Page 34 - 4650 50th Anniversary Book Final

A Touch of Hollywood Sceen filmed at Hawaiian

Village Mini Golf.
Released in 1994

breakingly handsome Robert Rusler, Tyrone Power Jr. and
also actor Kevin Kline who was there with his fiancee,
Phoebe Cates. At the time, Phoebe was in all the teen mag-
azines and was our idea of beauty perfection (by the way,
her skin was flawless up close!) We made friends with the
youngest star, Annabeth Gish, who turned out to be a
great shagger (due to lots of “practicing” with junior
champ, Matt Free). The majority of stars were all part of
champ,
hollywood royalty too. We kept our eyes peeled for any
Fondas, or a glimpse of Carol Burnett. The choreographer-
Kenny Ortega (famous for Dirty Dancing, High School
Musical, and Michael Jackson’s This is It) was amazing
in every way. We followed him like the Pied Piper. During
the day, in between filming, he would entertain us all. He
could surf, skateboard, and roller-skate! He took us in the
could
clubs and danced with us. He showed us moves from Dirty
Dancing before the movie was out and it blew our minds!
SHAG the Movie by Jennifer Batten Beach scenes were filmed right here beyond Main Street
where our lacquered hairdos managed to stay put even
Some of the happiest memories of my life were formed as a after diving into the waves! I remember how ridiculous we
teenager here in North Myrtle Beach, where I was a felt in those torpedo-like bras and boy shorts! The back deck
dancer in a movie. Ocean Drive with it’s shag clubs and of Fat Harold’s Beach Club was the setting for the histori-
family friendly beaches, provided a perfect backdrop for cally accurate Miss Sun Fun Pageant where local, Mimi
Shag -The Movie- set in the early 1960’s about 4 girls Drew got her first start in show business! Sarah West
Kemp and I laughed hysterically while playing crazy
coming of age the summer after high school. It represents a Kemp
time and place of innocence and fun before adulthood and Jimmy Valentine fans! The dance contest scenes were
responsibilities.
responsibilities. It has stood the test of time because the filmed here at Atlantic Beach where an old dance pavil-
main characters represent teens we all know -escaping for a lion was transformed to another place in time with the
last hurrah. sounds of the Voltage Brothers, fireworks, and shag danc-
In the summer of 1987, junior shaggers from both Caroli- ers. Funny thing about that,--the old Atlantic Beach pavil-
nas answered a casting call and came to audition as danc- ion burned down but our own Ocean Drive Pavilion feels
ers in the movie. Most teens were competitors in the Na- much like it. All the dancers from the movie are are grown
tional Shag Dance Championships founded by Myrtle but our children are now teens and experiencing so much
Beach local, Barry Thigpen. My sister , Jodi and I still of what we did that summer. Adults and teens are all still
cannot not believe we were paid to dance all day and go to migrating to North Myrtle, our shag “Mecca”. We come to
the beach, hang out with movie stars, and go to the clubs at escape and find the days of light-hearted fun. You can still
night. We were all star struck! My sister and I hungrily visit Ocean Drive, North Myrtle to feel the breezes, smell
volunteered to help my mom, Judy Duke, teach the the ocean, see fireworks, and follow the music to the clubs
to laugh and dance away the night with your friends!
34 to laugh and dance away the night with your friends!