Full Name | James William Ercolani |
Net Worth | $14 Million |
Date Of Birth | June 8, 1936 |
Place Of Birth | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA |
Height | 5' 10½" (1.79 m) |
Profession | Actor, Director, Soundtrack |
Spouse | Gloria Terlitsky |
Children | Christian Darren, Anthony Darren |
Nicknames | James Darren, Darren, James |
Known For | The Guns of Navarone (1961), T.J. Hooker (1982), The Time Tunnel (1966), Gidget (1959) |
Star Sign | Gemini |
# | Fact |
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1 | Is a longtime friend of the late Julie London and the late Bobby Troup. In Darren's young career, he co-starred opposite her second husband in The Gene Krupa Story (1959). |
2 | Brother of John Darren. |
3 | He is the only actor to appear in all three "Gidget" films (as the same character): Gidget (1959), Gidget Goes Hawaiian (1961) and Gidget Goes to Rome (1963). Joby Baker also appeared in all 3 Gidget movies (as different characters). |
4 | Interviewed in Tom Weaver's book "I Talked with a Zombie" (McFarland & Co., 2008). |
5 | As a teen he commuted from South Philly to New York to attend Stella Adler's drama classes. |
6 | Introduced to talent agent Joyce Selznick by a secretary at a Photography Shop, on Broadway in New York City, called "Maurice Seymour of Hollywood". He was signed by Columbia Pictures in 1956 and given the name "James Darren" by the studio, in honor of the Kaiser-Darrin sports car. |
7 | He was originally not given the Moondoggie character in Columbia Pictures' Gidget (1959) because the role required two songs to sing and Darren had not proven himself a capable enough singer. On his own, he cut a single with the studio's recording subsidiary, Colpix Records, which charted. Columbia changed its mind and gave him the role despite the fact that he couldn't surf and was a weak swimmer. He nevertheless became a huge teen idol and reprised the Moondoggie role in both Gidget Goes Hawaiian (1961) and Gidget Goes to Rome (1963), all with different Gidgets: Sandra Dee; Deborah Walley and Cindy Carol. |
8 | First wife Gloria Terlitzky was a childhood sweetheart. They had a child named Jimmy. Second wife Evy Norlund, Miss Denmark of 1958, gave him two sons, Christian and Anthony. |
9 | At one time in the 1970s he toured the country with comedian Buddy Hackett as a singer. |
10 | He is of Italian ancestry. |
11 | Godfather of A.J. Lambert, who is the daughter of Nancy Sinatra and granddaughter of Frank Sinatra. Darren was a close friend of Sinatra and his family. |
12 | His current surname, Darren, since 1959, was inspired by the famous automobile of the 1950s. |
13 | His wife, Evy Norlund, is the former Miss Denmark of 1958. |
14 | Father of CNN anchorman Jim Moret. |
15 | Also known as a singer and his singing talents are revealed as the portrayal of the hologram Vic Fontaine on a couple of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993) episodes. |
Title | Year | Status | Character |
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Hawaii Five-O | 1978-1979 | TV Series | Johnny Munroe |
The Boss' Son | 1978 | | Buddy Weistein |
Police Story | 1977 | TV Series | Roger Lewis |
Charlie's Angels | 1977 | TV Series | David Barzak |
The Feather and Father Gang | 1977 | TV Series | Praeger |
Black Sheep Squadron | 1977 | TV Series | Lt. Col. Rod Towers, Movie Star |
Police Woman | 1976 | TV Series | Rick Matteo |
S.W.A.T. | 1976 | TV Series | Joey Wade |
The Lives of Jenny Dolan | 1975 | TV Movie | Orlando |
