Deborah Walley
The late Deborah Walley was the stand-out performance in this film.
shareI met Deborah Walley at an autograph show a few years before her death. She was beautiful and charming. I feel lucky to have met her. I was deep;y saddend by her death.
shareAt the time of the movie, I really didn't like Deb. After all these years, and looking back, I think she was a good actress. It's a shame that her show biz career didn't take off after Mothers-In-Law. Did Deb say anything particularily interesting? It's amazing how so many of the young people connected to the beach movies are now deceased.
I met Annette, Frankie, Fabian, and Guy Hemric (songwriter for the movie).
I also met Deb several times at autograph shows,and she was wonderful! Next time you watch her movie ,notice the quality of her voice,so lilting,margilated. I don't know how to describe itthe way a voice/acting coach would ,but it is remarkable. The last time I saw her,altough she was still pretty,I could tell something was wrong from across the room. Her skin tone was off ,so pale. She died before the end of that year. She was a trained Shakspearian actor. She was afraid thet Gidget would type cast her ,and it did.
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I love Deborah Walley, but I love her more as Gidget than her character in Beach Blanket Bingo. She's much too sweet to play the conniving skydiving instructor.
In my opinion, Sandra Dee is the quintessential Gidget in appearance, but Deborah Walley's performance in Gidget Goes Hawaiian blows all other Gidgets right out of the water... I imagine the waterskiing scene and want to clarify that no pun was intended here. :)