Gidget (TV series): Difference between revisions
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'''''Gidget''''' is an American sitcom about a [[surfing]], boy-crazy teenager called "[[Gidget]]" and her [[widower|widowed]] father Russ Lawrence, a UCLA professor. [[Sally Field]] stars as Gidget with [[Don Porter]] as her father. The series was first broadcast on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] from September 15, 1965, through April 21, 1966. |
'''''Gidget''''' is an American sitcom about a [[surfing]], boy-crazy teenager called "[[Gidget]]" and her [[widower|widowed]] father Russ Lawrence, a UCLA professor. [[Sally Field]] stars as Gidget with [[Don Porter]] as her father. The series was first broadcast on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] from September 15, 1965, through April 21, 1966. |
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''Gidget'' was among the first regularly scheduled color programs on ABC, but did poorly in the [[Nielsen ratings]] and was cancelled at the end of its first season. The show gained some popularity in summer reruns but too late to reverse its cancellation. |
''Gidget'' was among the first regularly scheduled color programs on ABC, but did poorly in the [[Nielsen ratings]] and was cancelled at the end of its first season. The show gained some popularity in summer reruns but too late to reverse its cancellation. |
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==Background== |
==Background== |
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The television series was based upon concepts and characters created by Frederick Kohner in his 1957 novel ''Gidget, the Little Girl with Big Ideas'',<ref name=novel>''Gidget'' by Frederick Kohner [http://www.amazon.com/dp/0425179621] (2001) Berkley Publishing Group.</ref> which Kohner based upon the adventures of his teenage daughter Kathy. The novel was [[adaptation|adapted]] into a [[Gidget (film)|1959 movie]] starring [[Sandra Dee]], [[James Darren]] and [[Cliff Robertson]]. The 1965 weekly, half-hour television series is seen by some as a sequel to the 1959 film, despite numerous discontinuities in plot, time frame and other details. It can also be seen as an independent incarnation, related to but distinct from either the novels or the films. Kohner served as a script consultant on the show. |
The television series was based upon concepts and characters created by Frederick Kohner in his 1957 novel ''Gidget, the Little Girl with Big Ideas'',<ref name=novel>''Gidget'' by Frederick Kohner [http://www.amazon.com/dp/0425179621] (2001) Berkley Publishing Group.</ref> which Kohner based upon the adventures of his teenage daughter Kathy. The novel was [[adaptation|adapted]] into a [[Gidget (film)|1959 movie]] starring [[Sandra Dee]], [[James Darren]] and [[Cliff Robertson]]. The 1965 weekly, half-hour television series is seen by some as a sequel to the 1959 film, despite numerous discontinuities in plot, time frame and other details. It can also be seen as an independent incarnation, related to but distinct from either the novels or the films. Kohner served as a script consultant on the show. |
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The series reintroduced Gidget's friend [[Larue Wilson|Larue]] and married sister Anne Cooper, both of whom appear in Kohner's original novel, but are absent from the motion picture series. Gidget's brother |
The series reintroduced Gidget's friend [[Larue Wilson|Larue]] and married sister Anne Cooper, both of whom appear in Kohner's original novel, but are absent from the motion picture series. Gidget's brotherinlaw, who appears in the novels as the intelligent but condescending child psychiatrist Larry Cooper is reinvented in the television series as John Cooper, an obtuse but lovable psychology student. |
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== Characters == |
== Characters == |
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[[File:Sally Field Don Porter Betty Conner Gidget 1965.JPG|thumb|right|240px|Don Porter with Sally Field and Betty Conner, 1965.]] |
[[File:Sally Field Don Porter Betty Conner Gidget 1965.JPG|thumb|right|240px|Don Porter with Sally Field and Betty Conner, 1965.]] |
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* [[Sally Field]] |
* [[Sally Field]] Frances Elizabeth "[[Gidget]]" Lawrence, the prototypical southern California beach bunny |
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* [[Don Porter]] |
* [[Don Porter]] Russell Lawrence, Gidget's widowed father and English professor at UCLA |
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* Betty Conner |
* Betty Conner Anne Cooper, Gidget's older, married, sister |
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* [[Pete Duel]] |
* [[Pete Duel]] John Cooper, Anne's husband, a psychology student |
