Godspeed James Darren

James Darren who played Moondoggie in the movie Gidget (1959) and starred on the TV show The Time Tunnel, among many other roles died yesterday, September 2 2024, at the age of 88. In addition to acting, he was also a singer.

James Darren was born James William Ercolani on June 8 1936 in Philadelphia. It because of the success of Eddie Fisher, who was also a Philadelphia native that James Darren decided to become a singer and actor. He moved to New York City to study acting under Stella Adler. The owner of a photography shop directed James Darren to Joyce Selznick, a talent scout for Columbia Pictures and David O. Selznick's niece. Mr. Darren then signed a contract with Columbia.

James Darren made his film debut in Rumble on the Docks in 1956. In the late Fifties he appeared in the movies Operation Mad Ball (1957),  The Brothers Rico (1957), The Tijuana Story (1957), Gunman's Walk (1958), Gidget (1959), The Gene Krupa Story (1959), Because They're Young (1960), All the Young Men (1960), and Let No Man Write My Epitaph (1960). He guest starred on the shows The Web, The Lineup, and The Donna Reed Show. James Darren's recording career also began in the late Fifties. His first single, "Mighty Pretty Territory" was released in 1958. While he released several singles from 1958 to 1960, only two of them made the Billboard Hot 100. "Gidget" made it to no. 41, while "Angel Face" peaked at no. 47. His first album Album No. 1, was released in 1960.

In the Sixties James Darren appeared in the movies The Guns of Navarone (1961), Gidget Goes Hawaiian (1961), Diamond Head (1962), Gidget Goes to Rome (1963), For Those Who Think Young (1964), The Lively Set (1965), The Man from the 25th Century (1968), and Venus in Furs (1959). He stared on the TV show The Time Tunnel. He guest starred on the shows The Flintstones and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. He continued recording, and had several albums and singles released throughout the decade. He had his biggest hit in 1961 when his single "Goodbye, Cruel World" went to no. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. His other major hits during the decade were "Her Royal Majesty" (peaked at no. 6), "Conscience" (peaked at no. 11), and "All" (peaked at no.35).

In the Seventies James Darren's career shifted away from film and more towards television. He guest starred on the shows Love, American Style; S.W.A.T.; Police Woman; Baa Baa Black Sheep; The Feather and Father Gang; Charlie's Angels; Police Story; Hawaii Five-O; Vega$, and Fantasy Island. He appeared in the TV movies City Beneath the Sea, The Lives of Jenny Dolan, and Turnover Smith. He appeared in the movies The Boss' Son (1978) and That's Life (1979). He continued to record. releasing two albums in the Seventies. His single "You Take My Heart Away" peaked at no. 52 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1977.

In the Eighties James Darren was a regular on the TV series T.J. Hooker. He guest starred on the shows The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, and One Day at a Time. In the Nineties James Darren had a recurring roles on Melrose Place and Star Trek: Deep Space 9. He guest starred on the shows Raven, Renegade, Silk Stalkings,and  Diagnosis Murder. James Darren would appear in two more movies: Random Acts (2001) and Lucky (2017). He released one album each in the Naughts and the Teens.

James Darren was a talented actor who could play a convincingly play a number of roles. He stood out as the surfer Moondoggie in Gidget and as gang member Johnny Rico in The Brothers Rico. He played rich boy and excessive partier  Ding in Those Who Think Young. Of course, James Darren was a talented singer as well, something that came in useful as Vic Fontaine a hologram of a 1950s style crooner, on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Throughout his career James Darren played a variety of roles and played all of them well.