James Darren

James Darren

Born: June 8, 1936
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
​From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  

James William Ercolani, known by his stage name James Darren, is an American television and film actor, television director, and singer. He wanted to be an actor and studied in New York City with Stella Adler for a number of years. He would also occasionally sing although he later said "I wasn't really a singer. I was a kid in Philly whose dad would take him to bars and nightclubs and I would get up and sing two songs."

Darren was discovered by talent agent and casting director Joyce Selznick after he got some photographs taken by Maurice Seymour to show potential agents: His secretary, a woman by the name of Yvonne Bouvier, asked me if I was interested in getting into film. I said yeah, I was. She said I know someone you should meet. She set up a meeting between me and Joyce Selznick, who worked for Screen Gems. Joyce brought me over to Columbia Pictures about a week later and got me a contract there. Columbia signed Darren to a long term contract in July 1956. A few weeks later, he was filming his first film, Rumble on the Docks. His appearance was well received and he got a lot of fan mail - second at the studio only to Kim Novak. Darren guest starred on an episode of TV's The Web ("Kill and Run") then Columbia gave him a support role in an "A" picture, the comedy Operation Mad Ball, starring Jack Lemmon.

He had support roles in two films directed by Phil Karlson: The Brothers Rico and Gunman's Walk. In between he was in The Tijuana Story, although his role was relatively small. Darren was third billed in the surf film, Gidget. He also sang the title track. The film was a hit with teen audiences and so was the song. Darren wound up recording a string of pop hits for Colpix Records, the biggest of which was "Goodbye Cruel World". It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. Another sizeable hit was "Her Royal Majesty". He is also featured in one of the Scopitone series of pop music video jukebox films ("Because You're Mine").

Darren was third billed in a series of films for Columbia: The Gene Krupa Story, All the Young Men, and Let No Man Write My Epitaph. He had a cameo as himself in a teen film, Because They're Young, singing the title track. Darren had a supporting role in the World War II film The Guns of Navarone. Also popular was Gidget Goes Hawaiian, where Darren reprised his role as Moondoggie; he was given top billing.

Darren also acted in Diamond Head as well as a third time in Gidget Goes to Rome, which he sang the title track for, Under the Yum Yum Tree. In 1963, Darren signed a seven picture deal with Universal, starting with The Lively Set. He was the singing voice of Yogi Bear in the animated film, Hey There, It's Yogi Bear!, on the song "Ven-e, Ven-o, Ven-a". He was the singing voice of his own character "Jimmy Darrock" on an episode of The Flintstones. However the character's dialogue was provided by voice actor Lennie Weinrib. He subsequently launched a career as a director, notably of action-based series , including Hunter, The A-Team, Silk Stalkings, Renegade, and Nowhere Man, as well as dramas such as Beverly Hills, 90210 and Melrose Place.

Description above from the Wikipedia article James Darren, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Movies for James Darren...

