Darren portrayed Moondoggie in 'Gidget' and Officer Jim Corrigan in 'TJ Hooker.'
James Darren, famed for his role as the teen surfing star in "Gidget," has passed away.
Darren died on Monday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
His son, Jim Moret, an "Inside Edition" correspondent, shared that the 88-year-old actor needed an aortic valve replacement but was too weak for the surgery.
"I always thought he would pull through because he was so cool," Moret told the outlet. "He was always cool."
Throughout his extensive career, Darren acted, sang, and built a successful behind-the-scenes career as a television director, directing episodes of popular series like "Beverly Hills 90210" and "Melrose Place."
Darren's career began with his role as the teen surfer star in the 1959 film "Gidget," where he starred as Moondoggie alongside Sandra Dee as the title character.
"I was in love with Sandra," Darren later recalled. "I thought she was absolutely perfect as Gidget. She had tremendous charm."