Love, American Style | 1971 | TV Series | Roger Barnes (segment "Love and the Monsters") |
City Beneath the Sea | 1971 | TV Movie | Dr. Talty |
Venus in Furs | 1969 | | Jimmy Logan |
The Man from the 25th Century | 1968 | TV Short | Tomo / Robert Prentiss |
The Time Tunnel | 1966-1967 | TV Series | Dr. Tony Newman / Tony Newman |
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea | 1966 | TV Series | Omir |
The Flintstones | 1965 | TV Series | Jimmy Darrock |
The Lively Set | 1964 | | Casey Owens |
Hey There, It's Yogi Bear | 1964 | | Yogi Bear ('Ven-e, Ven-o, Ven-a') (singing voice) |
For Those Who Think Young | 1964 | | Gardner 'Ding' Pruitt III |
Gidget Goes to Rome | 1963 | | Moondoggie (Jeff Matthews) |
Diamond Head | 1962 | | Paul Kahana |
The Donna Reed Show | 1959-1961 | TV Series | Kip Dennis / Jim Bryce / Buzz Berry |
Gidget Goes Hawaiian | 1961 | | Moondoggie (Jeffrey Matthews) |
The Guns of Navarone | 1961 | | Pappadimos |
Let No Man Write My Epitaph | 1960 | | Nick Romano |
All the Young Men | 1960 | | Pvt. Cotton |
The Lineup | 1959 | TV Series | Vezey |
The Gene Krupa Story | 1959 | | Eddie Sirota |
Kovacs on Music | 1959 | TV Movie | Various |
Gidget | 1959 | | Jeffrey Matthews aka Moondoggie |
Gunman's Walk | 1958 | | Davy Hackett |
The Tijuana Story | 1957 | | Mitch |
The Brothers Rico | 1957 | | Johnny Rico |
Operation Mad Ball | 1957 | | Pvt. Widowskas |
The Web | 1957 | TV Series | Tony Roberts |
Rumble on the Docks | 1956 | | Jimmy Smigelski |
Random Acts | 2001 | | Allen |
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | 1998-1999 | TV Series | Vic Fontaine |
Melrose Place | 1999 | TV Series | Tony Marlin |
Diagnosis Murder | 1997 | TV Series | Councilman Watson |
Silk Stalkings | 1994 | TV Series | |
Renegade | 1992 | TV Series | Lou Delgado |
Raven | 1992 | TV Series | Billy Sharp |
T.J. Hooker | 1982-1986 | TV Series | Officer Jim Corrigan / Dan Danko |
One Day at a Time | 1983 | TV Series | Roger Alexander |
Fantasy Island | 1979-1982 | TV Series | Claude Duvalle / Brian Holmes / Michael Duvall |
Scruples | 1981 | TV Movie | Vito |
The Love Boat | 1981 | TV Series | Tony Streeter |
Turnover Smith | 1980 | TV Movie | Georgie Green |
Vega$ | 1980 | TV Series | Paul Bracken |
Title | Year | Status | Character |
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Vegas | 2013 | TV Series performer - 1 episode | |
The King of Queens | 2004 | TV Series performer - 1 episode | |
Chooch | 2003 | performer: "MORE TODAY THAN YESTERDAY" | |
Hearts in Atlantis | 2001 | performer: "Come Fly With Me" 1958 | |
Hollywood Rocks the Movies: The Early Years (1955-1970) | 2000 | TV Movie documentary performer: "Because They're Young" | |
Down to You | 2000 | performer: "You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You" | |
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | 1998-1999 | TV Series performer - 7 episodes | |
Hollywood a Go Go | 1966 | TV Series performer - 1 episode | |
The Lively Set | 1964 | performer: "The Lively Set" | |
Hey There, It's Yogi Bear | 1964 | performer: "Ven-E, Ven-O, Ven-A" | |
For Those Who Think Young | 1964 | performer: "For Those Who Think Love" | |
The 36th Annual Academy Awards | 1964 | TV Special performer: "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World" | |
Under the Yum Yum Tree | 1963 | performer: "Under the Yum Yum Tree" | |
Gidget Goes to Rome | 1963 | performer: "Gegetta", "Big Italian Moon" | |
The Donna Reed Show | 1959-1961 | TV Series performer - 2 episodes | |
Gidget Goes Hawaiian | 1961 | performer: "Wild About the Girl", "Gidget Goes Hawaiian" | |
