Annette Funicello has stated in interviews that, upon being cast for the show, she told Walt Disney that she wanted to change her last name to one that sounded more "American". To his credit, Disney told her to keep her original last name because, "once someone remembers it, they will never be able to forget it".
After the animated Mickey Mouse Club theme song was performed, Donald Duck approached a large musical gong with a mallet to start the show. He never hit the gong without something going wrong. Among the problems were: the gong reverberated up the mallet and shook Donald uncontrollably. The gong was electrified and fried Donald. Nephews Huey, Louie and Dewey Duck squirted Donald with water pistols from behind the gong. The gong was paper and he went right through it. The gong disintegrated. But sometimes Donald got wise, dropped the mallet and took out a tiny percussion triangle, which he tinkled with a smile.
The Mouseke-ears were designed by Disney storyman/Big Mooseketeer _Roy Williams. He based them on a gag in The Karnival Kid (1929), in which Mickey doffed the top of his head - ears and all - like a hat.
Although the show was filmed and broadcast in black and white, all of the animated segments - the opening theme, Mickey's introductions and farewells, the Jiminy Cricket shorts, etc. - were filmed in color.