James Darren, actor in ‘Gidget’ and ‘TJ Hooker,’ dies at 88, Variety reports

James Darren the actor director and singer best known for his breakout role as moond doggy in the 1959 film gigit passed away on Monday at the age of 88 according to variety Darren died at Cedar Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles with the news confirmed by his son Jim Moret a chief correspondent for Inside Edition CNN has reached out to the representatives of Darren and Moret for comments in response to a tribute post on X by singer Nancy Sinatra mored expressed his gratitude saying Nancy my father loved you thank you so much for your kind and loving words Darren's career which began in 1956 included numerous roles in film and television his portrayal of moond doggy in Gig made him a teenage heartthrob in a 2015 interview Darren recounted the moment he realized he had become a Hollywood sensation when thousands of screaming fans surrounded him at a studio in San Francisco requiring police intervention in addition to Gig Darren starred in sequels gig goes Hawaiian 1961 and gig goes to Rome 1963 he also appeared in TV shows like The Time Tunnel TJ hooker with William Shatner and Star Trek Deep Space 9 Darren directed episodes of popular series such as Beverly Hills 90210 and Melrose Place born in Philadelphia Darren studied acting in New York before signing with Colombia pictures he is survived by his wife Evie three children and five grandchildren