Дебора Уоллей: Американская актриса и звезда пляжных комедий

American actress (1941–2001)

Deborah Walley (August 12, 1941May 10, 2001) was an American actress noted for playing the title role in Gidget Goes Hawaiian (1961) and appearing in several beach party films.

Walley was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, to Ice Capades skating stars and choreographers Nathan and Edith Walley. When she was three years old, she made her first public appearance at Madison Square Garden. During her sophomore year, Walley attended Rosarian Academy in West Palm Beach, Florida, where she was cast as Cinderella in a musical production at the Royal Poinciana Playhouse. She studied acting at New York City's American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

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

Walley was discovered by agent Joyce Selznick while performing in a production of Anton Chekhov's Three Sisters, and she soon made her Hollywood film debut as Gidget in 1961's Gidget Goes Hawaiian. The film was popular and established Walley as a name among teenage fans and she won the Photoplay award for Favorite Female Newcomer. She appeared in The Young Lovers (1964) for MGM. Walley signed a contract with American International Pictures, which cast her as a female lead in several comedies, all with Frankie Avalon and her husband John Ashley: Beach Blanket Bingo (1965), Ski Party (1965) and Sergeant Dead Head (1965). She sang in some of these films. Walley had a cameo role in Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine (1966) and was the female lead in the last AIP beach party film, Ghost in the Invisible Bikini (1966), opposite Tommy Kirk. She reunited with Kirk for a beach party film directed by Stephanie Rothman titled It's a Bikini World (filmed in 1965, released in 1967). She next appeared in the Elvis Presley film Spinout, followed by the lead role in the science fiction film The Bubble (1966).

Walley guest starred on Burke's Law ("Who Killed Andy Zygmunt? "), The Greatest Show on Earth ("This Train Don't Stop Till It 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 in decline, Walley portrayed Suzie Hubbard Buell in the comedy series The Mothers in Law. Actress Kay Cole had played Suzie in the original pilot, but Walley replaced her for the series' two seasons on the air. Walley worked as an art director on The Courtship of Eddie's Father and an episode of The Girl from U. N. C. L. E. ("The Double O Nothing Affair").

Walley's later film appearances included Drag Racer (1971), The Severed Arm (1973) and Benji (1974). She continued to guest star on shows such as The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries ("Mystery on the Avalanche Express") and Simon & Simon ("The Last Big Break"). She wrote and produced the short film The Legend of Seeks To Hunt Great (1989), which won several awards including the National Cine Golden Eagle, the American Indian Film Festival's best short subject award, the Oklahoma Tribal Council Award for best fiction film and the 1991 Algrave International Video Festival's best of festival award. Walley moved to Sedona, Arizona in 1991 to focus on raising her family while writing and producing. She cofounded Pied Piper Productions, a nonprofit theater company for children, and was a cofounder of the Sedona Children's Theater. She published her first book, Grandfather's Good Medicine, in 1993, which was based on the plot of The Legend of Seeks To Hunt Great. She also wrote scripts and taught acting and production techniques to American Indians through her Swiftwind Productions company, and she continued to produce and appear in plays.

Walley's first marriage was to John Reynolds, with whom she had a son named Justin. From 1962 to 1966,

Year Title Role Notes1961Gidget Goes HawaiianGidget1962Bon Voyage!Amy Willard1963Summer MagicJulia Carey1964Debbie1965Beach Blanket BingoBonnie Graham1965Ski PartyLinda Hughes1965Sergeant DeadheadAirman Lucy Turner1965Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini MachineCraig's Cafeteria Date1966Lili Morton1966SpinoutLes1966Catherine1967It's a Bikini WorldDelilah Dawes1971Drag RacerChris1973Teddy Rogers1974BenjiLinda Sue

Year Title Role Notes1960Naked CityHeather Weston"To Walk in Silence"1960Route 66Helen Paige"Ten Drops of Water"1964Burke's LawGwenny Trent"Who Killed Andy Zygmunt? "1964Anne"This Train Don't Stop Till It Gets There"1964Wagon TrainNancy Styles"The Nancy Styles Story"1966Gomer Pyle, U. S. M. C. Tina Tracy"Lies, Lies, Lies"1967Off to See the WizardElizabeth"Rhino"1967–1969Suzie Hubbard Buell56 episodes1970Corey Ann Skeet"With Love, Bullets and Valentines"1971Love, American StyleHelen"Love and the Guilty Conscience"1972Love, American StyleNina"Love and the Anxious Mama"1978Gina Bartelli"Mystery on the Avalanche Express"1986Simon & SimonGigi Dolores"The Last Big Break"1989–1990Chip 'n Dale: Rescue RangersFoxglove / Lahwhinie / Buffy Ratskiwatskivoice, 3 episodes1999BaywatchEthel"Baywatch Grand Prix"