"Goin' Coconuts" 1978 starring Todd Beck and Marva Beck
1,980 views · Published 2 July 2009 · 2:50 · Indexed 30 October 2026
Channel: Today We Move Forward · 2009 · People & Blogs
One early morning in Fall 1977 (maybe winter 1978?) I was in Kahala at LDS Church seminary class and somebody announced that Donny and Marie Osmond were filming that day and needed extras. The teacher dismissed class early and I called my mom (Marva Beck) who came and got me, my sister (Melanie Beck Klingler), and my friend (Bryan Borders). We all drove down to Waikiki where we sat (and ate!) in the crew area until it was time. The crew had us stand in various places along a path down Kalakaua Avenue. Then, when Donny and "the bad guy" ran past, we were supposed to attack and stop Donny as his raving fans. I know my sister (Melanie Beck Klingler) is in here somewhere, but I can't find her now. Watch toward the end where I've highlighted the rest of us. Because my whole LDS Church seminary class came--as did others from nearby LDS wards--there are a lot of familiar faces in the crowd. In fact, my family watched "Goin' Coconuts" when it was released in October 1978 at a drive-in theater. So throughout the movie somebody from a car would yell, "Hey, there's Maile!" or "Hey, there's Sister Chong!" Maybe you can play "spot your neighbor" in this clip. The movie itself was forgettable. But I'll always remember the experience of being part of making it.
