

In 2010, he co-starred with Michelle Williams in Derek Cianfrance's directorial debut, Blue Valentine. The low-budget marital drama was mainly improvised and Gosling has said "you had to remind yourself you were making a film".^[89] Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle felt he "brings a preternatural understanding of people to his performance"^[90] while A.O. Scott of The New York Times found him "convincing as the run-down, desperate, older Dean, and maybe a bit less so as the younger version".^[91][91] Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly noted that he "plays Dean as a snarky working-class hipster, but when his anger is unleashed, the performance turns powerful."^[92] However, Wesley Morris of The Boston Globe felt the performance was an example of "hipsterism misdirected".^[93] He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama. ^[94] The film was a box office success, grossing over $12 million worldwide from a production budget of $1 million.^[95]

Gosling at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival.

Gosling's second on-screen appearance of 2010 was in All Good Things, a mystery film based on a true story. He played the role of New York real-estate heir Robert Durst, who was investigated for the disappearance of his wife (played by Kirsten Dunst).^[96] Gosling found the filming process to be a "dark experience".^[97] When asked if he was proud of the film, he replied, "I'm proud of what Kirsten does in the movie."^[97] Peter Travers of Rolling Stone felt he "gets so deep into character you can feel his nerve endings."^[98] Mick La Salle of the San Francisco Chronicle found the "chameleonic Gosling is completely convincing as this empty shell of a man".^[99] Betsy Sharkey of the Los Angeles Times felt that the film belonged to Dunst, but noted that Gosling "is good too".^[100] The film grossed $644,535 worldwide.^[101] Also in 2010, Gosling narrated and produced ReGeneration, a documentary that explores the cynicism in today’s youth towards social and political causes.^[102][103]

2011 saw Gosling expand his horizons by appearing in three diverse, high-profile roles. He appeared in his first comedic role in Crazy, Stupid, Love opposite Steve Carell and Emma Stone.^[104] Gosling took cocktail-making classes at a Los Angeles bar in preparation for his role as a smooth-talking ladies' man.^[105] Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post said his "seductive command presence suggests we may have found our next George Clooney".^[106] Peter Travers declared him "a comic knockout"^[107] while Claudia Puig of USA Today felt he reveals a "surprising" "knack for comedy."^[108] He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.^[109] The film was a box office success, grossing over $142 million worldwide.^[110] With adjustments for inflation, it is the second most successful of Gosling's career.^[111]

Gosling's first action role was in Drive, based on a novel by James Sallis.^[112] Gosling portrayed a Hollywood stunt performer who moonlights as a getaway driver and he has described the film as a "violent John Hughes movie": "I always thought if Pretty in Pink had head-smashing it would be perfect".^[113] Roger Ebert compared Gosling to Steve McQueen and stated that he "embodies presence and sincerity ... he has shown a gift for finding arresting, powerful characters [and] can achieve just about anything.^[114] Joe Morgenstern of the Wall Street Journal pondered "the ongoing mystery of how he manages to have so much impact with so little apparent effort. It's irresistible to liken his economical style to that of Marlon Brando."^[115] The film was a box office success, grossing $70 million worldwide from a production budget of $15 million.^[116]

In his final appearance of 2011, Gosling was directed by George Clooney in the political drama The Ides of March, in which he played an ambitious press secretary.^[117] Gosling partly decided to do the film to become more politically aware: "I'm Canadian and so American politics aren't really in my wheelhouse."^[118] Joe Morganstern of the Wall Street Journal said that Gosling and Philip Seymour Hoffman "are eminently well equipped to play variations on their characters' main themes. Yet neither actor has great material to conjure with in the script."^[119] In an generally tepid review, Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times asserted that it was "certainly involving to see the charismatic Gosling verbally spar with superb character actors like Hoffman and [Paul] Giamatti."^[120] Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle felt there was "one aspect to the character that Gosling can't quite nail down, that might simply be outside his sphere, which is idealism."^[121] He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama.^[109] The film grossed $66 million worldwide.^[122]

Upcoming projects (2012)[link]

