Biography
Born Jimmy Ercolini and raised on 10th Street between Ritner and Porter in the same South Philadelphia neighborhood that produced Fabian, Bobby Rydell and Frankie Avalon, James Darren grew into a tall, dark and handsome Italian heartthrob who would also enjoy a run as a teenage singing sensation. While studying acting with Stella Adler in NYC, a chance meeting with Columbia Pictures eastern talent scout Joyce Selznick opened the door to a …
Career Milestones
1999 | Released 13th album, "This One's From the Heart" | |
| Returned to "Melrose Place", this time acting the role of villain Tony Marlin | ||
| Recurring role as hologramic Vegas lounge singer Vic Fontaine in ten episodes of the syndicated "Ster Trek: Deep Space Nine" revived singing carreer | ||
1997 | Received star on the Philadelphia Walk of Fame (September 25) | |
| Reteamed with Locklear, directing her in episodes of Fox's "Melrose Place" | ||
| Directed episodes of Fox's "Beverly Hills, 90210" | ||
1988 | Helmed "Gladiator School" (ABC), a "Police Story" TV-movie | |
| Began working exclusively as a director, helming episodes of series like "Hunter", "The A-Team", "Stingray", "Hard Ball" (all NBC), "Werewolf" (Fox), "Raven" and "Walker: Texas Ranger" (both CBS) | ||
1986 | Made directorial debut with an episode of "T.J. Hooker" (CBS) near the end of its final season | |
| Portrayed veteran patrolman Jim Corrigan, Heather Locklear's partner, on "T.J. Hooker"; when ABC cancelled series in the spring of 1985, CBS picked it up for its final season | ||
1978 | Last feature to date, Bobby Roth's engaging independent "The Boss' Son" | |
1977 | Made the charts again with "You Take My Heart Away" | |
1967 | Reached the Top 40 with "All" | |
1966 | Starred with Robert Colbert as time-travelling scientists in the ABC series "The Time Tunnel" | |
1963 | Final turn as 'Moondoggie' (opposite Cindy Carol) in Wendkos' "Gidget Goes to Rome" | |
1962 | Played native Hawaiian in love with Yvette Mimieux in "Diamond Head"; when her irate father, bigoted pineapple baron Charles Heston, "accidentally" kills Darren, she then takes up with his brother (George Chakiris) | |
1961 | Received Grammy Award nomination (Best Rock and Roll Recording) for "Goodbye Cruel World" | |
1961 | Joined all-star saboteur gang of Gregory Peck, Anthony Quayle, David Niven, Anthony Quinn and Stanley Baker in J Lee Thompson's "The Guns of Navarone" | |
1961 | Acted in Wendkos' "Gidget Goes Hawaiian", this time opposite Deborah Walley | |
1960 | Registered impressively as slum kid who keeps his head high and becomes a concert pianist in "Let No Man Write My Epitaph" | |
1960 | Reteamed with Wendkos for "Because They're Young", starring Dick Clark as an understanding, do-good teacher | |
1959 | Portrayed Eddie Sirota in "The Gene Krupa Story"; sang "Let There Be Love" in film | |
1959 | Played Jeff 'Moondoggie' Matthews opposite Sandra Dee's "Gidget"; first of four films with director Paul Wendkos (a fellow Philadelphian); sang the songs "Gidget" and "The Next Best Thing To Love" | |
1956 | Feature acting debut, "Rumble on the Docks" | |
| On way to appointment with Columbia Pictures eastern talent scout Joyce Selznick in NYC's Brill Building met Selznick in elevator; not knowing who he was, she was impressed with his look and presence and suggested he meet with her; signed to contract with Columbia | ||
| Commuted to NYC from Philadelphia to study acting with Stella Adler | ||
| Born and raised in South Philadelphia | ||