FredCDobbs Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 I love this film. It's a high class teen movie that is not in any way vulgar, and Sandra Dee is adorable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Dabb Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 This movie makes me feel good as I can't help but relive my youth a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yogiboo Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 I don't know that I love this movie but I do enjoy it a lot. I will admit to some shallowness because James Darren is just so dreamy! And if not for this film Sally Field may never have had the career she's had. I love beach movies, although I wouldn't really classify this as a beach movie a la Frankie and Annette. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoldenIsHere Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 I like all the GIDGET movies, but the first one with Sandra Dee is my favorite. One summer month a couple of years ago, TCM played all 3 GIDGET movies on consecutive Saturdays. I wish they would air them again. James Darren was in all 3 movies with 3 different "Gidgets." I always find it amusing that Gidget and Moondoggie are supposed to be California kids, but both Sandra Dee and James Darren sound so "East Coast." Here is an interview with Sandra Dee that aired on TV 15 years before her death. She discusses her marriage to Bobby Darrin and the many personal troubles she faced in her life. Her GIDGET co-star James Darren makes a surprise appearance near the end of the interview. The poster of the video says it was her her last interview, but I don't know if it in fact was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownGoesFrazier Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 I love the film Gidget. It is by far the best of the beach films and Sandra Dee is perfect in the lead. Interesting about James Darren. He had a prime role in this landmark film, as well as, as Ben said, a couple top-charting records at the same time. Yet he is much less remembered than his fellow South-Philly teen idols Frankie Avalon, Fbian, and Bobby Rydell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bocalovestheclassics Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 just a note,but Joby Baker was in all 3 Gidget movies as well as James Darren. But he played different characters. Stinky in Gidget, and then his name was Judge in Gidget Goes Hawaiian, and Gidget Goes To Rome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yogiboo Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 boca, I was watching Stinky and I couldn't place him. That was Joby Baker? Years ago, in the 80's I saw James Darren walking on E.54th street in NYC. I saw him walking towards me and I knew who he was and I smiled and stared right at him. He smiled and I was done. Dreamy and his hair was all white. Yes, he gets passed over by Frankie, Bobby and Fabian but I think he was the better actor. I love him. According to imdb he is a long time friend of the Sinatra family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepiatone Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 I thought Darren did a fine dramatic turn in LET NO MAN WRITE MY EPITAPH. (sp?) Has TCM ever shown this one? Sepiatone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bocalovestheclassics Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 boca, I was watching Stinky and I couldn't place him. That was Joby Baker? Years ago, in the 80's I saw James Darren walking on E.54th street in NYC. I saw him walking towards me and I knew who he was and I smiled and stared right at him. He smiled and I was done. Dreamy and his hair was all white. Yes, he gets passed over by Frankie, Bobby and Fabian but I think he was the better actor. I love him. According to imdb he is a long time friend of the Sinatra family. Stinky was the guy who worked on the surfboards was played by Joby Baker. I had tickets years ago for Regis and Kathy Lee, and James Darren was going to be on the show. Then I got a call that the show was overbooked and they gave me tickets for the next day. Sadly, I missed James Darren, but I lucked out because I got to see Bob Hope in person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoldenIsHere Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 JAMES DARREN ("Moondoggie") & HIS 3 GIDGETS: James Darren with Sandra Dee in GIDGET (1959) James Darren with Deborah Walley in GIDGET GOES HAWAIIAN (1961) James Darren with Cindy Carol in GIDGET GOES TO ROME (1963) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGayDivorcee Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 For me the Gidget movies are a guilty pleasure. (I was going to mention them in the "Guilty Pleasures" thread, but misplaced that topic.) They bring back memories of Southern California beaches in the summer, the smell of Coppertone suntan lotion, the crunch of seaweed underfoot.... Ah, nostalgia! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bocalovestheclassics Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 JAMES DARREN ("Moondoggie") & HIS 3 GIDGETS: James Darren with Sandra Dee in GIDGET (1959) James Darren with Deborah Walley in GIDGET GOES HAWAIIAN (1961) James Darren with Cindy Carol in GIDGET GOES TO ROME (1963) The second picture is actually Michael Callen with Deborah Walley. James Darren pops up in the scene. Love the pics! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownGoesFrazier Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 The second picture is actually Michael Callen with Deborah Walley. James Darren pops up in the scene. Love the pics! MIchael Callen, like James Darren, was from Philadelphia. Callen even went to my high school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoldenIsHere Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 The second picture is actually Michael Callen with Deborah Walley. James Darren pops up in the scene. Love the pics! Thanks boca! I've corrected my post, replacing the picture of Michael Callen and Deborah Walley with one of James Darren and Deborah Walley. It's actually the one I originally wanted to use, but it was so much larger than the other two pictures that I thought it gave the impression that I was trying to place greater significance on GIDGET GOES HAWAIIAN compared to the other two movies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bocalovestheclassics Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 Thanks boca! I've corrected my post, replacing the picture of Michael Callen and Deborah Walley with one of James Darren and Deborah Walley. It's actually the one I originally wanted to use, but it was so much larger than the other two pictures that I thought it gave the impression that I was trying to place greater significance on GIDGET GOES HAWAIIAN compared to the other two movies. That's a funnier picture, since he's telling her to get lost and she calls him a grouch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swimminginaqua Posted May 25, 2014 Share Posted May 25, 2014 Recently I found in the $5 rack a DVD documentary about the real Gidget..haven't watched it yet but apparently the real Gidget's father, a screenwriter named Kohner wrote the book based on his daughter's journal. I love all the Gidget movies and the tv series with Sally Field. There was also a made for TV "Gidget gets married" in the 70s..that moon doggie was not James Darren. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoldenIsHere Posted May 25, 2014 Share Posted May 25, 2014 . I love all the Gidget movies and the tv series with Sally Field. There was also a made for TV "Gidget gets married" in the 70s..that moon doggie was not James Darren. Also James Darren did not play Moondoggie on the TV series with Sally Field. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bocalovestheclassics Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Recently I found in the $5 rack a DVD documentary about the real Gidget..haven't watched it yet but apparently the real Gidget's father, a screenwriter named Kohner wrote the book based on his daughter's journal. I love all the Gidget movies and the tv series with Sally Field. There was also a made for TV "Gidget gets married" in the 70s..that moon doggie was not James Darren. This is posted on the JAMES DARREN Facebook page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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