Title: The Shuttlepod Show
Character: Self
Released: February 20, 2022
Type: TV
Actors Connor Trinneer, Dominic Keating, and Erica LaRose explore all things Star Trek, life on Earth, and more. Join Star Trek Enterprise's Commander Charles "Trip" Tucker III (Trinneer) and Lieutenant Malcom Reed (Keating) as they sit down with remarkable guests and have in depth conversations about Life, Star Trek, experiences behind the scenes and more.
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New Dimensions
Title: New Dimensions
Character: Self
Released: November 4, 2018
Type: Movie
Surf music came out of Orange County California in the late fifties and early sixties. It exploded the radio waves along the coast line to become one of the most iconic genres of musical history. From the West to the East, Surf Bands were popping up everywhere. One such band to emerge was a group of 12 to 14 year olds out of LA. These kids loved surfing, the beach, girls and most importantly... Surf Music. They were The New Dimensions and this is their story!
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What We Left Behind: Looking Back at Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Title: What We Left Behind: Looking Back at Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Character: Self
Released: October 12, 2018
Type: Movie
A documentary exploring the legacy of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the reasons it went from the black sheep of Star Trek to a beloved mainstay of the franchise, and a brainstorm with the original writers on what a theoretical eighth season of the show could look like.
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Lucky
Title: Lucky
Character: Paulie
Released: September 29, 2017
Type: Movie
Follows the journey of a 90-year-old atheist and the quirky characters that inhabit his off-the-map desert town. He finds himself at the precipice of life, thrust into a journey of self-exploration.
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Title: Diagnosis: Murder
Character: Councilman Matthew Watson
Released: October 29, 1993
Type: TV
Dr. Mark Sloan is a good-natured, offbeat physician who is called upon to solve murders.
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Title: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Character: Vic Fontaine
Released: January 3, 1993
Type: TV
At Deep Space Nine, a space station located next to a wormhole in the vicinity of the liberated planet of Bajor, Commander Sisko and crew welcome alien visitors, root out evildoers and solve all types of unexpected problems that come their way.
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Title: Melrose Place
Released: July 8, 1992
Type: TV
Follow the lives of a group of young adults living in a brownstone apartment complex on Melrose Place, in Los Angeles, California.
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Title: T. J. Hooker
Character: Dan Danko
Released: March 13, 1982
Type: TV
Sergeant Thomas Jefferson Hooker is a tough-as-nails veteran police officer with the LCPD who turns his back on a gold badge and goes back to patrolling the streets and training recuits. Along with his young partners in blue, Hooker take on Lake City's toughest criminals.
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Title: T. J. Hooker
Character: Officer Jim Corrigan
Released: March 13, 1982
Type: TV
Sergeant Thomas Jefferson Hooker is a tough-as-nails veteran police officer with the LCPD who turns his back on a gold badge and goes back to patrolling the streets and training recuits. Along with his young partners in blue, Hooker take on Lake City's toughest criminals.
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Aliens From Another Planet
Title: Aliens From Another Planet
Character: Tony Newman
Released: March 10, 1982
Type: Movie
A senator is sent to inspect a project that can send people into the future or past & decide if it is feasible to continue. One of the scientists working on it, decides to go through it anyway... This is a compilation of three episodes of the 1960's TV series, "The Time Tunnel".
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Scruples
Title: Scruples
Character: Vito Orsini
Released: May 22, 1981
Type: Movie
Sequel to the 1980 mini-series, taking up the plot where it -- and Judith Krantz's source novel -- left off. Billy Ikehorn (Shelley Smith) is the owner of a chic Beverly Hills boutique against which romantic, corporate and political power plays unfold in the classic soap opera tradition. It was the pilot to a prospective series.
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Turnover Smith
Title: Turnover Smith
Character: Georgie Green
Released: June 8, 1980
Type: Movie
A criminology professor uses scientific methods, advanced computer technology, his expertise in chess, and the leg work of several of his students to track down a crazed killer in San Francisco.
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The Boss' Son
Title: The Boss' Son
Character: Buddy Weistein
Released: October 2, 1978
Type: Movie
Bobby Rose has just returned home after graduating business school. He agrees to start working for his father, a successful carpet manufacturer. Bobby's dreams of a cushy junior exec position are quashed when he's told to report to the shipping department, where he's trained as a delivery driver. Learning the business from the ground up embitters Bobby, as well as his coworkers, some of whom, he discovers, are stealing from the company.
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Title: Vega$
Released: September 20, 1978
Type: TV
Vega$ is an American detective television drama series that aired on ABC between 1978 and 1981. It was produced by Aaron Spelling. The series was filmed in its entirety in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is believed to be the first television series produced entirely in Las Vegas. The show stars Robert Urich as private detective Dan Tanna, who drove around the streets of Las Vegas in a red 1957 Ford Thunderbird solving crimes and making Las Vegas a better place for residents and tourists alike.
