It's the "older" man story. OMG. Tom Gilleran plays Baxter, a surf bum, who connects with Gidge at the beach. He's cool, a romantic -- and also her new math teacher? That's the way it goes in Gidget's crazy life, though you have to admit Baxter looked a bit more "mature" anyway, so you know there was going to be some sort of complication among the sand dunes.
Ruth Brooks Flippen wrote this story, and many others for the show. She had the experience as she penned two connected movies, GIDGET GOES HAWAIIAN and GIDGET GOES TO ROME. The thing about these episodes was that, regardless of the story, Sally Field put so much into them, including the most goofy faces. She reserved the right to brood about this dilemma; playing sick at home and hiding out among the school trash cans? By the way, funny guy Lenny Breman plays the janitor.
Gilleran, who appeared in such shows as ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS, put more time into real estate and was an agent for years in Los Angeles. That seems to be the route lots of actors go. He passed in 2022 at the ripe age of 86. William Asher directed, behind BEWITCHED, also filmed on the Columbia lot in Burbank. It's sad to report the lot was torn down in 2023 to make way for new offices and sound stages. Fortunately, the series with all the super 60s memories is still around.
SEASON 1 EPISODE 17 remastered color Columbia box set. 3 dvds. 2006 release.