FACT FILE:
* Deborah is the daughter of Ice Capades skating stars Nathan & Edith Walley.
* She began skating with her parents at age 3 & showed enormous promise, but resisted her father's urging to continue, choosing instead to study acting at the New York Academy of Dramatic Arts.
* Deborah made her stage debut at 14, in a production of "Charley's Aunt".
* Soon after that Deborah found herself doing toothpaste commercials & guest roles in various television series. Her most notable role on TV was that of Eve Arden's daughter Suzie on the 60 's series "Mothers-in-Law."
* Deborah was performing in an off-Broadway production of Chekhov's "Three Sisters" when she learned that she had gotten the lead role in the film "Gidget Goes Hawaiian".
* 1961 was the year of "Gidget Goes Hawaiian", Deborah's most famous film. It was in that year that she was voted Photoplay's "Most Popular Actress".
* On the 24 April 1962 Deborah married John Ashley.
* Following her success with "Gidget Goes Hawaiian", Deborah starred in a number of teen orientated films most notably 1966's "Spinout" opposite Rock 'n' Roll legend Elvis Presley.
* Deborah moved to Sedona, Arizona, in the 1970s to raise her children.
* She co-founded two children's theater companies, Pied Piper Productions & Sedona Children's Theater. This gave her the opportunity to share with children her skills as an actress by teaching acting classes.
* She also founded the Swiftwind Theater Company. She became involved in writing film scripts & training American Indian actors.
* In 1990 her short film "The Vision of Seeks-to-Hunt Great", starring Michael Horse, won a number of awards including the American Indian Film Festival's best short-subject award.
* Deborah wrote scripts for her own production companies, for other children's films & for Disney Animation, for which she supplied cartoon voiceovers.
* Deborah wrote stories based on Native-American folklore & compiled them into the 1993 book "Grandfather's Good Medicine."
* Sadly, Deborah passed away in 2001 (cancer). She will always be remembered as a talented actress, author, & producer.
Gidget Goes Hawaiian(1961) VHS
In the second "Gidget" film, everyone's favorite surfin' girl heads to Waikiki and finds fun and romance. Deborah Walley, James Darren, Michael Callan and Peggy Cass star. 102 min.
Summer Magic(1963) VHS
Delightful Disney family film, based on the book "Mother Carey's Chickens," about widow Dorothy McGuire and her children working to keep their family together in a small town in turn-of-the-century Maine. Hayley Mills, Eddie Hodges, Deborah Walley and Burl Ives also star. 100 min.
Beach Blanket Bingo(1965) VHS
The "Beach Party" gang is back again for laughs, rock and roll, surfing and those sexy two-piece bathing suits. The plot, such as it is, involves a missing singing star, a mermaid, and Eric Von Zipper's gang. With Frankie, Annette, Harvey Lembeck, Linda Evans, Paul Lynde, Don Rickles. 98 min.
Dr. Goldfoot And The Bikini Machine [DVD](1965) DVD
Mad scientist Vincent Price has constructed an army of beautiful bikini-clad robots as part of his scheme to control the world's richest men, and only bumbling secret agents Frankie Avalon and Dwayne Hickman can stop him in this wild sci-fi spy spoof. With a cameo by Annette Funicello and a title song by The Supremes. 89 min. Widescreen; Soundtrack: English mono; Subtitles: French, Spanish; theatrical trailer.
Spinout(1966) VHS
With three women (a spoiled rich girl, a man-hungry author, and his band's drummer) out to snare him, racecar driver/singer Elvis Presley sure has his hands full in this one! With Shelley Fabares, Diane McBain, Carl Betz. Includes original theatrical trailer. 90 min.
The Bubble(1967) VHS
When an electrical storm forces their plane to land in a remote town, three travellers find that the locals have been turned into mindless drones and the entire town is surrounded by a force field set up by aliens. Filmed in "3-D Space Vision" by fantasist Arch Oboler, this offbeat sci-fi tale stars Michael Cole, Deborah Walley, Johnny Desmond. Comes with two pair of 3-D glasses. AKA: "The Fantastic Invasion of Planet Earth," "The Zoo." 91 min.
Benji(1974) VHS
Benji [DVD](1975) DVD
America's most huggable hero makes his screen debut, as marvelous mutt Benji finds a family to call his own, fights kidnappers, and even finds true love. Deborah Walley, Edgar Buchanan, and Higgins as Benji star; Charlie Rich sings the theme song. 87 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English mono; scene access.
