My first idol as a teenager, James Darren, died yesterday at age 88. Who didn’t fall in love with Moondoggie when they watched the movie “Gidget” with Sandra Dee? I sent away for an autographed photo and got back a wallet size, pre-signed black and white photo of Jimmy.
Little did I know that years later I could have been at my best friend’s wedding where Jimmy was a guest and performed for the newlyweds. But I’m getting ahead of myself!
In the spring of 1972, I was married and my husband, Don, was working as a graphic artist working for Bill Green and his partner, who happened to be free-lancing for Laufer Publishing, working on Laugh-In Magazine and other publications as they came to life.
I had given my notice at Tiger Beat but was still living in the great apartment at El Cabrillo. One night soon after, Bill Green brought his fiancé over to meet us. Her name was Karen Schwartz. Karen has since told me that she was blown away that they had dropped in unannounced, and I served them hot-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookies.
I didn’t, however, make it to the wedding. I had moved to northern California. Two years later we moved back to southern California and as soon as Don called Bill we were invited to dinner at their home in Irvine. Karen served a fabulous dinner and she and I had such a strong connection – we both adored cooking and baking. We took Chinese cooking classes together and studied with James Beard for week-long classes in Oregon.
About a week later, Karen invited me over for a lady’s lunch. She had prepared a wonderful lunch and we talked for hours. This was the beginning of a life-long best friendship that continues to this day!
So, what does this have to do with James Darren? Lots. Karen’s dad Soloman “Sol” Schwartz had a jewelry store in Philadelphia and Jimmy was a neighborhood kid who ran errands for Sol. In 1960 after Jimmy married Evy Norlund, Miss Denmark 1958, in 1960. Jimmy had moved to Beverly Hills when he was signed for his first picture in 1956. Sol and his wife Betty loved Evy as much as Jimmy and they all became life-long friends. Betty became Jimmy and Evy’s sons, Christian and Anthony’s “adopted” aunt.
Jimmy, Evy and Christian and Anthony were all guests at Karen’s wedding, but Jimmy also performed! Evy and Betty Schwartz were best friends until Betty’s passing in 2011. When Sol passed away in 2018, just shy of his 100th birthday, he was honored in a military funeral. Sol was a pilot in World War II, shot down, and was MIA and a POW. He survived the Bataan death march of 1942. Jimmy gave a beloved speech at Sol’s funeral.
I was unable to attend the funeral. I feel special that I knew his life-long friends Sol, Betty and Karen, even though I never got to meet Moondoggie.
You can watch Sol describe his life in Pictures for Heroes. He is interviewed by his Grandson, Jeffrey Green: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGUQIqeNgoQ
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