Deborah Walley's friend and agent, Marty Holton, confirmed shortly after her death that Deborah did finish her book about her relationship with Elvis. In fact, she had already begun negotiations with a publisher. Although there will probably be considerable delays with the book, Marty insisted it would be published.
"I have read it," he said, "and as one of her most severe critics I must say that it is one of the finest, most moving things I have ever read."
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For a brief but delightful tribute to Deborah, visit the Meeker Museum. It also features two gorgeous photos of Deborah not frequently seen; one on the beach during the filming of Gidget Goes Hawaiian, and the other with Stella Stevens taken at an autograph show in Houston, Texas in February 2000.
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The Lively Set regularly receives enquiries about Tina Cole, aka Katie Douglas from My Three Sons.
If rumors are correct, Tina has been working as a teacher, but returns to acting when the mood suits.
Since 1982, she has been doing benefits and shows for charity, and in March 2000 made a guest appearance in the California State University presentation of The Boyfriend.
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Cowabunga! It's Gidget!
Ever wondered when someone would write the definitive book on Gidget - not just the original movies, but also the made-for-tv flicks, the tv series (yes, there were two of them) AND the songs? Well, Stephen J. McParland has done just that.
A well-known author and researcher of all things pertaining to the "California sound" and beach party film genre (including "It's Party Time", featured in The Lively Set) Stephen's latest book is called "Cowabunga! Giget Goes Encyclopedic", and costs around $30 (USD). Please contact Stephen at cmusic@hotkey.net.au for more details
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| Gidget fans will also be over the moon(doggie) to hear that the original Gidget novel has been reissued. Gidget, by Frederick Kohner, first hit the bookstands in 1957 (pic below, top) spawning a teenage surfing craze that spread from the USA's West Coast to Australia. |
| The real Gidget, on whose exploits the novel was based, was Kohner's daughter, Kathy, a 5'1" 15-year-old who was given her surfing nickname by famed Mailbu surfer Terry "Tubesteak" Tracey. Tubesteak was the inspiration for the Great Kahuna surf bum character, played in the first movie by Cliff Robertson.
Kathy insists that apart from the characters, who were genuine, the book was pure fiction. However, she admits that she did have a monumental crush on the real Moondoggie, who apparently had long hair and a beard!
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The reissued book (pic right) contains rare photographs and a foreword by Kathy, now 60, who predicts it will be "a bitchen best seller!" And, if reviews are anything to go by, she's right! "The book is ... historically beguiling," says Tim Appelo from Amazon.com. "Shocking but wonderfully entertaining", says the Pittsburgh Press. And "Gidget is delightful", reports the San Francisco Call-Bulletin.
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As if that's not enough, news is out that Francis Ford Coppola and John Farrar are working on a Broadway musical based on Gidget. Likening it to J.D. Sallinger's classic Catcher in the Rye, Coppola has reportedly said "It's a beautiful book and it just seemed like a perfect story to put together."
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Australian fans of James Darren will be delighted to know that he plans to make a trip Down Under as soon as he can.
"I've been invited to Australia many times and I'm really interested in going," James told Star Trek News early in 2001. "I hope it happens really soon. They have a Harrah's casino in Australia and there is a possiblility of my working there. That would be one of the big thrills of my life because I'm dying to go to Australia."
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| The Star Trek news interview also reveals that James' favorite song on his Because of You CD - the one he does at every performance - is The Best Is Yet To Come. Another favorite is the title track, an old Tony Bennett number.
If you're interested in writing to James, you can reach him care of Concord Records, 2450 Stanwell Drive, Suite A, Concord, CA 94520. And visit Mary Spooner's James Darren website if you haven't already seen it. You'll find it at http://celebhost.net/jamesdarren/
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Writer, artist, scholar, Lively Set contributor, Bobby Rydell fan, and all-round swingin' sixties chick, Nancy Walls-Smith, was lucky enough to attend the May 2001 Rydell/Darren concert in Michigan. "The houselights dim, the music plays and out walks Bobby Rydell with that fantabulous smile and impish gait," recalls Nancy. "My heart was pounding and my face was frozen into a big fat smile. He was wonderful ... so talented, funny, charming, personable. The man owned the stage from the moment he stepped onto it until he left."
