'Gidget', TJ Hooker Star James Darren Dead At 88

you know being a Teen Idol in 1950s you had a lot of competition Conway Twitty Alvis Presley even a little Richard but this guy boys he uh he rolls like a like a phoenix stayed uh in our minds for many years as an actor and performer and uh 2024 marked his 68 year in the entertainment been inry but unfortunately he has left us uh at the young age of 88 if you grew up in the 50s and 60s you're going to be bad news today ladies and gentlemen the great James Darren has passed away again at the at the age of 88 known by stage name James Darren born James William erani he was an American TV and film actor TV director and singer during the late 50s and early 60s he made notable starring and supporting roles in films including gig where he played Moon doggy and it sequels the Jean Kupa story uh excuse me in his sequels he also was a gr of story all the young men The Guns of navon which was a breakout role and Diamond Head as a teen pop singer he a he achieved hit singles including Goodbye cruel world in 1961 he later became more active in TV starring as Dr Anthony Newman in a science fiction series The Time Tunnel he appeared in a regular role of Officer James Corgan and TJ hooker from 8386 and had a recurring role of the L singer Vic fontine and Star Trek Deep Space 9 now born in Philadelphia he was of Italian descent and he grew up with the sou Philly now you wanted to be an actor and studied in New York City with Stella Adler for number of years born in 1936 he was on the cusp of the the Great era he would also occasionally sing although he later said there wasn't really 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 he was discovered by a talent agent casting director Joey selnik after he got some photographs taken by Marie Seymour to show a potential agent Columbia eventually signed Darren to a long-term contract in July 56 and the rest his history his first film The be movie Rumble the docks was such a success for him he got a lot of fan maal second only at the studio to Kim Novak now according to City TV News through the AP he he did also ignite what was called the surfing craze of the 1960s when he was paired off as a beach boy with Sandra d in his hit film G now Darren according to reports died he sleep in La hospital his son Jim maray told news outlets and of course everybody knows Jim maray for his great career as a journalist on Inside Edition for the last four decades maray told The Hollywood Reporter that Darren was supposed to have an aortic valve replacement but it was too weak for the surgery I always started with Paul TR his son told the entertainment trade because he was so cool he was always cool in his long career he acted Sayang and built up a successful behind the scenes career as a TV director helming episodes of Beverly h bus 902 and0 and Mel Rose plays for in spelling in the 80s of course he was Officer Jim Corgan on TJ hooker but the young movie fans of the late 50s who were remembered best as Moon doggy the darkhaired surfer boy with a heart of gold and a smash 59 release GID D starred as a Title Character a spunky Southern Californian who hits the beach and eventually falls in love with moon doggy I was in love with Sandra Darren later recalled atach was absolutely perfect as G she had tremendous charm the film was based in a novel that a California man freder Corner had written about his own teenage daughter and helped spur interest in surfing one that influenced pop music slanging and even fashion of course the surfer craze led to the Beach Boys and all the the beach beach party movies with Anette and Paul L and all the great singers and of course tap Hunter for Darren success with team fans leder recording contract as it did with many young actors at the time again including Hunter and Funicello two of Darren singles Goodbye cruel world and her royal Majesty reached the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 Goodbye cruel world also appeared in Steven Spielberg's 22 sem Auto graphical film the fa other singles included G and Angel pH Darren was the only G cast member of appear B of sequels 61's G goes Hawai and 63 GS goes to Rome D was placed by deor Wally in the second F film and Sydney Caroll in the third G had later become a TV show launching a career of Sally Field he had me under contract he said I was a prisoner Darren told ew in 2004 but with those lovely young ladies it was the best president I think I'll ever be in as a contract player to Columbia again he appeared in numerous grown up films and he was again a great performance in the guns in na naon now in the mid 60s when Darren appeared and for those who think young and a lively set his big screen acting career was almost over he appeared in just a handful of movies after his 60s ended last appearing in 1920 2027 lucky directed by John Carol Lynch however he moved over to TV and was a great success appearing as a lead on a Sci-Fi show at a time Tuttle in the late 60s and doing guest spots on the loveboat y5 and Fantasy Island now was a series regular for Four Seasons on the William shot starring TJ hooker in the 80s while appearing the show we noticed that no director was lesson for an outcoming sequence and asked if he could try out for it when it was shown I got offers of direct he told the New York daily news soon I was getting so many offers of direct I can't I kind of gave up acting and singing for almost two years Darren directed episodes of Walker Texas Ranger Hunter melro Place bever Hills 902 and0 and other series he returned the act in the 90s with small roles in M's place and of course as Vic Fontaine in Star Trek d space 9 now now again uh he grew up in sou Philly not far from such fellow Teen Idols as Fabian and Frankie ablon singing came to mey and at 14 was appearing in local nightclubs from the age of five or six I knew I wanted to be Entertainer or famous maybe he said in a 2003 interview with the News Press of Fort Meers he know that such luminaries as Eddie fiser and arold Martino of Godfather Fame had lived in the same areas as he did a real neighborhood he made you feel you could be successful too according to a 1958 LA Times profile he got a break when he went to New York to get some pictures taken at a photographer's office put in touch with a talent scout now he married his first wife Gloria in 55 and Toad Moray who has been a award-winning Inside Edition correspondent and former CNN Anchor Man after divorce he married Eevee Norland who came to us as a Danish entry in a Miss Universe contest he had two sons casan and Anthony he was also the Godfather of Nancy nro's daughter AJ lomber Sinatra is for those who think Young co-star posted a Hollywood report ofit on her ex page with a broken heart emoji now what I will remember most of James Darren ladies and gentlemen he was a thinking man sex symbol not to say it was comparable to George Clooney or Brad Pit or people like that but at the time ladies and gentlemen it was uh he was a well putut together actor he could do any type of part he could action or comedy he will be greatly greatly missed so ladies and gentlemen if you like what you're doing here what our tribute podcast let us know what a like comment subscribe or share and if you go on YouTube check out the James Darren archives you'll be glad you did bye