Beloved former heartthrob James Darren has passed away.
James Darren, well-known for his part as the character in the notorious film "Gidget" and as a vocalist, has unfortunately passed away. He was widely appreciated by females and also ventured into directing. His life came to an end at the age of 88, following his being deemed too frail for a mandatory surgery.
Born James Ercolani in 1936 in Philadelphia to Italian foreigners, he abandoned school at 16 to dive into acting. A talent scout spotted him and he trained under renowned acting coach Stella Adler before inking a deal with Columbia Pictures and debuting on the big screen in "The Young and the Brave" in 1956.
His career took a significant leap three years later with his role in the humor "Gidget," where he portrayed the surfing sweetheart "Moondoggie" alongside Sandra Dee. The movie was a smash hit and sparked both the California surf trend and the careers of its stars. Darren additionally launched a singing career, recording the film's title song and attaining fame with "Goodbye Cruel World" in 1961.
Darren recurred in two sequels, "Gidget Goes to Hawaii" (1961) and "Gidget Goes to Rome" (1963), each time with a unique leading lady. "I was tied up under contract," he told Entertainment Weekly in 2004. "I was a captive. But it was the finest prison I could ever be incarcerated in with these charming young ladies."
Nonetheless, swift fame didn't always bring joy for Darren. "I was on a dance party TV show in San Francisco, and hundreds of females swarmed the studio, tearing off the glass door, pulling me outside, onto the ground, and pulling out my hair as keepsakes," he recounted to People magazine. "I was petrified. Tears were streaming down my face because it hurt so much."
During the 1970s, he featured in various TV series like "Charlie's Angels," "Hawaii Five-O," and "The Love Boat." From 1983 to 1986, he starred alongside William Shatner and Heather Locklear in the police drama "T.J. Hooker," and also directed an episode. He subsequently directed episodes for renowned series such as "Melrose Place" and "Beverly Hills, 90210."
Darren exchanged vows with his childhood sweetheart, Gloria Terlitsky, in 1955, and they had a son, Jim, in 1956. They split in 1958, and Jim was subsequently adopted by Gloria's third husband and took the last name Moret. In 1960, Darren married former Miss Denmark Evy Norlund, and they had two more sons, Christian and Anthony.
As per a statement on his website, James Darren bid farewell peacefully in his sleep at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. His son, Jim Moret, reported to The Hollywood Reporter that his father was set for an aortic valve replacement surgery but was deemed too feeble for the operation. "I always believed he would survive because he was so trendy. He was always trendy."
Born in Philadelphia, James Darren gained significant attention after starring in "Gidget" as "Moondoggie," which was filmed at 'The Hollywood' production studios. Later in his career, he directed several episodes for popular TV shows, including those filmed at 'The Hollywood' studios.
