James Darren, actor in 'Gidget' and 'TJ Hooker,' dies at 88
The former actor, singer and director died surrounded by his family at a hospital in Los Angeles.
Image of James Darren in For Those who think Young.
The actor, director and singer James Darren, known especially for his roles in Gidget and TJ Hooker died at age 88 on Monday at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles.
It was the artist's son, Jim Moret, who broke the news, assuring Variety that the actor, who was in the cardiology unit of the hospital, had been able to convey all his love to his family while being attended to by doctors.
ThePhiladelphia-born actor rose to fame in 1959 for his performance as Moondoggie in the youth film Gidget, starring Sandra Dee and Cliff Robertson in which Darren also sang the film's theme song. The film based on the experiences of a teenage suffragette in Malibu was a hit and would later become a television series.
However, Gidget was not Darren's first experience in front of the camera. Previously, after signing a contract with Columbia Pictures, he debuted in Rumble on the Docks. He later participated in Operation Madball and Gunmen's Walk.
Gold record for 'Good bye cruel world'
But it was the success of Gidget, and his song that allowed him to launch not only a prolific career as an actor, but also as a singer. Darren released 14 albums, including his song Goodbye Cruel World with which he achieved a gold record in 1961. However, he never abandoned acting and participated in films such as The Guns of Navarone, The Gene Krupa Story, All the Young Men and Because They're Young. To his regret, since he was tired of being identified with the character, he played Moondoggie in two sequels to his well-known teen film.
The leap into television and directing
Darren lived for a short period of time in Italy, where he participated in Jess Franco's Venus in Furs. On television he guest-starred in numerous series, such as Love, American Style, Fantasy Island and The Love Boat. However, his most recognizable television role was in T.J. Hooker," in which he remained from 1983 to 1986. He even dared to direct in a number of series such as Beverly Hills, 90210 and Melrose Place."
He still had time to become an icon for a new generation of fans in a field very different from his usual characters as Vic Fontaine, the holographic lounge singer in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
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