CineScope
James Darren picture

James Darren

Acting
Known For

88 Years Old

​From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.   James William Ercolani (June 8, 1936 - September 2, 2024), known by his stage name James Darren, was an American television and film actor, television director, and singer. He wanted to be an actor and studied in New York City with Stella Adler for a number of years. He would also occasionally sing although he later said "I wasn't really a singer. I was a kid in Philly whose dad would take him to bars and nightclubs and I would get up and sing two songs." Darren was discovered by talent agent and casting director Joyce Selznick after he got some photographs taken by Maurice Seymour to show potential agents: His secretary, a woman by the name of Yvonne Bouvier, asked me if I was interested in getting into film. I said yeah, I was. She said I know someone you should meet. She set up a meeting between me and Joyce Selznick, who worked for Screen Gems. Joyce brought me over to Columbia Pictures about a week later and got me a contract there. Columbia signed Darren to a long term contract in July 1956. A few weeks later, he was filming his first film, Rumble on the Docks. His appearance was well received and he got a lot of fan mail - second at the studio only to Kim Novak. Darren guest starred on an episode of TV's The Web ("Kill and Run") then Columbia gave him a support role in an "A" picture, the comedy Operation Mad Ball, starring Jack Lemmon. He had support roles in two films directed by Phil Karlson: The Brothers Rico and Gunman's Walk. In between he was in The Tijuana Story, although his role was relatively small. Darren was third billed in the surf film, Gidget. He also sang the title track. The film was a hit with teen audiences and so was the song. Darren wound up recording a string of pop hits for Colpix Records, the biggest of which was "Goodbye Cruel World". It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. Another sizeable hit was "Her Royal Majesty". He is also featured in one of the Scopitone series of pop music video jukebox films ("Because You're Mine"). Darren was third billed in a series of films for Columbia: The Gene Krupa Story, All the Young Men, and Let No Man Write My Epitaph. He had a cameo as himself in a teen film, Because They're Young, singing the title track. Darren had a supporting role in the World War II film The Guns of Navarone. Also popular was Gidget Goes Hawaiian, where Darren reprised his role as Moondoggie; he was given top billing. Darren also acted in Diamond Head as well as a third time in Gidget Goes to Rome, which he sang the title track for, Under the Yum Yum Tree. In 1963, Darren signed a seven picture deal with Universal, starting with The Lively Set. He was the singing voice of Yogi Bear in the animated film, Hey There, It's Yogi Bear!, on the song "Ven-e, Ven-o, Ven-a". He was the singing voice of his own character "Jimmy Darrock" on an episode of The Flintstones. However the character's dialogue was provided by voice actor Lennie Weinrib. He subsequently launched a career as a director, notably of action-based series , including Hunter, The A-Team, Silk Stalkings, Renegade, and Nowhere Man, as well as dramas such as Beverly Hills, 90210 and Melrose Place. Description above from the Wikipedia article James Darren, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Born

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA on 8th June 1936

Died

2nd September 2024

All Credits

Diagnosis: Murder Image
Diagnosis: Murder
Councilman Matthew Watson
The Love Boat Image
The Love Boat
Tony Streeter
Love, American Style Image
Love, American Style
Roger Barnes
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Image
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Vic Fontaine
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson Image
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
The Merv Griffin Show Image
The Merv Griffin Show
Self
Charlie's Angels Image
Charlie's Angels
David Barzak
Police Woman Image
Police Woman
Rick Matteo
T. J. Hooker Image
T. J. Hooker
Dan Danko
T. J. Hooker Image
T. J. Hooker
Officer Jim Corrigan
The Mike Douglas Show Image
The Mike Douglas Show
Self
The Mike Douglas Show Image
The Mike Douglas Show
Self - Co-Host
The Time Tunnel Image
The Time Tunnel
Tony Newman
The Steve Allen Show Image
The Steve Allen Show
Self - Singer
The Bob Hope Show Image
The Bob Hope Show
Self
The Dick Clark Show Image
The Dick Clark Show
Self
Hawaii Five-O Image
Hawaii Five-O
Johnny Munroe
Vega$ Image
Vega$
The Donna Reed Show Image
The Donna Reed Show
Kip Dennis / Jim Bryce
The Donna Reed Show Image
The Donna Reed Show
Buzz Berry
Melrose Place Image
Melrose Place
The Flintstones Image
The Flintstones
Jimmy Darrock (voice)
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea Image
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
Omir
No Image
The Barbara McNair Show
Self
The Oscars Image
The Oscars
Self
Battle of the Network Stars Image
Battle of the Network Stars
Police Story Image
Police Story
The Shuttlepod Show Image
The Shuttlepod Show
Self
Renegade Image
Renegade
Lou Delgado
Dinah! Image
Dinah!
Self
Baa Baa Black Sheep Image
Baa Baa Black Sheep
Lt. Col. Rod Towers
No Image
Tonight Starring Jack Paar
Self
S.W.A.T. Image
S.W.A.T.
The Guns of Navarone Image
The Guns of Navarone
Pvt. Spyros Pappadimos
Lucky Image
Lucky
Paulie
What We Left Behind: Looking Back at Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Image
What We Left Behind: Looking Back at Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Self
Gidget Image
Gidget
Moondoggie
Gunman's Walk Image
Gunman's Walk
Davy Hackett
Mooch Goes to Hollywood Image
Mooch Goes to Hollywood
James Darren
City Beneath the Sea Image
City Beneath the Sea
Dr. Talty
Operation Mad Ball Image
Operation Mad Ball
Pvt. Widowskas
Gidget Goes Hawaiian Image
Gidget Goes Hawaiian
Jeffrey "Moondoggy" Matthews
The Brothers Rico Image
The Brothers Rico
Johnny Rico
Hey There, It's Yogi Bear! Image
Hey There, It's Yogi Bear!
Yogi Bear ('Ven-e, Ven-o, Ven-a') (singing voice)
Gidget Goes to Rome Image
Gidget Goes to Rome
Moondoggie (Jeffrey Matthews)
No Image
Malibu U
Self
Venus in Furs Image
Venus in Furs
Jimmy Logan
Because They're Young Image
Because They're Young
Self
For Those Who Think Young Image
For Those Who Think Young
Gardner "Ding" Pruitt III
Diamond Head Image
Diamond Head
Paul Kahana
Let No Man Write My Epitaph Image
Let No Man Write My Epitaph
Nick Romano
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Scruples
Vito Orsini
The Gene Krupa Story Image
The Gene Krupa Story
Eddie Sirota
The Boss' Son Image
The Boss' Son
Buddy Weistein
All the Young Men Image
All the Young Men
Pvt. Cotton
Turnover Smith Image
Turnover Smith
Georgie Green
The Lives of Jenny Dolan Image
The Lives of Jenny Dolan
Orlando
T.J. Hooker - Blood Sport Image
T.J. Hooker - Blood Sport
Officer Jim Corrigan
The Tijuana Story Image
The Tijuana Story
Mitch
The Lively Set Image
The Lively Set
Casey Owens
Rumble on the Docks Image
Rumble on the Docks
Jimmy Smigelski
Aliens From Another Planet Image
Aliens From Another Planet
Tony Newman
New Dimensions Image
New Dimensions
Self