Darren began his career as a teen idol. This encompassed roles in films, most notably his role as Moondoggie in Gidget in 1959, as well as a string of pop hits for Colpix Records, the biggest of which was "Goodbye Cruel World" (#3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1961). He is also featured in one of the Scopitone series of pop music video jukebox films ("Because You're Mine").