In 1957, she appeared @ the age of fifteen in Vincente Minnelli's 'The Reluctant Debutante' with Rex Harrison and wife Kay Kendall, followed by the soaper ad-nausea remake of 'Imitation of Life', this time with Lana Turner. Teenagers took notice and she quickly became the original 'Gidget'(portrayed later on TV by Sally Field) and appeared in 'A Summer Place'(1959) with Troy Donahue. In 'Come September'(1961), starring Rock Hudson and Gina Lollobrigida, she played support alongside singer Bobby Darin, and the two were married shortly after (this was documented in the recent film 'Beyond the Sea' starring Kevin Spacey and Kate Bosworth-both of 'Superman Returns'). Similar parts followed into her early twenties, including 'Take Her She's Mine'(1963), which, sadly, is easily one of James Stewart's worst films, and a second teaming with now-hubbie Darin in 'That Funny Feeling'(65).
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