Baywatch Facts

Baywatch is the brainchild of producer Gregory J. Bonann. He was a lifeguard who often worked with Michael Newman and came up with the series idea about lifeguards based on his experiences.

Gregory promised Michael Newman that if he got his idea sold, and the show did well, he would get him work on the pilot.

Gregory pitched the idea around Hollywood for years without success until his sister married TV writer Douglas Schwartz. Douglas later teamed with Michael Berk and sold Gregory’s idea to NBC.

NBC bought the two hour movie that most fans have never even seen, called Baywatch: Panic at Malibu Pier. They couldn’t see a series about lifeguards, deeming it too repetitive.

Baywatch: Panic at Malibu Pier did well and NBC bought the series and after 22 episodes, the show was cancelled due to lackluster ratings.

One of the shows producers, Douglas Schwartz’s uncle Sherwood Schwartz, who created classic hit shows as Gilligan’s Island and The Brady Bunch told Douglas that Baywatch was his Gilligan’s Island. Douglas bought the rights back for $10.

The producers did not want to give up on the show and decided to revive the program in syndication. The show’s star, David Hasselhoff had tremendous European popularity and this enabled them to acquire foreign investors.

One year after cancellation, Baywatch was back on the air.-At its peak in the mid-90s, Baywatch was seen by over 1 billion viewers, was shown in over 144 countries in 23 different languages.

The Guinness Book of World Records called it the Most Watched TV Show on the Planet.

Producers originally wanted to use “The Boys of Summer” by Don Henley for the Baywatch theme song, but fortunately for all the fans, they couldn’t afford the $100,000 licensing fee at that time.

The show drew more female viewers than male. Statistics showed that female viewership was at a dominating 65 percent!-Pamela Anderson’s fame enabled her to sell her baby pictures worldwide for a pricey $450,000.

Producer Douglas Schwartz’s business cards were once stolen. Afterward, he began getting calls from actresses who claimed to have been promised a part on the show. The thief, who was later caught, was using the cards to further his social life.

The cast shaved and waxed as needed, all actors were required to wear body makeup.

The show’s slow motion footage of the cast running out to victims was the idea of Douglas Schwartz.

Unknowns before the show, many of the show’s actors had gotten their start as models.

Many of the show’s actors had tatoos and in most seasons were covered with body makeup.

Most of Baywatch’s actresses had large breast implants.

Douglas Schwartz has stated that the show has made about $450 million.

California beaches can get very cold. Baywatch makes it look as if it’s extremely sunny and warm. The water is 57 degrees. Gena Lee Nolin and Yasmine Bleeth once came down with hypothermia.

Baywatch re-launched David Hasselhoff’s career, making him one of the most powerful men in Hollywood.

The show made the actors, including Pamela Anderson, Carmen Electra, Yasmine Bleeth and Gena Lee Nolin into household names.

Baywatch Filming Locations

WILL ROGERS STATE BEACH

Danger Areas:
- Private fishing boats too close to shoreline often need rescue
- Pacific Coast Highway is often the sight of many accidents
- Storm drains by Tower 18
- Jetties can serve as visual obstructions

History: named for American humorist known as the “cowboy philosopher”

SANTA MONICA STATE BEACH

Danger Areas:
- Riptides
- Rock jetties
- Pico-Kenter storm drain

History: originally part of a rancho given to a Spaniard by the King of Spain

NICHOLAS CANYON BEACH

Danger Areas:
- rocks between Nicholas and Leo Cabrillo beaches,
- point zero
- kelp beds can cause entanglement

History: named after a bandit who killed himself when he jumped off a cliff

ZUMA

Danger Areas:
- riptides can cause blitzes
- south swells can be rough

History: was inhabited by Aboriginal indians discovered by Cabrillo

POINT DUME

Danger Areas:
- many cliffs
- scuba divers are often swept into the ocean from the current,
- hence the area’s nickname, “Point Doom.”

DAN BLOCKER MEMORIAL BEACH

Danger Areas:
- Many rocks can cause a rough shorebreak.
- Children can be easily knocked over.

History: originally part of a rancho given to a Spaniard by the King of Spain

Good for:
- scuba and skin diving

MALIBU STATE BEACH

Danger Areas:
- rocky ocean bottom

History: was inhabited by a Chumash Indian village named “Humaliwo.” “Malibu” was derived from this name.

Good for:
- surfing

LAS TUNAS

Danger Areas:
- iron groins
- rocky, underdeveloped beach

Good for:
- skin diving and spear fishing

TOPANGA BEACH

Danger Areas:
- The creek. When it is not flowing, it is dangerous to
- Children and non-swimmers
- Rocky bottom
- Large swells can sweep swimmers into rocks

Good for:
- Swimming in “the cove”
- Catamaran storage and launching

VENICE BEACH

Danger Areas:
- Two rock groins, one breakwater
- Steep beach and breakwater causes “gutter rips.”

History: one of first public beaches Has a canal system Cosmopolitan beach, colorful and diverse

MARINA DEL REYM

Good for:
- handicapped people because of easy access to many ramps

MANHATTAN BEACH

Danger Areas:
- Strong southern swell
- Pier jumpers

REDONDO BEACH

Danger Areas:
- Storm drain at Del Mar

History: discovered by Cabrillo

PALOS VERDES

Good for:

ABALONE COVE BEACH PARK

Danger Areas:
- Portuguese Point–a steep rocky point with deep gorges
- “The Ruins”–steep walled point where the surf and surge come at great force