James Darren has died at the age of 88 the actor was best known for his role in the 1959 film G as well as his TV roll decades later on TJ hooker at the start of his career Darren was considered to be a Teen Idol according to a statement on his website the actor died in his sleep at Cedar Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on Monday sept two his son Inside Edition correspondent Jim Mor told The Hollywood Reporter that his father went to the hospital for an aortic valve replacement that was deemed too weak to have a surgery I always thought he would pull through because he was so cool he was always cool Mor told the alwa people reach out to Mort's representative for comment Darren borne James urani was born in Philadelphia in 1936 his parents were Italian immigrants and he spent more time getting into trouble outside school than hitting the books I was a dentist the Menace swort not a bad kid he told people in 1983 after dro out of school at 16 he began pursuing acting and was discovered by a talent scout the Philadelphia native studied under legendary acting coach Stella Adler in New York before signing with Columbia Pictures and making his Motion Picture debut in the 1956 drama rumble on the docks for his website though the movie was low budget Darren began receiving lots of fan mail in 1957 he appeared in operation Madball the brothers Rico and the Tiana story and in 1958 he appeared in G's walk his biggest role came in 1959's Gig Sandra d starred as the titular hero in the surfer flick with Darren as her love interest a surfer nicknamed M doggy the film became a massive success and pushed California surf culture and the film stars into the mainstream Fame wasn't always fun for Darren one time in San Francisco I was on a dance party TV show and hundreds of girls mobbed the studio took the glass door right off dragged me outside down on the ground pulling hairs out of my head for souvenirs he told people I was terrified tears were streaming down my face from the pain of having my hair pulled out G was you know I was so fortunate to get that role because when you do a movie or a TV series whatever the character you play is what people fall in love with or hate he said in an interview either one and fortunately for me fortunately they fell in love with Mund doy Darren is survived by his wife and children