What a pleasure to talk with Nick Bullen in London and learn more about True Royalty TV, Diana’s 60th birthday, and the royal family.
I dropped in on This Day morning show to update viewers about Disneyland
On Good Day Orange County we celebrated James Darren (aka Moondoggie) on his 85th birthday.
For most of us, the names Moondoggie, Kahuna, and Gidget have been part of our vocabulary for as long as we can remember. James Darren, the singing surfer Moondoggie in the Gidget movies, has been busy since the 1959 production that made him famous. He went on to other acting roles, including The Guns of Navarone, Diamond Head, Let No Man Write My Epitaph, two Gidget sequels, and The Lively Set, a film he says he prefers to forget. He also co-starred in the TV series’ The Time Tunnel and TJ Hooker, and had recurring roles in Melrose Place and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, where he played a holographic lounge singer. Besides acting, Mr. Darren has directed episodes of several television series.
He reprised his recording career and concerts. Many, many, many, well, maybe not that many years ago, my family and I caught a James Darren/Buddy Hackett show in Las Vegas. It happened to be their last show and trust me, you had to have been there. We all maintain it was the best show any of us has ever seen in Las Vegas. Well, consider the final show of a long run. All gloves were off. These two put on a show of shows.
It is apparent he loves his concert audiences and always has a tête a tête with them. He is kind enough to stay after to take pictures with and sign autographs for anyone who wants one.
If you know me, you know I am not a celebrity watcher or impressed with celebrity in the least. I’m not an autograph collector, but this last time I decided to stay and have him sign a CD for me. I waited for the large crowd to dissipate, and then I took my place to wait for an autograph. When I finally reached the front, Mr. Darren asked to whom he should make out the autograph. I told him “Francine.” We talked about Gidget and he smiled and said, “That [Francine] was her name in the movie. Did you know that?” Did I know that?
When I was younger my dad bought the Gidget film on 16mm reels. This was long before the invention of video recorders. He set up the projector in the basement and every night I would go down there and he would put on the film. In time I knew every word in the entire movie. I knew every expression, every costume, and every blink. I knew every hand movement, voice inflection and breath everyone took. I also knew every editing and story flaw, and there were many.
So, did I know her name was really Francine? “Actually, it was ‘Francie.'” I told him. Yikes. Who was I to correct Moondoggie? He smiled and handed me my personal autograph.
But I digress. Back to James Darren. Because of his role in Deep Space Nine, a new audience has discovered this entertainer. The people who knew him in the “old” days, as well as a new “Trekie” crowd attend his concerts. His voice isn’t the young, strong voice that originally brought us Goodbye, Cruel World, Conscience, and Her Royal Majesty, but then he is not the fresh-faced heartthrob of the 1950’s, and 60’s. Mr. Darren has a more soft and matured voice now, which fits his song style. He looks the same, although more mature. Let’s face it, we all age. Some of us age better than others. Mr. Darren is among those who get better with age.
After his role as Vic Fontaine, the singing holographic lounge singer on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, he recorded This One’s From The Heart, a CD that contained several songs from the show. The CD includes many standards, all done with the style and grace of a classic singer. The CD is filled with big band songs that even young people will appreciate. Frankly, I’ve never heard a Cole Porter song sung so beautifully.
His last CD, Because of You, contains some wonderful well-known songs all sung in the James Darren style. James Darren has a very smooth voice and it is evident he loves the songs he sings. This CD contains mostly ballads with a lot of strings. A couple swingy songs pick up the pace. With the flair of Frank Sinatra, the softness of Dean Martin, and the cool of Tony Bennett, Mr. Darren sings in a way that makes each song his own.
Being a close friend of Nancy Sinatra, he had a strong connection to “The Rat Pack,” and they obviously influenced his singing style. However, James Darren puts his own stamp on the songs and delivers them all with his unique style and personality. It’s as though he’s singing to the listener instead of simply singing a song.
He was born James William Ercolani in 1936 in South Philadelphia, an area which is famous for producing many famous Italian singers. Others in his neighborhood included Frankie Avalon (Francis Thomas Avallone 1940), Bobby Rydell (Robert Louis Ridarelli 1942), and Fabian (Fabiano Anthony Forte 1943). Due to his love for cars, James took the name Darren from the Darrin automobile, just changing the “i” to an “e.” He has been married to his wife Evy for over forty years. With three sons, grandchildren, successful acting, directing, and singing careers, he considers himself “a lucky man.”
Darren is keeping his “Star Trek” fans entertained. In 2017 he, along with William Shatner, Jonathan Frakes, Denise Crosby, Robert Picardo, John de Lancie, Terry Farrell, and Marina Sirtis set sail on a special “Star Trek Cruise.”
Whether providing the voice of Jimmy Darrock in an episode of The Flintstone, singing to a lovesick teenager in Gidget, chasing perps in T.J. Hooker, or playing the holographic lounge singer in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, not to mention all his directing, Darren has done it all. This year turned 85. Moondoggie is 85? Where did the years go?