Zuma Beach is a 1978 TV movie written by John Carpenter and William Schwartz, directed by Lee H. Katzin and starring Suzanne Somers.[1][2]

Zuma Beach
GenreComedy
Drama
Teleplay byJohn Carpenter
William A. Schwartz
Story byJohn Herman Shaner &
Al Ramrus
Directed byLee H. Katzin
StarringSuzanne Somers
Steven Keats
Mark Wheeler
Kimberly Beck
Music byDick Halligan
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producersDaniel H. Blatt
Edgar J. Scherick
ProducersBruce Cohn Curtis
Brian Grazer
CinematographyHéctor R. Figueroa
EditorsBobbie Shapiro
Robert L. Swanson
Running time98 minutes
Production companiesBruce Cohn Curtis Films, Ltd.
Edgar J. Scherick Associates
Warner Bros. Television
Original release
NetworkNBC
ReleaseSeptember 27, 1978 (1978-09-27)

Plot

edit

A fading rock singer goes to the beach to get away from it all and winds up getting involved in the lives of the teenage beachgoers.

Cast

edit

History

edit

Suzanne Somers' fame was rising due to the success of the sitcom Three's Company, and she wanted to star in movies. Although a lightweight TV movie, Zuma Beach provided Somers with her first starring movie role.[3][4]

John Carpenter wrote the script for a producer "who just said he wanted a beach movie." He sold it to Warner Bros., and it became a TV movie to star Suzanne Somers. Carpenter said he "was going to direct it, for about 10 seconds, but one of my mentors, Richard Kobritz...helped me see I didn't want to do it. It was vastly rewritten, so I really shouldn't have taken credit for it, but I was a little asshole in those days."[5]

Tim Hutton had one of his first roles in the film.[6]

Reception

edit

The Los Angeles Times praised the naturalness of Somers' performance.[7]

References

edit
  1. ^ Leonard Maltin. Leonard Maltin's Movie and Video Guide. Plume, 1994.
  2. ^ F. Maurice Speed. Film Review 1988-9. Columbus Books, 1989.
  3. ^ Bernstein, Jay. Starmaker: Life as a Hollywood Publicist with Farrah, The Rat Pack and 600 More Stars Who Fired Me, pp. 184-185 (2011)
  4. ^ Farley, Ellen and William K. Knoedelseder, Jr. (19 February 1978). Rub-a-Dub-Dub, Three Networks in a Tub, Washington Post (brief mention of upcoming film in February 1978 with Somers to star)
  5. ^ "Interview with John Carpenter". Justin Beahm.
  6. ^ NOTHING 'ORDINARY' ABOUT TIM HUTTON, Champlin, Charles. Los Angeles Times, 15 Jan 1981: h1.
  7. ^ TV MOVIE REVIEW: Somers in Swim of Role That Suits, Thomas, Kevin. Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep 1978: f18.
edit