Darren, James

James William Ercolani (June 8, 1936 – September 2, 2024), known by his stage name James Darren, was an American actor, singer, and television director. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, he had notable starring and supporting roles in films including the youth and beach-culture film Gidget (1959) and its sequels. He also appeared in The Gene Krupa Story (1959), All the Young Men (1960), The Guns of Navarone (1961), and Diamond Head (1962). As a teen pop singer, he sang hit singles including "Goodbye Cruel World" in 1961. He later became more active in television, starring as Dr. Anthony Newman on the science fiction series The Time Tunnel (1966–67). He had the regular role of Officer James Corrigan on the police drama T. J. Hooker (1982–86) and had a recurring role as Vic Fontaine on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1998–99).