Gloria Terlitsky, born on January 4, 1940, holds a special place as the first wife of the late James Darren, the iconic actor who sadly passed away on September 2, 2024, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. His passing was a heavy blow to those close to him, including Gloria. James initially went to the hospital for an aortic valve replacement, but his health took a downturn, leaving him “too weak” for the surgery, according to his son.
While turning back to Gloria, who is not a familiar face in Hollywood, has also faced her fair share of personal struggles through the years. Let’s uncover the story of Terlitsky who has lived quietly beside—and beyond—the Hollywood spotlight.
Her Jewish Parents Didn’t Want Her to Marry James
Gloria and James’s initial romance sounds like something straight out of a classic teen movie. She was his first love and childhood sweetheart, and their story began when James met her at just 12 years old. By the time he was 16, they were practically inseparable.
Yet, not all was smooth in this tale of teen love. Gloria’s Jewish parents were less than thrilled about James’ Catholic background, compounded by his shaky financial prospects. But true to the spirit of headstrong teenagers in love, Gloria and James wouldn’t be swayed. Taking fate into their own hands, they eloped on January 13, 1955.
The duo was too young to marry in Pennsylvania without their parents’ blessing, so they headed off to Elkton, Maryland, where they enlisted two older individuals to impersonate their parents. The ceremony had its hitches—James’s stand-in father fumbled through spelling ‘Darren’ on the marriage license, and Gloria’s faux mother struggled to appear convincing.
After their secretive union, the two returned to their respective homes, keeping their marriage under wraps for a full year until James secured steady employment.
In 1956, they welcomed a son, named James William Ercolani Jr. (now known as Jim Moret).
Despite the idyllic start, the shadow of their youthful impulsiveness lingered. They separated in 1958 and officially divorced a year later. After years, Darren reflected on the root of their marital struggles and opened up why they divorced. He stated, “We had the problem of security, which every young couple faces. Would we be able to pay rent, buy food, a few pieces of furniture? But that didn’t worry me so much.”
He further confessed, “I wanted to know Gloria better than I knew myself. And Gloria wanted to know me like a book. But that was our mistake. We wanted to know too much. Gee, but we were young. I was nineteen when I married Gloria, and what I didn’t know and Gloria didn’t either was that love isn’t possession.”
She Was a Single Mom to Their Son, Jim for Many Years
After her separation from Darren, Gloria faced the challenges of single motherhood head-on. As her ex-husband moved forward with his second wife, Evy Norlund, she returned to her roots for support, moving back in with her parents in Philadelphia to focus on raising their son.
She poured her heart into motherhood, dedicating herself to Jim’s growth and imbuing him with Jewish values and traditions.
All that dedication truly paid off—Jim, who graduated from law school in 1981, is now the chief correspondent and legal analyst for Inside Edition. He is also an author.
Despite his achievements, Jim faced his own set of challenges. At one point, overwhelmed by financial difficulties, he contemplated taking his own life. But, he turned this crisis into a creative opportunity, writing the autobiography The Last Day of My Life (2010).
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She Found Love Again in the ’60s
Not long after her split from James, Terlitsky didn’t waste any time moving on. She tied the knot with Jerry Moret, a savvy clothing manufacturer who also happened to share her Jewish roots. Moret slipped right into the family picture, winning over her young son Jim and even making it official by adopting him when he turned 13.
Even with the picture-perfect family life, the past had a way of creeping back in. Jim struggled with the tangled web of his identity and his relationships with both fathers. In a candid HuffPost post, he revealed that the choice to be adopted wasn’t as simple as it seemed—it weighed on him for years.
He acknowledged,
Shortly after my thirteenth birthday, with my father’s permission, my dad legally adopted me. My father has told me that letting me go was the biggest mistake of his life and I have always believed him. Although we maintained a relationship into my adulthood, that adoption haunted me for years.
She is a Cancer Survivor
Gloria’s life hasn’t been short of challenges lately, from undergoing an organ transplant to bravely fighting cancer. But the victory was sweet, and it called for a celebration. Known for her lifelong abstinence, Gloria made an exception for the occasion, lifting her first-ever glass of champagne. With her son, daughter-in-law, and grandkids all by her side, they watched as she took that memorable sip—a moment so special that her son couldn’t resist sharing it with the world online.
Late afternoon impromptu champagne celebration with my wife and sister, toasting my mom (back left) who just found out she is cancer free! Yay!! I think it’s the first time I’ve seen my mom drink alcohol. The moment demanded it. pic.twitter.com/VPxS1PXQ0p
— Jim Moret (@Jimmoret) October 13, 2022
