Nita: then

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original Disney bio: (Born: August 6, 1966) Mini-mouse Nita Dee is among the best dancers of the New Mouseketeers. She began dancing at age three when her mother enrolled Nita in a dance class to help Nita overcome shyness. Now she will tap dance down supermarket aisles. Although Nita lives and breathes dancing, she also enjoys sports, particularly swimming and bowling. Nita lives in Lakewood, California, with her family, where her 200 relatives gather during the holidays.

Article in The New Mickey Mouse Club Funbook  © 1977 Walt Disney Productions
As far back as she can remember, Mouseketeer Nita Dee has loved to dance. But it wasn't until the ripe old age of three that she had her first dance lesson. Constantly on the move, it is not uncommon to see Nita dancing down the supermarket aisles, making up routines as she goes along. "She would dance all night if we let her," says her mother Linda Di Giampaolo. "Nita is basically a very shy person, and originally we hoped by giving her dance lessons she would come out of her shell."

Before becoming a Mouseketeer, Nita had no pervious professional experience. On weekends she would travel with the Cor-Vic Hollywood Entertainers, a variety entertainment troupe, where she danced at various civic functions, service clubs and even for the inmates at Tehachapi Prison.

As a result of her association with Cor-Vic, Nita was invited to appear in the pilot for "The Gong Show." One of the other contestants on the talent show told Nita about the auditions of the "New Mickey Mouse Club" and offered to submit her photo and resume to Walt Disney Studios. A week later, Nita received a phone call telling her that she had an appointment to see the casting director of the "New Club."

"Nita had never auditioned before," says her mother, "and she got sick just before she was to try out. But once on stage Nita is a completely different person. You would have thought she did this all her life." Needless to say, she wowed them because she is now one of the youngest members of the "New Mickey Mouse Club."

Besides dancing, Nita enjoys all kinds of athletics. "I have to like sports," giggles Nita, "all my cousins are boys and they are more interested in playing football and basketball than with dolls--but I like dolls, too." As a member of a junior bowling team, she has won numerous awards, including High Series last year. Nita has also won ribbons in swimming competitions.

Born on August 6, 1966, Nita lives in Lakewood, California with her parents Linda and John Di Giampaolo and younger brother, Michael. She shortened her name from Benita Di Giampaolo (pronounced Dee-Jim-Polo) to Nita Dee, "Because people keep mispronouncing my name. It makes it easier on everyone except my family -- especially my grandparents. We are all very proud of our Italian heritage and they can't understand why I'm not using my full name. There aren't that many Di Giampaolos around, you know."

Originally posted to
The NMMC Renaissance Project

Nita: now

After the show, Nita continued to get acting jobs until it became impossible for Nita is a mom
of four living in California.  She's written some poetry
but as far as we know it's still unpublished.  She lives in California and attended the 2001 Hollywood Collectors Show.
If you know anything about Nita,
please update us.  She still has many
devoted fans who would love to know
her latest news (and read her poems)!

other projects:
(from Nita's IMDB profile)

1981: The Big Hex of Little Lulu
An ABC weekend special in which she
co-starred with fellow Mouseketeer Pop.
Video unavailable.

1981: Fantasy Island
season 4, episode 16
Chorus Girl/Surrogate Father
You can see video of Surrogate Father,
but Chorus Girl is currently not online.
 
According to fan site creator Jandi,
Nita's character in the Fantasy Island
episode is hearing impaired.
The fan site also credits Nita with
two more afterschool specials,
though we haven't been able to verify these:
Little Lulu goes to Camp and
The Mobile Maidens.

Of course, if you have any updates
on any of these appearances,
please let us know!

Jandi mentions one last credit for Nita:
Upbeat Aesop,a short-lived series
based on Aesop Fables.
It co-starred Brad Maule from
General Hospital and once again,
fellow Mouseketeer Billy "Pop" Attmore.

Nita: then & now

Click play button, then  enlarge button in bottom right.