Actor, director, and singer James Darren – born James Ercolani on June 8, 1936,
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – was best known for his string of acting roles in
films and television from the mid-1950s and well into the 1960s. His charm and
good looks made him a natural teen idol, which led to a recording contract and a
series of singles including the theme to the 1959 motion picture Gidget, which
was his commercial breakthrough on the big screen and on the radio. While his
film and television career continued to prosper, James Darren continued to
release a series of singles and a...