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Title: The Love Boat
Character: Tony Streeter
Released: September 24, 1977
Type: TV
Passengers who search for romantic nights aboard a beautiful ship travelling to tropical or mysterious countries, decide to pass their vacation aboard the "Love Boat", where Gopher, Dr. Bricker, Isaac, Julie, and Captain Stubing try their best to please them, and sometimes help them fall in love. Things are not always so easy, but in the end, love wins.
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Title: Battle of the Network Stars
Released: November 13, 1976
Type: TV
Battle of the Network Stars was a series of competitions where television stars from ABC, CBS, and NBC would compete in various sporting events. A total of nineteen of these competitions were held, all of which were aired by ABC. In 2013, the show appeared in TV Guide's list of the 60 greatest game shows ever.
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Title: Charlie's Angels
Character: David Barzak
Released: September 22, 1976
Type: TV
Beautiful, intelligent, and ultra-sophisticated, Charlie's Angels are everything a man could dream of... and way more than they could ever handle! Receiving their orders via speaker phone from their never seen boss, Charlie, the Angels employ their incomparable sleuthing and combat skills, as well as their lethal feminine charm, to crack even the most seemingly insurmountable of cases.
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The Lives of Jenny Dolan
Title: The Lives of Jenny Dolan
Character: Orlando
Released: October 27, 1975
Type: Movie
A newspaper reporter's life is endangered when she is assigned to investigate a political assassination.
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Title: S.W.A.T.
Released: February 24, 1975
Type: TV
S.W.A.T. is an American action/crime drama series about the adventures of a Special Weapons And Tactics team operating in an unidentified California city. A spin-off of The Rookies, the series aired on ABC from February 1975 to April 1976. Like The Rookies, S.W.A.T. was produced by Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg.
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Title: Police Woman
Released: September 13, 1974
Type: TV
Sergeant “Pepper"” Anderson, an undercover cop for the Criminal Conspiracy Unit of the Los Angeles Police Department, poses undercover from mob girl to prostitute.
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Title: Police Story
Released: March 20, 1973
Type: TV
Police Story is an anthology television crime drama. The show was the brainchild of author and former policeman Joseph Wambaugh and represented a major step forward in the realistic depiction of police work and violence on network TV. Although it was an anthology, there were certain things that all episodes had in common; for instance, the main character in each episode was a police officer. The setting was always Los Angeles and the characters always worked for some branch of the LAPD. Notwithstanding the anthology format, there were recurring characters. Scott Brady appeared in more than a dozen episodes as "Vinnie," a former cop who, upon retirement, had opened a bar catering to police officers, and who acted as a sort of Greek chorus during the run of the series, commenting on the characters and plots.
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Mooch Goes to Hollywood
Title: Mooch Goes to Hollywood
Character: James Darren
Released: December 31, 1971
Type: Movie
A dog tries to become a canine star with the help of Zsa Zsa Gabor.
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City Beneath the Sea
Title: City Beneath the Sea
Character: Dr. Talty
Released: July 16, 1971
Type: Movie
A group of 21st-century colonists inhabit an underwater city called Pacifica. Originally intended as a purely scientific installation, the U. S. government wants to stash all its gold reserves from Fort Knox there, along with a fantastic new radioactive element. The brother of Pacifica's returning former commander plans to steal the gold and on top of that, the city faces destruction by an asteroid from outer space!
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Title: The Barbara McNair Show
Character: Self
Released: September 13, 1969
Type: TV
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Venus in Furs
Title: Venus in Furs
Character: Jimmy Logan
Released: August 19, 1969
Type: Movie
A musician finds the corpse of a beautiful woman on the beach. The woman returns from the dead to take revenge on the group of wealthy sadists responsible for her death.
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Title: Hawaii Five-O
Character: Johnny Munroe
Released: September 20, 1968
Type: TV
Hawaii Five-O is an American police procedural drama series produced by CBS Productions and Leonard Freeman. Set in Hawaii, the show originally aired for 12 seasons from 1968 to 1980, and continues in reruns. Jack Lord portrayed Detective Lieutenant Steve McGarrett, the head of a special state police task force which was based on an actual unit that existed under martial law in the 1940s. The theme music composed by Morton Stevens became especially popular. Many episodes would end with McGarrett instructing his subordinate to "Book 'em, Danno!", sometimes specifying a charge such as "murder one".
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Title: Malibu U
Character: Self
Released: July 21, 1967
Type: TV
Malibu U is an American variety show that aired in the summer of 1967 on ABC. The series stars Ricky Nelson.
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Title: The Time Tunnel
Character: Tony Newman
Released: September 9, 1966
Type: TV
The Time Tunnel is a 1966–1967 U.S. color science fiction TV series, written around a theme of time travel adventure. The show was creator-producer Irwin Allen's third science fiction television series, released by 20th Century Fox and broadcast on ABC. The show ran for one season of 30 episodes. Reruns are viewable on cable and by internet streaming. A pilot for a new series was produced in 2002, although it was not picked up.