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* Lynette Winter |
* Lynette Winter [[Larue Wilson]], Gidget's best friend |
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* Stephen Mines |
* Stephen Mines Jeff "[[Moondoggie]]" Matthews, Gidget's boyfriend. |
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* [[Michael Nader]], Rickie Sorensen, and Bob Beach as Gidget's schoolmates Siddo, Randy, and Toby, respectively. |
* [[Michael Nader]], Rickie Sorensen, and Bob Beach as Gidget's schoolmates Siddo, Randy, and Toby, respectively. |
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==Overview== |
==Overview== |
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{{Main|List of Gidget (TV series) episodes}} |
{{Main|List of Gidget (TV series) episodes}} |
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''Gidget'' is about the father-daughter relationship between Frances "Gidget" Lawrence and her father Russell Lawrence. Episodes follow Gidget's adventures in school, at home, and at |
''Gidget'' is about the father-daughter relationship between Frances "Gidget" Lawrence and her father Russell Lawrence. Episodes follow Gidget's adventures in school, at home, and at nearby beaches. Russell Lawrence guides his daughter through her fifteenth year sister Anne and husband John offer child-rearing tips. Gidget's friend [[Larue Wilson|Larue]] sometimes takes part in her escapades. Episodes typically end with Gidget receiving moral instruction from her father and gaining wisdom from her experiences. On occasion, Gidget breaks the [[Fourth wall]] and directly addresses her audience, usually reflecting on what she learned from the evening's story, sometimes ending with "Toodles!" |
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==Production details== |
==Production details== |
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''Gidget'' was filmed at the Columbia/Warner Bros. Ranch in [[Burbank, California]], with the exterior and kitchen set borrowed from the ''[[Hazel (TV series)|Hazel]]'' series, which was filming its final season at the time |
''Gidget'' was filmed at the Columbia/Warner Bros. Ranch in [[Burbank, California]], with the exterior and kitchen set borrowed from the ''[[Hazel (TV series)|Hazel]]'' series, which was filming its final season at the time. The house situated next door to the Lawrence residence is the principal residence on ''[[Bewitched]]'' series, which was in production . |
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18-year-old Sally Field defeated 75 other teenage girls for the title role exaggerated her surfing experience to the show's casting directors she had none took lessons from Phil Sauers just to be able to pretend to surf for the cameras. Sauers served as the series' "Surfing Technical Consultant" and provided the surfboards used during filming of the series. |
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While the Gidget of the novel and the original film are both blondes, the Gidget of the television series is a brunette. |
While the Gidget of the novel and the original film are both blondes, the Gidget of the television series is a brunette. |
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==Reception== |
==Reception== |
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The series faced stiff competition from ''[[The Beverly Hillbillies]]'' on [[CBS]] and ''[[The Virginian (TV series)|The Virginian]]'' on [[NBC]], two established shows with strong followings. The series was moved to Thursdays starting with episode 18. Despite scheduling after the Top 5-rated show ''[[Batman (TV series)|Batman]]'', |
The series faced stiff competition from ''[[The Beverly Hillbillies]]'' on [[CBS]] and ''[[The Virginian (TV series)|The Virginian]]'' on [[NBC]], two established shows with strong followings. The series was moved to Thursdays starting with episode 18. Despite scheduling after the Top 5-rated show ''[[Batman (TV series)|Batman]]'', ratings did not improve, and ABC canceled the series in the spring of 1966 audience the , to Field ''[[The Flying Nun]]'' . Field later that she on ''Gidget'' ''The Flying Nun''.<ref name=DVD/> |
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==Legacy== |
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==Subsequent history== |
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''Gidget'' remained in [[television syndication|syndication]] for several years |
''Gidget'' remained in [[television syndication|syndication]] for several years in [[ film|]] ''[[Gidget ]]'' ''[[ ]]''. |
