From "James Darren, actor and singer of ‘Gidget’ teen idol fame, dies at 88 /As the wave-rider Moondoggie in 'Gidget,' Mr. Darren helped ignite the California surfing craze" (WaPo).
I never saw the Gidget movies. I was only 10 in 1961 — but of course I remember the Gidget TV show, and I remember the James Darren appearances on "The Donna Reed Show." But where I most remember James Darren was in "For Those Who Think Young," which I saw, in 1964, not because I wanted to see it, but because it was playing in a double feature with "A Hard Day's Night." I rewatched "For Those Who Think Young" in 2019 and wrote about it here.
The Bob Denver character, Kelp, is employed as Darren's assistant, and we see him running over to serve him and [Pamela] Tiffin some drinks.... The Darren character (Ding) inquires of his disapproving girlfriend, "What have I done?," and Tiffin snarks, "Oh, nothing since the day you were born! Need help? Yell for Kelp."...You can watch the whole thing here.
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23 comments:
He was in a 60s show that I liked, The Time Tunnel. Wonder if it holds up.
I really liked him as Vic Fontaine. Sorry to see him pass.
First time I saw him in that role, I went "Wait! He's that Time Tunnel guy!". Which was a lot harder to confirm than it would be now.
I never saw any of the beach movies (not surprisingly).
I had a girlfriend nicknamed Gidget by her sorority sisters. I never watched the show so I knew not why.
A real babe, who fancied herself as looking like Julie Christie---which she actually kinda did.
"Those were the days, my friend, we thought they'd never end..."
There is no more erotic title than "Gidget Goes Where the Boys are Surfing." A Gidget is the feminine form of the noun Gadget.
?Qien es mas erótico? Is it Tuesday Weld in a mans dress shirt? or is it "Gidget Goes Where the Boys are Surfing?" I chose both.
Gidget is the Feminine form of the noun Gadget.
The original Gidget, Kathy Kohner, was the daughter of Jewish refugees from Hitler's Germany. Frederick Kohner, her father wrote several novels about Gidget, based on his daughter's adventures in the surfing world and elsewhere. She currently lives in Pacific Palisades, married to Marvin Zuckerman, a professor of English and Yiddish.
Decades ago, I always mixed up singer James Darren with singer Bobby Darin, as their singing heydays overlapped. In “Gidget”, Sandra Dee starred with James Darren, but in real life, Sandra married Bobby Darin.
You’ve got me all nostalgic and I wasn’t even there. Thanks!
Where was Kevin Bacon in all of this?
Perfect. Kamala is the new Gidget.
Cliff Robertson as Kahuna was smokin' in the Gidget movie.
Can't believe no one has mentioned his goofy pop single "Goodbye Cruel World", especially at this time of his passing.
Our parents limited our TV watching (some would say, "exposure") so thankfully I missed "Gidget."
"Gidget" was not related to "gadget". It referred to her height. "GirlMidget"
He's a celebrity who I actually heard of. I can't place him in any role, but I know the name.....I wonder if he got to boff any of the various Gidgets he starred with. I vaguely remember that Sandra Dee professed chastity in her roles. Maybe the various Gidgets to stay in character were chaste with their costars.....I never heard any lurid stories about Bob Denver or the cast of Gilligan's Island. I'm not sure if that's heartening or disappointing.
Cesare Danova was in "Gidget Goes to Rome" and was also the corrupt mayor in "Animal House" so, 2 degrees away. I cheated and used oracleofbacon.org. There are actually other 2 degree connections involving Bert Convy, Robert Duvall, Jack Lemmon, etc. It's kind of amazing.
One of my great childhood memories is when Cindy Carol came to my hometown and my sisters made me go with them to meet her at a department store where she signed pictures. We all three (two sisters and me) filled out a card with our names and phone numbers that they placed in a box. A couple hours later the phone rings and my oldest sister had won a feee ticket to the upcoming “Gidget Goes to Rome” movie. A half-hour later it rings again and sister number two has won one as well. Several hours go by and I’m feeling very blue. Then RIIINNNGGG! Yes, I too had won a free ticket to the movie.
So we all get to go, a very big deal since we weren’t generally allowed to go to movies in our house. It was … meh. I didn’t get it at all. But she was pretty so I was okay. AND I HAD MET HER!
Thanks for the links. I always got these actors from 50s/60s mixed up. Tab Hunter, Troy Donahue, Doug McClure, james Darren, Bobbie Darren, I dont get todays actors mixed up, because I dont know who they are.
Many of the comedians of that time are blur together too. Shecky Greene, Alan King, Joey Bishop, Shelley Berman, Bill Dana, Mort Sahl. The ones that stand out because they lasted: Newhart, Rickles. Also they made a movie about Lenny Bruce.
In our memories, yes. As a show, maybe not. Star Trek, though, has been able to survive primitive special effects and Bill Shatner's distinctive acting style. Maybe TTT, which in its own way was more mind-expanding for kids than Star Trek, will survive as well.
I don't remember the other stuff James Darren was in.
That is absolutely hilarious, ficta!
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