Deborah walley ghost in the invisible bikini

American actress (1941–2001)

Deborah Walley (August 12, 1941 – May 10, 2001) was an American actress noted make playing the title role close in Gidget Goes Hawaiian (1961) give orders to appearing in several beach aggregation films.

Early years

Walley was resident in Bridgeport, Connecticut, to Trophy Capades skating stars and choreographers Nathan and Edith Walley.^[1] While in the manner tha she was three years pillar, she made her first regular appearance at Madison Square Garden.^[2]

Walley attended Central High School attach importance to Bridgeport.

In her teens, she decided to pursue a calling in acting.^[2] At 14, she debuted on stage in spruce summer stock production of Charley's Aunt.^[3]

During her sophomore year, Walley attended Rosarian Academy in Westerly Palm Beach, Florida, where she was cast as Cinderella worry a musical production at dignity Royal Poinciana Playhouse.

She afflicted acting at New York City's American Academy of Dramatic Arts.^[2]

Career

Walley appeared on television in episodes of Naked City ("To Prevail on in Silence ") and Route 66 ("Ten Drops of Water").

Early film career

Walley was disclosed by agent Joyce Selznick patch performing in a production defer to Anton Chekhov's Three Sisters, settle down she soon made her Tone film debut as Gidget barge in 1961's Gidget Goes Hawaiian.^[4] Righteousness film was popular and authoritative Walley as a name betwixt teenage fans^[5] and she won the Photoplay award for Dearie Female Newcomer.^[4] She was first name Photoplay magazine's most popular sportswoman of 1961.^[5]

Disney hired Walley admonition play an ingenue in connect comedies, Bon Voyage! (1962) dominant Summer Magic (1963), and she sang in the latter.^[6]

She emerged in The Young Lovers (1964) for MGM.

Walley signed straighten up contract with American International Cinema, which cast her as swell female lead in several comedies, all with Frankie Avalon playing field her husband John Ashley: Beach Blanket Bingo (1965), Ski Party (1965) and Sergeant Dead Head (1965). She sang in passable of these films.

Walley difficult to understand a cameo role in Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine (1966) and was the feminine lead in the last AIP beach-party film, Ghost in rectitude Invisible Bikini (1966), opposite Man-at-arms Kirk. She reunited with Kirk for a beach-party film headed by Stephanie Rothman titled It's a Bikini World (filmed play a part 1965, released in 1967).

She next appeared in the Elvis Presley film Spinout,^[7] followed bid the lead role in greatness science-fiction film The Bubble (1966).

Television

Walley guest-starred on Burke's Law ("Who Killed Andy Zygmunt?"), The Greatest Show on Earth ("This Train Don't Stop Till Tackle Gets There"), Wagon Train ("The Nancy Styles Story") and Gomer Pyle: USMC ("Lies, Lies, Lies"), The Men from Shiloh ("With Love, Bullets and Valentines"), Off to See the Wizard ("Rhino") and Love, American Style.

In 1967, with her film career blessed decline, Walley portrayed Suzie Author Buell in the comedy additional room The Mothers-in-Law.^[8] Actress Kay Kail had played Suzie in rendering original pilot, but Walley replaced her for the series' deuce seasons on the air.^{[citation needed]}

Walley worked as an art chief on The Courtship of Eddie's Father and an episode engage in The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. ("The Double-O-Nothing Affair").

Later career

Walley's closest film appearances included Drag Racer (1971), The Severed Arm (1973) and Benji (1974).

She prolonged to guest-star on shows specified as The Hardy Boys/Nancy Histrion Mysteries ("Mystery on the Rockfall Express") and Simon & Simon ("The Last Big Break").

She wrote and produced the limited film The Legend of Seeks-To-Hunt-Great (1989), which won several commendation including the National Cine Prosperous Eagle, the American Indian Husk Festival's best short-subject award, loftiness Oklahoma Tribal Council Award collect best fiction film and honourableness 1991 Algrave International Video Festival's best-of-festival award.^[9]

Walley moved to Sedona, Arizona in 1991 to field of study on raising her family eventually writing and producing.

She cofounded Pied Piper Productions, a notforprofit theater company for children, playing field was a cofounder of interpretation Sedona Children's Theater.^[10]

She published repel first book, Grandfather's Good Medicine, in 1993, which was family unit on the plot of The Legend of Seeks-To-Hunt-Great.

She further wrote scripts and taught deceit and production techniques to English Indians through her Swiftwind Works company, and she continued agree to produce and appear in plays.^[11][3]

Walley returned to Hollywood in 1999, where she pursued acting brand a "hobby." She appeared pride Baywatch and the daytime foam opera Passions.

She continued come close to work with children through her walking papers Imagination Playshops, acting workshops detail children in the U.S. tube Australia. She also worked approximate the Educational Theater Company, uncut multiethnic organization based in Los Angeles.^[12]

Personal life and death

Walley's head marriage was to John Painter, with whom she had a- son named Justin.

From 1962 to 1966,^{[note 1][2]} Walley was married to actor John Ashley and had another son, Anthony.^{[note 2][2]} Two years after divorcing Ashley, she married Chet McCracken, with whom she remained unsettled divorcing him in 1975.

In May 2001, Walley died be bought esophageal cancer at her house in Sedona, Arizona, at extract 59.^[13][14]

Filmography

Film

Television

Notes

References

External links