All the Young Men | 1960 | performer: "All The Young Men" | |
Because They're Young | 1960 | performer: "Because They're Young" | |
The Gene Krupa Story | 1959 | performer: "Let There Be Love" | |
Gidget | 1959 | performer: "Gidget", "The Next Best Thing to Love" | |
The 31st Annual Academy Awards | 1959 | TV Special performer: "Almost in Your Arms Love Song from Houseboat" | |
Title | Year | Status | Character |
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Get a Life! | 2012 | TV Movie documentary | Himself |
Accidental Icon: The Real Gidget Story | 2010 | | Himself |
Larry King Live | 2005 | TV Series | Himself |
Hollywood Squares | 2000-2002 | TV Series | Himself |
Elvis Forever | 2002 | TV Movie documentary | Himself |
Memories of Navarone | 2000 | Video documentary short | Himself - Pappadimos |
The Fantasy Worlds of Irwin Allen | 1995 | TV Movie documentary | Himself |
Downey | 1994 | TV Series | Himself |
Vicki! | 1993 | TV Series | Himself |
One on One with John Tesh | 1992 | TV Series | Himself |
The 6th Annual American Cinema Awards | 1989 | TV Special | Himself |
Star's Table | 1986 | TV Series | Himself - Co-Host |
The Merv Griffin Show | 1986 | TV Series | Himself |
The 36th Primetime Emmy Awards | 1984 | TV Special | Himself - Presenter: Creative Arts Awards |
Battle of the Network Stars XVI | 1984 | TV Special | Himself - ABC Team |
The Hollywood Squares | 1972-1980 | TV Series | Himself |
The Mike Douglas Show | 1968-1980 | TV Series | Himself - Actor / Himself - Co-Host / Vocalist / ... |
Sha Na Na | 1979 | TV Series | Himself |
The Donna Fargo Show | 1978 | TV Series | Himself (1978) |
Little Richard: Portrait of a Legend | 1977 | TV Movie documentary | Himself - Host |
Celebrity Sweepstakes | 1974-1977 | TV Series | Himself |
New American Bandstand 1965 | 1962-1977 | TV Series | Himself |
Plymouth Fury | 1977 | Short | Himself |
Liar's Club | 1976 | TV Series | Himself |
Dinah! | 1976 | TV Series | Himself |
All-Star Baffle | 1974 | TV Series | Himself |
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | 1973 | TV Series | Himself |
Mooch Goes to Hollywood | 1971 | TV Movie | Himself |
The David Frost Show | 1971 | TV Series | Himself |
The Virginia Graham Show | 1971 | TV Series | Himself |
The Barbara McNair Show | 1969 | TV Series | Himself |
It Takes Two | 1969 | TV Series | Panelist |
The Joey Bishop Show | 1967-1969 | TV Series | Himself |
Romp!!! | 1968 | TV Special | Himself |
The Woody Woodbury Show | 1967 | TV Series | Himself |
Dream Girl of '67 | 1967 | TV Series | Himself - Bachelor Judge |
The Pat Boone Show | 1967 | TV Series | Himself |
Hollywood a Go Go | 1965-1966 | TV Series | Himself - Singer |
Where the Action Is | 1966 | TV Series | Himself |
Shivaree | 1965 | TV Series | Himself |
Freedom Spectacular | 1964 | TV Movie | Himself |
The 36th Annual Academy Awards | 1964 | TV Special | Himself - Performer |
Under the Yum Yum Tree | 1963 | | Himself - Singer Behind Title Credits |
The Jack Paar Tonight Show | 1962 | TV Series | Himself |
The Jo Stafford Show | 1961 | TV Series | Himself |
Here's Hollywood | 1961 | TV Series | Himself |
The Bob Hope Show | 1961 | TV Series | Himself - Guest |
Because They're Young | 1960 | | Himself - Singer |
The Dick Clark Show | 1959-1960 | TV Series | Himself |
The 31st Annual Academy Awards | 1959 | TV Special | Himself - Performer |
The Steve Allen Plymouth Show | 1959 | TV Series | Himself - Singer |
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