80’s Kids
A Guide To 10 Amazing Facts You Never Knew About Beaches!
By: Matt M
August 5, 2019
Beaches was one of those classic dramas that would have you hooked and could have you smiling and laughing one minute, then crying into your tissues the next! Bette Midler took a starring turn in this film and was fantastic as CC Bloom, getting right into the character and making her extremely believable and relatable. It’s scary to think that it’s over 30 years since Beaches hit the cinemas, so let’s look back at this classic with some facts about the film you may not have known….
10. One star didn’t sing herself
In spite of playing the part of young CC Bloom perfectly, Mayim Bialik was not allowed to sing in the final film as Bette Midler wanted someone else to provide the voice who sounded more like her.
9. The director’s name is in a cameo
At one point during the film, we see a poster for an upcoming production entitled Sizzle 76. On the poster, it states that it’s a Garry Marshall Production – Marshall was the director of Beaches.
8. One star initially turned down their role
To start with, Lainie Kazan did not want to accept the role of CC’s mother, but when she found out that Bette Midler was playing the part of CC she accepted the role to get a chance to star with Midler.
7. There was not much difference in their age
When Kazan was hired for her role of CC’s mother, there was just a five-year age gap between her and her on-screen daughter, Midler, meaning that in real life they would be more likely to be sisters.
6. One star underwent a cosmetic procedure
Barbara Hershey was required to play the part of Hilary from her college years up to her mid-thirties and Hershey was 40 at the time of playing the role. To help look younger she underwent collagen lip injections so she felt more comfortable in the role.
5. An old set was used
When holding screen tests for Barabara Hershey, the sets from Big Business were used. Big Business was another successful movie for Midler at around the same time.
4. The set was used again
The Big Business sets were used again in the final movie of Beaches, at around the middle of the film when CC and Hilary are in a store and have a big fight.
3. One star wanted to appear
Shelley Winters has said she would have liked to play the role of CC’s mother but she was worried she would not get the role as she would fail the insurance exams needed to appear in the movie.
2. One trailer advertised incorrectly
In one trailer for Beaches it says that the film stars Academy Award Nominee Barbara Hershey, but at the time she had never received an Oscar nomination and did not do so until 1997 for Portrait of a Lady.
1. The film had a change of name
In the original drafts of the film, it was entitled Remember Me, and was not changed until later on to the title of Beaches which we have come to know and love – which title do you think works better?
