James Darren Death – James William Ercolani, an American television and film actor, director, and musician better known by his stage name James Darren, has died.
I’m sorry to read that James Darren has died. I remember his early hits, “Goodbye Cruel World” and “Her Royal Majesty ” (a Goffin-Carole King song). He was Moondoggie in some Gidget movies, starred in the “Time Tunnel” TV show, and later played lounge singer Vic Fontaine on Star Trek: Next Generation. Quite a career – Steve Sorkin
Who was James Darren?
James William Ercolani, better known by his stage name James Darren, was an American musician, television director, and actor who appeared in both film and television.
He starred in and had supporting roles in several noteworthy films in the late 1950s and early 1960s, such as Gidget (1959) and its sequels, The Gene Krupa Story (1959), All the Young Men (1960), The Guns of Navarone (1961), and Diamond Head (1962).
He had big records as a teenage pop singer, such as “Goodbye Cruel World” in 1961. Later, he started working more on television, appearing in the science fiction series The Time Tunnel (1966–1967) as Dr. Anthony Newman. He had appearances in two television series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1998–1999) as Vic Fontaine and as Officer James Corrigan in the police drama T. J. Hooker (1983–1986).
On June 8, 1936, Darren was born in Philadelphia’s Lower Moyamensing neighbourhood. His ancestry is Italian. His goal was to become an actor, so he spent several years studying with Stella Adler in New York City.
He also admitted afterward that he occasionally sang. After Darren had some photos shot by Maurice Seymour to present to possible agents, he was found by casting director and talent agent Joyce Selznick.