Nancy, who has painted Bobby's portrait, was also delighted to catch up with Bobby after the concert when he and James Darren were signing autographs. "At last I saw him and James approaching the table," she recollects. "I took a photo. Spotting me with my camera, Bobby walked past towards his seat saying 'Hi Nance. How are ya?' To which I replied ever so brilliantly, 'I'm fine. How are you?' So much for the intelligent dialogue I had planned for the past week."
Visit the Bobby Rydell site for a fabulous pic of Bobby and James at the concert. According to Linda Hoffman, president of the Rydell fan club, it was taken by Bobby's drummer. "What a handsome duo," wrote Linda. "Bobby had a ball at that show; he loves Jimmy so dearly and I think it shows in the photo."
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Beach Bunnies and Elvis' Girls are just two of the categories you'll find at Tom Lisanti's new website, sixtiescinema.com. Biker Babes, Hippie Chicks and Drive-in Divas are also featured, along with Spy Girls from sixties movies and tv.
Author of the sensational book Fantasy Femmes of Sixties Cinema, Tom is recognized as an expert in his field. And what a field it is! Pamela Tiffin, Lana Wood, Chris Noel, Karen Jensen, Joy Harmon, Deanna Lund, Celeste Yarnall, Irene Tsu, Shelley Fabares, Joan O'Brien, Joan Staley, Francine York, Julie Parrish, Diane McBain, Salli Sachse, Judy Pace, Tisha Sterling, Linda Harrison, Jill Haworth, Eileen O'Neill, Jean Hale, Deborah Walley ... and that's just for starters!
Tom has also released two more books, Film Fatales: Women in Espionage Film & Television 1963-1973, and Drive In Dream Girls: A Galaxy of B-Movie Starlets of the Sixties. What's more, he is in the process of writing Surf Movies: A Filmography, 1959-2003!
Visit www.sixtiescinema.com for a whole lot of groovy pics and information about Tom's books.
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Lively Set regular, Jamie McGregor, reports that the DVD special edition of the Guns of Navarone is well-worth buying. Made in the 1960s the movie starred James Darren, Gregory Peck and David Niven. James' wife, Evy Norlund, also had a small support role.
In addition to a wide screen version of the movie, the DVD includes a commentary by director J. Lee Thompson, production notes, and a retrospective documentary entitled Memories of Navarone, with Gregory Peck and Anthony Quinn.
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"It also has a short narrated piece on Evy and James' honeymoon in the Greek Islands," says Jamie. " Worth a rent, if you've got a DVD player or you've not seen it already!" For collectors, the DVD is available for sale through onlines stores such as Amazon.
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| Mai-Ly Nguyen reports that the Cat Ballou DVD is a collector's delight. "I already had it on tape but was dying to hear the Michael Callan and Dwayne Hickman commentary [on the DVD]," she says. "I have to tell you, I was about to fall off my bed laughing at their comments." |
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Mai-Ly says that Dwayne and Michael's repartee is so hilarious that they should take their "act" on tour.
"They have an on-going joke that since Lee Marvin got to play two parts, Michael called the head of the studio and asked to play two parts as well - he wanted to play Dwayne's part. Dwayne surmised that was why he didn't get much of a role!"
According to Mai-Ly, the DVD contains tremendous insights into the making of the film (including Lee Marvin and his quirks), and a nice featurette with the director.
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Cat Ballou (1965), starring Jane Fonda, Lee Marvin, Dwayne Hickman, Michael Callan, Stubby Kaye and Nat "King" Cole. DVD Edition Details: • Region 1 encoding (US and Canada only); • Color, closed-captioned, widescreen, collector's edition; • Commentary by Dwayne Kickman and Michael Callan; • Theatrical trailer(s); • Featurette: "The Legend of Cat Ballou"; • Vintage advertising; • Full-screen and widescreen anamorphic formats
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