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The Lively Set
Title: The Lively Set
Character: Casey Owens
Released: October 24, 1964
Type: Movie
A college student drops out to build a race car and falls for his buddy's sister.
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Hey There, It's Yogi Bear!
Title: Hey There, It's Yogi Bear!
Character: Yogi Bear ('Ven-e, Ven-o, Ven-a') (singing voice)
Released: June 3, 1964
Type: Movie
Yogi Bear and his pal Boo Boo are shipped off to the San Diego Zoo by Jellystone National Park's Ranger Smith who is tired of Yogi's "pick-a-nick" basket stealing. Yogi escapes by convincing a bear named Cornpone to switch places with him and go to sunny California and returns to the park. His girlfriend, Cindy, not realizing Yogi has escaped, goes looking for him and is kidnapped by a circus owne
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For Those Who Think Young
Title: For Those Who Think Young
Character: Gardner "Ding" Pruitt III
Released: June 1, 1964
Type: Movie
A wealthy young man tries to woo a university student, while her two uncles work to popularize a local club.
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Gidget Goes to Rome
Title: Gidget Goes to Rome
Character: Moondoggie (Jeffrey Matthews)
Released: August 7, 1963
Type: Movie
Francis, now 17, is still in love with Moondoggy. She can persuade her parents to allow them a journey to Rome, together with two of her and two of his friends. However they have to take an adult with them, so they choose Peter's eccentric aunt. In Rome they get the beautiful guide Daniela, who's fascinating the guys and making especially Gidget jealous. She starts looking elsewhere herself.
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Diamond Head
Title: Diamond Head
Character: Paul Kahana
Released: December 27, 1962
Type: Movie
Rich Hawaiian pineapple grower and US Senatorial candidate Richard Howland tries to control everything and everyone around him, including his headstrong sister, Slone.
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Title: The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Character: Self
Released: October 1, 1962
Type: TV
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under The Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night. For its first ten years, Carson's Tonight Show was based in New York City with occasional trips to Burbank, California; in May 1972, the show moved permanently to Burbank, California. In 2002, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was ranked #12 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.
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Title: The Mike Douglas Show
Character: Self - Co-Host
Released: December 11, 1961
Type: TV
The Mike Douglas Show is an American daytime television talk show hosted by Mike Douglas that originally aired only in the Cleveland area during much of its first two years on the air. It then went into syndication in 1963 and remained on television until 1982. It was distributed by Westinghouse Broadcasting and for much of its run, originated from studios of two of the company's TV stations in Cleveland and Philadelphia.
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Title: The Mike Douglas Show
Character: Self
Released: December 11, 1961
Type: TV
The Mike Douglas Show is an American daytime television talk show hosted by Mike Douglas that originally aired only in the Cleveland area during much of its first two years on the air. It then went into syndication in 1963 and remained on television until 1982. It was distributed by Westinghouse Broadcasting and for much of its run, originated from studios of two of the company's TV stations in Cleveland and Philadelphia.
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Gidget Goes Hawaiian
Title: Gidget Goes Hawaiian
Character: Jeffrey "Moondoggy" Matthews
Released: June 2, 1961
Type: Movie
Francis is desperate: her parents want to force her to come with them on vacation to Hawaii - just during the two weeks when her beloved "Moondoggy" is home from College. When he suggests her to go for it, she's even more in panic - doesn't he care to be with her? So she sets out for Hawaii in the worst mood. On the plane she meets the sociable Abby, who gives her the advice to forget about Jeff - and regrets it shortly after, when Francis follows the advice and steals her boyfriend Eddie, a famous dancer. But then Jeff discovers he's missing Francis...
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The Guns of Navarone
Title: The Guns of Navarone
Character: Pvt. Spyros Pappadimos
Released: April 27, 1961
Type: Movie
A team of allied saboteurs are assigned an impossible mission: infiltrate an impregnable Nazi-held island and destroy the two enormous long-range field guns that prevent the rescue of 2,000 trapped British soldiers.
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Let No Man Write My Epitaph
Title: Let No Man Write My Epitaph
Character: Nick Romano
Released: November 10, 1960
Type: Movie
Nick Romano lives in a poor tenement building on the south side of Chicago with his well-meaning but drug-addicted mother, Nellie. She encourages him to pursue his piano-playing talent in hopes that it will bring him a better life. Nellie's neighbors, like the alcoholic ex-lawyer who secretly loves her, help her in keeping Nick away from Louie, the resident drug dealer. But a chance meeting between Nick and Louie could change things forever.
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Title: The Flintstones
Released: September 30, 1960
Type: TV
The misadventures of two modern-day Stone Age families, the Flintstones and the Rubbles.
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All the Young Men
Title: All the Young Men
Character: Pvt. Cotton
Released: August 26, 1960
Type: Movie
During the Korean War, the lieutenant in charge of a Marine rifle platoon is killed in battle. Before he dies, he places the platoon's sergeant, who's black, in charge. The sergeant figures on having trouble with two men in his platoon: a private who has much more combat experience than he does, and a racist Southerner who doesn't like blacks in the first place and has no intention of taking orders from one.
