James Darren, actor in ‘Gidget’ and ‘TJ Hooker,’ dies at 88, Variety reports

 James Darren, actor in ‘Gidget’ and ‘TJ Hooker,’ dies at 88, Variety reports

James Darren, actor in ‘Gidget’ and ‘TJ Hooker,’ dies at 88, Variety reports

James Darren, the actor, director, and singer best known for his breakout role as Moondoggie in the 1959 film "Gidget," passed away at the age of 88 on Monday, as reported by Variety. Darren died at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, according to his son Jim Moret, a chief correspondent for Inside Edition. CNN has reached out to representatives for Darren and Moret for comment.


In response to a tribute on social media platform X from singer Nancy Sinatra, Moret expressed his gratitude, saying, “Nancy, my father loved you. Thank you so much for your kind and loving words.”



Darren's career spanned several decades, beginning in 1956 according to IMDb, but it was his role in "Gidget" that catapulted him to heartthrob status among teenage audiences. In a 2015 interview with Los Angeles magazine, Darren recounted a moment in San Francisco when thousands of fans gathered outside a studio, leading to chaos as they sought to get close to him. The situation escalated to the point where police had to intervene.



In "Gidget," Darren portrayed Moondoggie, a surfer who saves the main character from a bed of kelp and eventually becomes her love interest. He reprised the role in two sequels: 1961's "Gidget Goes Hawaiian" and 1963's "Gidget Goes to Rome."


Beyond "Gidget," Darren appeared in television shows such as "The Time Tunnel," "TJ Hooker" alongside William Shatner, and "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine." He also directed episodes of popular series like "Beverly Hills, 90210" and "Melrose Place."


Born in Philadelphia, Darren studied acting in New York before signing with Columbia Pictures, according to Variety. He is survived by his wife, Evy, his three children, and five grandchildren.