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The series gained a new wave of popularity starting in 1983 when reruns began airing on a constant regular basis. Another television movie was produced (''[[Gidget's Summer Reunion]]'') starring [[Caryn Richman]] in the title role. The movie was successful enough to warrant a syndicated reboot as ''[[The New Gidget]]'', with Richman reprising her role. None of the original cast members appeared on the new series, though original series producer [[Harry Ackerman]] was present. |
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⚫ | *In the 1960s, [[Milton Bradley Company]] manufactured and marketed a "Gidget Fortune Teller" game which used |
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[[Antenna TV]] began airing the show in summer 2011 on weekends, usually paired alongside of ''The Flying Nun''. The entire series was broadcast during an Independence Day marathon in July 2012. |
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==Syndication== |
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Since the summer of 2011, the show has been shown on weekends on [[Antenna TV]]. On Wednesday, July 4, 2012, Antenna TV had a Independence Day marathon of all 32 episodes of the series, shown in chronological order. The all-day event was shown from 8:00am EST in the morning until midnight. |
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⚫ | *In the 1960s, [[Milton Bradley Company]] manufactured and marketed a "Gidget Fortune Teller" game which used Field's image on the box, the playing board and some of the game cards.<ref name=game>Board Games of the 50's, 60's, and 70's: With Prices by David Dilley (October 1994) L-W Promotions ISBN 0-89538-068-4</ref> |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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==References== |
==References== |
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'''Notes''' |
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{{Reflist}} |
{{Reflist}} |
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{{refimprove|date=April 2011}} |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
Revision as of 15:07, 1 July 2013
Gidget | |
---|---|
Original title screen | |
Genre | Sitcom |
Created by | Frederick Kohner (novel) |
Starring | Sally Field Don Porter Betty Conner Pete Duel Lynette Winter |
Theme music composer | Howard Greenfield Jack Keller |
Opening theme | "(Wait 'Til You See) My Gidget", performed by Johnny Tillotson |
Composers | Dave Grusin Stu Phillips Charles Albertine |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 1 |
No. of episodes | 32 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producer | Harry Ackerman |
Producers | Bob Claver (pilot episode) William Sackheim |
Running time | 25 minutes (per episode) |
Production company | Screen Gems |
Original release | |
Network | ABC |
Release | September 15, 1965 April 21, 1966 | –
Related | |
The New Gidget |
Gidget is an American sitcom about a surfing, boy-crazy teenager called "Gidget" and her widowed father Russ Lawrence, a UCLA professor. Sally Field stars as Gidget with Don Porter as her father. The series was first broadcast on ABC from September 15, 1965, through April 21, 1966.
Gidget was among the first regularly scheduled color programs on ABC, but did poorly in the Nielsen ratings and was cancelled at the end of its first season. The show gained some popularity in summer reruns but too late to reverse its cancellation.[1]
Background
The television series was based upon concepts and characters created by Frederick Kohner in his 1957 novel Gidget, the Little Girl with Big Ideas,[2] which Kohner based upon the adventures of his teenage daughter Kathy. The novel was adapted into a 1959 movie starring Sandra Dee, James Darren and Cliff Robertson. The 1965 weekly, half-hour television series is seen by some as a sequel to the 1959 film, despite numerous discontinuities in plot, time frame and other details. It can also be seen as an independent incarnation, related to but distinct from either the novels or the films. Kohner served as a script consultant on the show.
The series reintroduced Gidget's friend Larue and married sister Anne Cooper, both of whom appear in Kohner's original novel, but are absent from the motion picture series. Gidget's brother-in-law, who appears in the novels as the intelligent but condescending child psychiatrist Larry Cooper is reinvented in the television series as John Cooper, an obtuse but lovable psychology student.
Characters
- Sally Fieldv - Frances Elizabeth "Gidget" Lawrence, the prototypical southern California beach bunny
- Don Porter - Russell Lawrence, Gidget's widowed father and English professor at UCLA
- Betty Conner - Anne Cooper, Gidget's older, married, sister
- Pete Duel - John Cooper, Anne's husband, a psychology student
- Lynette Winter - Larue Wilson, Gidget's best friend
- Stephen Mines - Jeff "Moondoggie" Matthews, Gidget's boyfriend.
- Michael Nader, Rickie Sorensen, and Bob Beach as Gidget's schoolmates Siddo, Randy, and Toby, respectively.
