James Darren, who started as a teen idol in movies like “Gidget” and later appeared in TV shows such as “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” and “T.J. Hooker” and “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” died on Monday at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. He was eighty-eight.
James Darren Biography
| Name | James Darren |
| Born | June 8, 1936 |
| Died | September 2, 2024 |
| Age | 88 years |
| Networth | $9 million |
| Country | American |
His son, Jim Moret, shared that his father was able to show his love for his family even while in the hospital. “He was a good man and very talented,” Moret said. “He always stayed young at heart.”
Moret also expressed gratitude that his father enjoyed his role as Moondoggie in “Gidget” and continued to connect with his fans.
He was born in Philadelphia and learned acting from Stella Adler in New York. Columbia Pictures then signed him, and his first movie role was in “Rumble on the Docks.” After that, he appeared in films like “Operation Madball” and “Gunmen’s Walk.” In 1959, he got a role in the teen movie “Gidget,” starring Sandra Dee and Cliff Robertson. He also sang the title song for the movie, which was about a teenage surfer girl in Malibu and later became a popular TV show.
James Darren became a successful singer after his “Gidget” theme song took off. He had a big hit in 1961 with “Goodbye Cruel World,” earning a gold record, and went on to release over 14 albums. He also acted in several well-known movies like “The Guns of Navarone,” “The Gene Krupa Story,” “All the Young Men,” and “Because They’re Young.”
He played the character Moondoggie again in the sequels “Gidget Goes Hawaiian” and “Gidget Goes to Rome,” although he was getting tired of being cast in the same type of role.
Darren transitioned to TV, starring in the series “The Time Tunnel.” After a short stint in Italy where he appeared in Jess Franco’s “Venus in Furs,” he returned to guest-star on popular shows like “Love, American Style,” “Fantasy Island,” and “The Love Boat.”
From 1983 to 1986, Darren was a regular on “T.J. Hooker.” He also tried his hand at TV directing, working on shows such as “Beverly Hills, 90210” and “Melrose Place.”
In 1998, he got a lot of new fans by playing Vic Fontaine, a holographic lounge singer, on the TV show “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.”
He is survived by his wife Evy, his sons Jim Moret, Christian Darren, and Tony Darren, and five grandchildren.
FAQS
James Darren is best known for his roles in 1960s teen movies, especially as Moondoggie in the “Gidget” series. He was also a successful singer, with a number of hit songs during the 1960s. Later in his career, Darren became popular for his role as Vic Fontaine, the holographic lounge singer, in the TV series “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.”
James Darren’s biggest hit was the song “Goodbye Cruel World,” which was released in 1961. It reached the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and earned him a gold record.
James Darren has largely retired from performing. While he occasionally made appearances or performed in special events into the 2000s, he is not actively touring or performing regularly now.
No, James Darren and Bobby Darin are not related. Despite the similarity in their last names and both being famous during the same era, they were not brothers.