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Because They're Young
Title: Because They're Young
Character: Self
Released: April 1, 1960
Type: Movie
Director Paul Wendkos' 1960 film adaptation of the controversial novel "Harrison High", about an idealistic young high-school teacher dealing with over-sexed and troubled teenagers, is notable for its casting of newcomer Dick Clark in the starring role. Others in the cast include Tuesday Weld, Michael Callan, Victoria Shaw, Roberta Shore, Warren Berlinger, Doug McClure, Linda Watkins, Rudy Bond, Philip Coolidge, Stephen Talbot, Kathryn Card, James Darren, Duane Eddy, The Rebels and Bess Flowers.
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The Gene Krupa Story
Title: The Gene Krupa Story
Character: Eddie Sirota
Released: December 1, 1959
Type: Movie
The story of legendary jazz drummer, Gene Krupa. Since his youth, all Gene ever wanted to do is play the drums and make music. This is something his parents would not approve of- they want him to be a priest. When Gene's father dies he promises to enter the priesthood. He soon realizes that he doesn't belong there and leaves to join his friend, Eddie's band. Ethel, Eddie's girlfriend, convinces Gene to go to New York and make it big. The 3 of them head to New York. Here Ethel and Gene soon fall in love and Gene makes a name for himself. Gene starts to live in the fast lane, with drugs, alcohol, women and parties. Ethel, unhappy with Gene's lifestyle, leaves him. Gene soon "hits rock bottom" where he has to face reality and choose where to take his life.
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Gidget
Title: Gidget
Character: Moondoggie
Released: April 9, 1959
Type: Movie
Due to an accident while swimming in the sea, Francis meets the surfer Moondoggie. She's fascinated with his sport and starts to hang out with his clique. Although they make fun of her at first, they teach her to surf and soon she's accepted and given the nickname "Gidget". But it's hard work to become more than a friend to Moondoggie.
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Title: The Donna Reed Show
Released: September 24, 1958
Type: TV
Revolves around typical family problems, such as firing a clumsy housekeeper, throwing a retirement bash for a colleague, and finding quality time away from the children.
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Gunman's Walk
Title: Gunman's Walk
Character: Davy Hackett
Released: July 1, 1958
Type: Movie
A powerful rancher always protects his wild adult son by paying for damages and bribing witnesses, until his crimes become too serious to rectify.
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Title: The Dick Clark Show
Character: Self
Released: February 15, 1958
Type: TV
The Dick Clark Show is an American musical variety show broadcast weekly in the United States on the ABC television network 7:30-8 PM on Saturdays from February 15, 1958 through September 10, 1960, sponsored by Beechnut Gum.
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The Tijuana Story
Title: The Tijuana Story
Character: Mitch
Released: October 1, 1957
Type: Movie
Courageous newspaper editor Manuel Acosta Mesa tries to take on the mob in Tijuana through his newspaper, reporting on the violence, prostitution and drug sales in the border town.
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The Brothers Rico
Title: The Brothers Rico
Character: Johnny Rico
Released: September 1, 1957
Type: Movie
Eddie Rico, the erstwhile bookkeeper for a big Mafia boss, is now making a living as an honest merchant in Florida with his family. Things go sour when the police start a search for his syndicate-linked brothers who are on the lam after a big hit, forcing Eddie to get involved with the Mafia again.
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Operation Mad Ball
Title: Operation Mad Ball
Character: Pvt. Widowskas
Released: August 17, 1957
Type: Movie
In this wacky military spoof, Lemmon plays a terminally bored Army private waging a war of wits as he tries to throw a party under the nose of his obnoxious commanding officer.
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Rumble on the Docks
Title: Rumble on the Docks
Character: Jimmy Smigelski
Released: December 1, 1956
Type: Movie
A Brooklyn-born 17-year-old's loyalty is torn between his parents' old-fashion values and a local gangster's flashy lifestyle.
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Title: The Steve Allen Show
Character: Self - Singer
Released: June 24, 1956
Type: TV
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Title: The Oscars
Character: Self
Released: March 19, 1953
Type: TV
An annual American awards ceremony honoring cinematic achievements in the film industry. The various category winners are awarded a copy of a statuette, officially the Academy Award of Merit, that is better known by its nickname Oscar.
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Title: The Bob Hope Show
Character: Self
Released: April 9, 1950
Type: TV
The Bob Hope Show hosted by Bob Hope, debuted on April 9, 1950. During the 1952-1953 season, NBC rotated with other variety shows in a Sunday night block known as "The Colgate Comedy Hour" (Sept. 1950 to Dec. 1955). Also known as, "The Chevy Show with Bob Hope." When the first special debuted in October of 1950 it was the most expensive television program made up to that point - costing an astronomical $1,500 a minute to produce. Bob Hope had his own television show and radio show at the same time. For the next three seasons, The Bob Hope Show was broadcast once a month on Tuesday nights, giving Milton Berle a week off. Bob ended his radio show in April, 1956. Bob Hope also had another show by a similar name, "The Bob Hope Show (All Star Revue)". In addition, he performed in "Specials" for many years. It is the longest running variety program in television's history with a record of 45 years of televised entertainment.