Sally Field’s time on the set of Gidget (1965–1966) was a whirlwind experience that launched her Hollywood career when she was just 18 years old. Landing the leading role of 15-and-a-half-year-old Francine “Gidget” Lawrence over 75 other teenage girls, Field transitioned overnight from an unknown Pasadena teenager into a major television star.
To win the coveted role during her audition, Field exaggerated her surfing experience by claiming she knew how to surf, when in reality she had never set foot on a board. Once cast, Screen Gems hired Phil Sauers as the show’s “surfing technical consultant.” Sauers had to give Field crash-course surfing lessons before and during production so she could convincingly pretend to catch waves for the cameras.
The production of Gidget was notable for being among ABC’s first regularly scheduled color programs. Because early color television required heavy cosmetic application to look correct on screen, Field had to adjust to intense studio styling. When a reporter from The Pittsburgh Press visited the set and asked the 18-year-old if she had ever worn that much makeup before, Field shot back, ”You kidding? My parents wouldn’t even let me wear makeup.”
Despite having the job locked down and exuding a perky, confident demeanor on screen, Field admitted to being incredibly intimidated by the scale of the production. She noted during filming that she was “still pretty scared” and constantly got “the excited kind of scared” butterflies while walking onto the set.
Though the show later developed a massive cult following through summer reruns, Field began to feel creatively restricted by the sitcom format. In later years, she reflected on the role as a steep learning curve, admitting that she felt creatively stifled by the show’s simple premise and grew to actively dislike the repetitive nature of the material.
Leave a Reply