Wild on the Beach (1965)

Interesting facts

Wild on the Beach is a 1965 American beach party film directed by Maury Dexter and starring Frankie Randall, Sherry Jackson, Gayle Caldwell, and Jackie Miller. It was written by Harry Spalding based on a story by Hank Tani. It is notable for the musical acts showcased onscreen, including the film debut of Sonny & Cher. It is one of the few films in the genre to be filmed in black and white.

Production notes

After making 1963's The Young Swingers and 1964's Surf Party, this was director/producer Maury Dexter's third teen flick – and second effort to imitate AIP's Beach Party formula. AIP would later hire Dexter to direct Maryjane and The Mini-Skirt Mob.

Dexter has said that casting Sonny and Cher was the idea of Fred Roos.

While promoted as a standard beach party film with posters showing most of the female stars in bikinis and a title song with the lyrics "...only two steps down to the nearest wave, and surf's up every night!", no one in the cast actually wears swimsuits in the film, nor do any of them do anything on the beach – except walk on it – fully clothed. In fact, Frankie Randall, the male lead, wears a windbreaker on top of his shirt for most of the film.

Although little surfing is shown in the film apart from a few random insert shots of extras on surfboards, the "surfing coordinator" for Wild on the Beach was Phil Sauer, who had also worked on AIP's Muscle Beach Party and Bikini Beach (both 1964); Beach Blanket Bingo and How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (both 1965); as well as Columbia's Ride the Wild Surf (1964).

Dexter also used the Boulder, Colorado-based surf band The Astronauts in Surf Party.

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