Gangster Squad, a 1940s crime drama, is set for release in 2012.^[123] Gosling will portray Sgt. Jerry Wooters, an LAPD officer who attempts to outsmart mob boss Mickey Cohen. The director is Zombieland's Ruben Fleischer and Gosling has said, "it’s very, very different tonally [from his other films]."^[124] Gosling has also completed work on the generational drama The Place Beyond the Pines, directed by Blue Valentine 's Derek Cianfrance,^[125] and has described it as "the best experience I have ever had making a film."^[19] The film is set for release in 2012.^[126] Gosling will portray Luke, a motorcycle stunt rider who robs banks in order to provide for his family.^[127]

Gosling has completed shooting Only God Forgives in Bangkok, Thailand.^[128] It is his second collaboration with Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn. He undertook Muay Thai training in preparation for the role.^[124] The story revolves around Gosling's mother, played by Kristin Scott Thomas, who orders her son to avenge his brother's death. Gosling has described the script as “the strangest thing I’ve ever read.”^[124]

In September 2012, Gosling will begin shooting an as-yet-untitled Terrence Malick film.^[129] The film will costar Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara and Haley Bennett.^[130] When asked to provide details of the film or his role, Gosling replied, "I can't comment. A chatty cathy that one."^[131] Gosling had previously signed up to work with Malick in 2004 on the bio-pic Che.^[132] However, Malick left the project to direct The New World and Gosling later dropped out due to scheduling conflicts.^[133] Gosling is also scheduled to appear in a remake of the sci-fi film Logan's Run, again to be directed by Winding Refn.^[134] He has yet to see the original film.^[131]

Music career[link]

Gosling at a 2009 Dead Man's Bones concert

In 2007, Gosling made a solo recording called "Put Me in the Car" available for download on the internet.^[135] Also that year, Gosling and his friend Zach Shields formed indie rock band Dead Man's Bones. The two first met in 2005 when Gosling was dating Rachel McAdams and Shields was dating her sister, Kayleen.^[136] They initially conceived of the project as a monster-themed musical but settled on forming a band when they realized putting on a stage production would be too expensive.^[136] They recorded their self-titled debut with the Silverlake Conservatory's Children's Choir and learned to play all the instruments themselves.^[136] Gosling contributed vocals, piano, guitar, bass guitar and cello to the record.^[137]

The album was released through ANTI- Records on October 6, 2009.^[138] Pitchfork was won over by the "unique, catchy and lovably weird record"^[139] while Prefix Magazine felt the album was "rarely kitschy and never inappropriate."^[140] However, Spin Magazine felt the album "doesn't reverse the rule that actors make dubious pop musicians"^[141] and Entertainment Weekly criticized its "cloying, gothic preciousness".^[142]

In September 2009, Gosling and Shields had a three-night residency at LA's Bob Baker Marionette Theater where they performed alongside dancing neon skeletons and glowing ghosts.^[143][137] They then conducted a thirteen-date tour of North America in October 2009, using a local children's choir at every show.^[144][145] Instead of an opening act, a talent show was held each night.^[146] In September 2010, they performed at Los Angeles' FYF Festival.

In 2011, the actor spoke of his intentions to record a second Dead Man's Bones album. No children's choir will feature on the follow-up album because "it's not very rock 'n' roll."^[147]

Personal life[link]

Gosling lives in New York City.^[148] He co-owns Tagine, a Moroccan restaurant in Beverly Hills, California.^[149] He bought the restaurant on an impulse and said he spent "all my money" on it.^[150] He spent a year doing the renovation work himself and now oversees the restaurant's menus.^[150][151]

Gosling dated American actress Sandra Bullock for a year from 2002 to 2003.^[152] He had a two-year relationship with Canadian actress Rachel McAdams from mid-2005 to mid-2007.^[153][154] They briefly reunited in the summer of 2008.^{[155][156][157]} Following their split, he described McAdams as "one of the great loves of my life".^[158] He dated Kat Dennings in late 2009, Blake Lively in late 2010 and Olivia Wilde in early 2011.^{[159][160][161][162]} Gosling began dating American actress and model Eva Mendes in September 2011.^[163]