Overview
Gidget is about the father-daughter relationship between Frances "Gidget" Lawrence and her widowed father Russell Lawrence. Episodes follow Gidget's adventures in school, at home, and at nearby beaches. Russell Lawrence guides his daughter through her fifteenth year, while married sister Anne and husband John offer often unsolicited child-rearing tips. Gidget's friend Larue sometimes takes part in her escapades. Episodes typically end with Gidget receiving moral instruction from her father and gaining wisdom from her experiences. On occasion, Gidget breaks the Fourth wall and directly addresses her audience, usually reflecting on what she has learned from the evening's story, sometimes ending with "Toodles!" (an expression Field improvised during production).[3]
Production details
Gidget was filmed at the Columbia/Warner Bros. Ranch in Burbank, California, with the exterior and kitchen set borrowed from the Hazel series, which was filming its final season at the time. The house situated next door to the Lawrence residence is the principal residence on Bewitched series, which was in production simultaneously.
The show launched the career of 18-year-old Sally Field, who defeated 75 other teenage girls for the title role.[3] Field exaggerated her surfing experience to the show's casting directors during her audition (she had none); she later took lessons from Phil Sauers just to be able to pretend to surf for the cameras. Sauers served as the series' "Surfing Technical Consultant" and provided the surfboards used during filming of the series.
While the Gidget of the novel and the original film are both blondes, the Gidget of the television series is a brunette.
The lyrics of the Gidget theme song were written by Howard Greenfield, with music by Jack Keller. The song was sung in the pilot by The Four Freshmen, and in the series by Johnny Tillotson.
Reception
The series faced stiff competition from The Beverly Hillbillies on CBS and The Virginian on NBC, two established shows with strong followings. The series was moved to Thursdays starting with episode 18. Despite scheduling after the Top 5-rated show Batman, ratings did not improve, and ABC canceled the series in the spring of 1966 — just as the show began to find its audience. Summer reruns garnered respectable ratings and ABC had a belated hit on their hands. Industry practice at the time, however, did not allow for cancelled shows to be resurrected, so the network scrambled to find a new starring vehicle for Field. The result was The Flying Nun (1967–70), where Field portrayed Sister Bertrille for three seasons.[4] Field later commented that she has great affection for her young persona and was proud of her work on Gidget but was embarassed with The Flying Nun.[3]
Legacy
Gidget remained in syndication for several years, resulted in two made-for-television sequels: Gidget Grows Up and Gidget Gets Married.
The series gained a new wave of popularity starting in 1983 when reruns began airing on a constant regular basis. Another television movie was produced (Gidget's Summer Reunion) starring Caryn Richman in the title role. The movie was successful enough to warrant a syndicated reboot as The New Gidget, with Richman reprising her role. None of the original cast members appeared on the new series, though original series producer Harry Ackerman was present.
Episodes of Gidget can be purchased on iTunes, as well as streamed for free through minisodes in the U.S. on Hulu and Crackle.
Antenna TV began airing the show in summer 2011 on weekends, usually paired alongside of The Flying Nun. The entire series was broadcast during an Independence Day marathon in July 2012.
Merchandise
- In the 1960s, Milton Bradley Company manufactured and marketed a "Gidget Fortune Teller" game which used Field's image on the box, the playing board and some of the game cards.[5]
DVD release
On March 21, 2006, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released Gidget: The Complete Series featuring all 32 episodes of the series, on DVD in Region 1. The release included the original pilot episode and a short interview with Field.
See also
- Surf culture
- Psycho Beach Party, a film by Charles Busch parodying the teen beach party movies of the sixties
References
- ^ tv.com/shows/gidget
- ^ Gidget by Frederick Kohner [1] (2001) Berkley Publishing Group.
- ^ a b c Sally Field (2006). Gidget: The Complete Series (DVD). Hollywood, California: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
- ^ tv.com/shows/gidget
- ^ Board Games of the 50's, 60's, and 70's: With Prices by David Dilley (October 1994) L-W Promotions ISBN 0-89538-068-4
External links
![](https://cdn.statically.io/img/upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Gidget at IMDb
- Template:Tv.com show
- The Real Gidget, essay by Deanne Stillman about Kathy Kohner Zuckerman
- In Malibu, Gidget's Up Interview with Zuckerman, Washington Post, September 16, 2005
- 1965 American television series debuts
- 1966 American television series endings
- 1960s American television series
- American Broadcasting Company network shows
- American television sitcoms
- English-language television programming
- Gidget films and television productions
- Teen sitcoms
- Television series by Sony Pictures Television
- Television shows set in California