James Darren, ‘Gidget’ Actor, Singer and Director, Dead at 88

James Darren, who launched his career as a teen heartthrob in the 1960s, has died. He was 88.

Darren's son, Jim Moret, confirmed his passing to several outlets, as reported by NBC, sharing that the multi-hyphenate passed away in his sleep recently at a Los Angeles-area hospital, where he was intended to undergo surgery for an aortic valve replacement, but had been too weak for the procedure.

“I always thought he would pull through,” Moret was quoted, “because he was so cool. He was always cool.”

The actor starred alongside Sandra Dee in Gidget, a 1959 rom-com that solidified the surfing craze that was to come and secured a place for Darren in teenagers' hearts everywhere. He was the only cast member who went on to star in both sequels: 1961’s Gidget Goes Hawaiian and 1963’s Gidget Goes to Rome.

That success scored him a recording contract, with singles “Goodbye Cruel World” and “Her Royal Majesty” reaching the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, before he eventually made his way behind the camera, directing episodes of series like Beverly Hills 90210, Walker, Texas Ranger, and Melrose Place.

While he minimized his appearances on the big screen after the '60s, he appeared as a guest star on series like The Love Boat, Hawaii Five-O and Fantasy Island, and even starred in The Time Tunnel. He could also be seen as Officer Jim Corrigan on T.J. Hooker. His final credit on IMDb is 2017's film Lucky—the first project listed in 16 years.

Darren is survived by his second wife, Evy Norlund; his children, Moret, Christian, and Anthony; grandchildren Amanda, Carly, Matthew, Natalie, and Nicholas; and his goddaughter, Nancy Sinatra's daughter, A.J. Lambert.

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