James Darren Dies: Teen Idol Actor in ‘Gidget' And Singer Was 88

James Darren gig teen idol singer and director dies at 88 James Darren gig Teen Idol actor who Rose to Fame in the 1950s has died at 88 according to Nancy Sinatra who counted him among her closest friends one of my dearest closest friends in all the world of all my life has passed away she wrote on Instagram Godfather to my daughter AJ wishing him a fast and beautiful Journey Through the Universe and Beyond godspeed sweet Jimmy my heart is torn but full of love for Eevee Christian Anthony and Jimmy Jr alongside two images One featuring her daughter's baptism and the second of her and Darren side by side per Outlet reports his son Inside Edition correspondent Jim Moret said that his father died at the Cedar Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after entering the hospital's cardiac unit he was deemed too weak to have a surgical aorta valve replacement and died in his sleep born June 8th 1936 in Philadelphia Darren was a student of famed acting coach Stella Adler for whom he commuted to New York regularly he starred as Surfer Moon doggy Landing the part despite being unable to Surf and being a weak swimmer in all three Columbia Pictures romantic comedy gigg films from the 1959 original through subsequent sequels gig goes Hawaiian in 1961 and gig goes to Rome in 1963 in addition to acting he made a name for himself in the mid1 1960s as a singer after proving his vocal chops by performing the gig theme song with hits like Goodbye cruel world and her royal Majesty it was this background that helped him land a portrayal as the holographic Lounge singer Vic Fontaine in several episodes of Star Trek Deep Space 9 in the '90s serving as a Revival of his music career he continued in Hollywood in the TV realm with popular series like the 1966 Sci-Fi show The Time Tunnel and' 80s police drama TJ hooker alongside William Shatner Jimmy Darren I worked with him for several years and then we'd see each other on occasion Shatner reflected on X following news of Darren's death what a wonderful man so talented so loving I had the best time with him the world is less because of his loss after working in television for decades he moved into TV directing working on shows like melrose's place and Beverly Hills 90210 in the '90s and orts he survived by by his wife Eevee Sons Moray Christian Darren and Anthony Darren and five grandchildren