Sadly, James Darren, the renowned actor known for his iconic parts in television series like T.J. Hooker and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as well as great movies like Gidget, has passed away at the age of 88.
TMZ has revealed that Darren passed away peacefully on Monday while sleeping at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles.
Although the cause of his death is currently unknown, Jim Moret, Darren’s son, told TMZ that his father had been dealing with heart issues and was receiving treatment at Cedars-Sinai Hospital’s cardiac unit.
Darren first went to the hospital for an aortic valve replacement. Doctors concluded, nevertheless, that he was not yet robust enough for the procedure.
After that, he went back home, but not before needing to be admitted to the hospital again.
His son Jim remembers with affection, “I always thought he would pull through because he was so cool.” He was cool all the time.
James Darren rose to fame as a teenage phenomenon after playing the legendary character Moondoggie in the popular 1959 film Gidget. He returned to the role in the following sequels, Gidget Goes Hawaiian and Gidget Goes to Rome, thanks to his charisma and talent.
In addition, he played astute police officer Jim Corrigan in the T.J. Hooker television series, playing in an astounding 66 episodes spread across four seasons.
James Darren was a renowned musician in addition to his acting career; he is most known for having sang the memorable Gidget theme tune. His skill set also included directing episodes for well-known television programs, including Melrose Place, Beverly Hills, 90210, and The A-Team.
We say goodbye to James Darren and have happy memories of him. James, rest in peace.
