James Darren, Star Of ‘Gidget,’ Dies At 88

James Darren, a well-known actor, director, and singer, passed away at the age of 88 on Monday. He gained fame for his role as Moondoggie in the 1959 film “Gidget.”

Darren died at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, according to a report from Variety, which cited his son, Jim Moret, a chief correspondent for Inside Edition.

Following his father’s death, Moret responded to a tribute from singer Nancy Sinatra on social media, saying, “Nancy, my father loved you. Thank you so much for your kind and loving words.”

Darren had a long career in film and television, starting in 1956.

His role in “Gidget” made him a teenage heartthrob, especially among young moviegoers. In a 2015 interview with Los Angeles Magazine, Darren recalled a moment when he realized his Hollywood status: “I was at a studio in San Francisco, and thousands of girls were screaming outside.

When I left the building, they tackled me to the ground and pulled pieces of my hair out. The police had to rescue me and took me to the roof until things calmed down. It was total chaos.”

Darren also appeared in two sequels to “Gidget”: “Gidget Goes Hawaiian” (1961) and “Gidget Goes to Rome” (1963). In addition to his film career, Darren had supporting roles in TV shows like “The Time Tunnel,” “TJ Hooker,” and “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.” He also directed episodes of popular series such as “Beverly Hills, 90210” and “Melrose Place.”

Born in Philadelphia, Darren studied acting in New York before being signed by Columbia Pictures. He is survived by his wife, Evy, his three children, and five grandchildren.