Let me tell you a story about the magical world of Walt Disney and the birth of an iconic TV show. Three months before The Mickey Mouse Club aired in 1955, Walt Disney pulled off something incredible. He introduced the world to the Mouseketeers during the grand opening of Disneyland. Picture this: a live television event where the spotlight shone bright on these young performers. Among them was a young boy named Paul Petersen, who danced his heart out in western gear. It was a moment that would change his life forever.
Paul’s time as a Mouseketeer was brief, but it left an indelible mark on him. Now 79, Paul reflects fondly on those days, sharing how it all began. His theater arts teacher suggested he audition, and the rest, as they say, is history. "Out of 5,000 boys, they chose just 16 of us," Paul recalls with a smile. "It wasn’t just a job; it was like being part of one big family." That sense of camaraderie and belonging stayed with him long after the cameras stopped rolling.
Life on the set of The Mickey Mouse Club was anything but ordinary. For a nine-year-old kid like Paul, it was a whirlwind of activity. "When you showed up for work, it was straight into school or rehearsals," he explains. "But honestly, for us kids, it felt more like playtime. Learning new songs and dance routines was exciting, and it made every day feel like an adventure." Despite the demanding schedule, Paul earned $260 for a six-day week—a pretty sweet deal for a kid back then.
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But let's be real, being a child performer isn’t always easy. Paul admits he wasn’t the most disciplined kid, and he faced challenges like feeling self-conscious about being shorter than some of the other boys. One particular incident stands out in his memory. A casting director started calling him "Mouse," and Paul didn’t take too kindly to it. "One day, this guy came up behind me and said, ‘Hey, Mouse, how’s it going?’" Paul recounts. "I turned around, punched him in the stomach, and told him, ‘Don’t call me that, Fatso.’ Guess who was standing right behind him? Walt Disney himself. That was it; I got a phone call later that day letting me know I was out." It was a tough lesson, but one that Paul carried with him through life.
What Happened After The Mickey Mouse Club?
Getting fired from the show was heartbreaking for Paul. "I thought I’d have to give my bike back," he jokes. But life had other plans for him. He went on to land other roles, including playing Jeff Stone on The Donna Reed Show. And in the 1990s, Paul founded A Minor Consideration, an organization dedicated to supporting child performers. It’s his way of giving back and helping young actors navigate the often challenging world of showbiz.
Even after all these years, Paul keeps in touch with his fellow Mouseketeers. "It’s been 70 years, and the friendships we formed back then are still strong," he says. "We’ve all taken the lessons we learned from our early experiences in the spotlight and used them to mentor, counsel, and support today’s young performers. It’s a way of paying it forward, and it feels really good."
