GIDGET DOCUMENTARY

A real surfer girl conquers Hollywood and inspires generations of young women to try a traditionally male-dominated sport. A 60-minute feature documentary.

Description

“Brian Gillogly's engaging film uses home movies, footage from the "Gidget" movies, the 1965 and 1984 "Gidget" TV series and interviews with everyone from Sally Field to James Darren to remind us who the original surfer girl was in the popular culture. But it also interviews the real teen who hung out with surfers and was nicknamed Gidget (short for "girl midget," the surfers recall) and then immortalized when her father wrote a book based on her surfing lifestyle and lingo. Kathy Kohner Zuckerman was that girl, and generations of female and male surfers pay tribute to her in this film about her role in surfing history.” --Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel


BEST DIRECTOR NOMINATION – 2010 Feel Good Festival, Hollywood
BEST DOCUMENTARY NOMINATION – 2010 Orlando Film Festival
MOST INSPIRING NOMINATION – 2010 Orlando Film Festival
FULL HOUSE (SRO) – 2010 Newport Beach Film Festival
FULL HOUSE – 2010 Orlando Film Festival
FULL HOUSE – 2010 Noosa (Australia) Festival of Surfing
OFFICIAL SELECTION – 2010 Iowa Independent Film Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION – 2010 California Surf Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION – 2011 National Popular Culture (NPCA/ACA) Conference
OFFICIAL SELECTION – 2011 Honolulu Surf Film Festival
RECORD CROWD – Santa Barbara Maritime Museum (2011)
FULL HOUSE (SRO) – 2012 Lake Arrowhead Film Festival
FULL HOUSE (SRO) – 2012 Topanga Film Festival
FULL HOUSE – 2015 Long Beach Aquarium



Narrated by Jorja Fox (“CSI”), produced by Brian L. Gillogly and Robert Masters, and edited by Brian Denny, ACCIDENTAL ICON: THE REAL GIDGET STORY explores the largely untold story of the real “Gidget” and how her account of surfing Malibu in the mid-50’s became the basis for a best-selling novel and a series of feature films and TV shows. A half century later, “Gidget” is celebrated as a slice of Americana, with considerable impact on popular culture and the sport of surfing.

In ACCIDENTAL ICON: THE REAL GIDGET STORY, surf legends and present-day “surfer girls” set the stage and take the Gidget story full circle. Prominent actors, writers and directors, many of whom brought Gidget to the big and small screen, provide an often enlightening behind-the-scenes perspective. Some of them include:

Sally Field-Oscar winning actor (“Gidget” TV Series)
Cliff Robertson-Oscar winning actor (“Gidget”)
James Darren-Actor/Singer (“Gidget”)
Gregory Harrison-Actor (“Ed,” “North Shore”)
Caryn Richman-Actor (“The New Gidget” TV Series)
Paul Wendkos-Prolific director (“Gidget,” “Gidget Goes Hawaiian”)
Don Stroud-Actor (“Gidget’s Summer Reunion”)
Rabbit Kekai-Stunt Double (“Gidget Goes Hawaiian”)
Leah Dawson-Women’s Longboard Surf Champion
Layne Beachly-Seven-time World Surf Champion
Summer Romero-Top Longboard Surfer
Jericho Poppler Bartlow-Former US Surf Champion
Kassia Meador-Top Longboard Surfer/Roxy Model
Belen Kimble-Top Longboard Surfer
Carla Rowland-Malibu Surf Champion
Lance Carson-Surf Legend (”Endless Summer”)
Mike Doyle-Surf Legend/Former US Champion
Mickey Munoz-Surf Legend

Together with Kathy “Gidget” Zuckerman they weave an entertaining and ultimately life-affirming true account of a young girl coming of age amongst the waves at Malibu’s fabled Surfrider Beach—and how an idealized vision of that girl became a true American icon.

For more information and a trailer go to:
Facebook.com/GidgetDocumentary