Mourning in Hollywood
Acting icon James Darren has died at the age of 88
James Darren was one of the old guard of US TV stars.
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James Darren has shaped many film and television productions since the 1950s. Now the actor with Italian roots has died.
James Darren (1936-2024) has died at the age of 88. The actor appeared in numerous films and series. He was best known for his role in the film “April Fools’ Day” and the series “TJ Hooker”. At the beginning of his career, Darren was considered a teen idol. Later, he also directed.
Died in hospital
According to a statement on his website, the actor died in his sleep on Monday, September 2, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. His son, Jim Moret, told the “Hollywood Reporter”that his father was supposed to have an aortic valve replacement in the hospital but was deemed too weak for the operation. “I always thought he would make it because he was so cool. He was always cool.”
Darren was born James Ercolani in Philadelphia in 1936. His parents were Italian immigrants. After dropping out of school at 16, he wanted to become an actor – and was eventually discovered by a talent scout. He then studied in New York with the legendary acting teacher Stella Adler before signing with Columbia Pictures and making his film debut in the 1956 drama “The Jungle.”
Lovers in all three “April” films
His biggest role came three years later in the comedy “April Fools’ Day,” to which he also made two sequels. Sandra Dee (1942-2005) played the title character, and Darren played her lover, a surfer nicknamed “Moondoggie.” The film was a huge success and helped Californian surf culture and the film’s stars to break through. It also launched Darren into a singing career: he sang the film’s title song, and the success prompted him to record and release more songs, including his biggest hit “Goodbye Cruel World” in 1961, which reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Darren also played his successful role in the sequels “April Discovers Hawaii” (1961) and “April Discovers Rome” (1963) – while the leading actress changed each time. “They had me under contract,” he explained in 2004 to “Entertainment Weekly”. “I was a prisoner. But with these lovely young ladies, it was the best prison I will ever be in.”
However, sudden fame wasn’t always a pleasure for Darren. “One time I was in San Francisco on a dance party TV show and hundreds of girls invaded the studio, took the glass door off, dragged me outside, onto the floor and ripped hair out of my head as a souvenir,” he told US magazine “People”. “I was terrified. Tears were streaming down my face because my hair was being ripped out, which hurt so much.”
He directed “Melrose Place” and “Beverly Hills, 90210”
In the 1970s he appeared in numerous series such as “Charlie’s Angels”, “Hawaii Five-O” and “Love Boat”. From 1983 to 1986 he played alongside William Shatner (93) and Heather Locklear (62) in the police drama “TJ Hooker”. He also directed one episode and then took on this role in well-known series such as “Melrose Place” and “Beverly Hills, 90210”.
In 1955, James Darren married his childhood sweetheart Gloria Terlitsky. In 1956 they had a son, Jim. In 1958 they divorced. Jim was adopted by Gloria’s third husband and took the surname Moret. In 1960, Darren married former Miss Denmark Evy Norlund. With her he had two more sons: Christian (1960) and Anthony (1964).