Hollywood Legend Actor/Singer James Darren: Talks His Phenomenal Career from The Guns of Navarone to Gidget to T.J. Hooker; Singing, Returning to Vegas, Putting Family First, More
At 82 years old, actor/singer James Darren merits the word great, when it comes to defining his show business career. The Hollywood legend has not slowed down. In the coming weeks, an album of his live performances will be available on Amazon, as well as on his website www.jamesdarren.com.
Mr. Darren will also be returning to Las Vegas for two concert performances, on August 16th and 17th at the South Point Hotel and Casino and will be in attendance at the upcoming Star Trek Convention at the Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casino on July 31st to August 4th.
Las Vegas holds special memories for James Darren. From his time in the town, he has stories about Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Joey Bishop, Tom Jones, Lola Falana and Buddy Hackett, among others. It was a time, when he believes, Las Vegas was more intimate. He says everyone who was performing in Vegas at that time hung out together.
Aside from his Las Vegas history, there is no denying his remarkable Hollywood career in everything from the iconic war movie The Guns of Navaraone to the Gidget movie franchise with Sandra Dee to a voiceover/character in The Flintstones to working with William Shatner and Heather Locklear on TJ Hooker. Those roles only touch the surface of his astonishing career.
We recently had an opportunity to speak with this Hollywood legend. Featured columnist Jay Bildstein joins us for this insightful CYInterview with James Darren. You can read the highlights and listen to our conversation, in its entirety, below:
Listen to the entire James Darren CYInterview:
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Looking back on one of his Las Vegas memories, James Darren has this story about Tom Jones:
“I told Tom Jones one night, we were out celebrating his birthday which is the day before mine, his is June 7th and mine is June 8th. I said, ‘Man.’ I said, ‘I’m not gonna be able to even work tonight, you know.’ He said, ‘Ah, you’ll sing better than you ever did.’ Yeah. Sure. Easy for him to say, you know, because he sleeps to four in the afternoon, then takes a steam and he’s in good shape.”
Reflecting back on being part of the Gidget movie franchise which includes Gidget, Gidget Goes Hawaiian and Gidget Goes to Rome, the actor said this:
“Gidget was, you know, I was so fortunate to get that role because when you do a movie or a TV series, whatever, the character you play is what people fall in love with or hate. Either one. And fortunately for me, fortunately they will fell in love with Moondog. You know, and so to get that role, it just started my career with a bang, you know, it was, I was very fortunate in doing it and I loved working with Sandra Dee. She was just an adorable person. Kind. Sweet. And Cliff [Robertson] was great. He’s a wonderful actor.”
On why he had success in show business, the singer told us this:
“Remember, it’s a friendship business. I mean, you know, your friends with whomever and if you’re fortunate and all the work that I got after I left Columbia Pictures was all through friendships whether it be Aaron [Spelling] or whether it be Frank Lupo or Rick Husky. … That’s friendship because I met Rick Husky when I was doing the Time Tunnel and Rick was in PR in public relations and then he moved on to become an incredibly successful producer and creator of TV shows.”
After a legendary career of acting and singing, James Darren shared with us what he believes is most important in life:
“For me, I love acting, I love singing but it’s a job. And I don’t mean that to sound like I don’t appreciate the fans, I love the fans because without them, I wouldn’t have a career, but a family is what’s important in your life. That’s what life is about. It isn’t about a career. A career is a bonus and you’re fortunate if you have one, to have a career.”
You can keep up with everything James Darren at his official website www.jamesdarren.com
James Darren will be at the South Point Hotel and Casino on August 16th and 17th, 2019. You can purchase tickets clicking here.
He will be at the Star Trek Convention at the Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casino July 31st through August 4th, 2019. You can find more information clicking here.