(CNN) — James Darren, an actor, director and singer who had a breakout role as Moondoggie in the 1959 film “Gidget,” died Monday at age 88, Variety reported.
The artist died at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, Variety reported, citing his son Jim Moret, chief correspondent for Inside Edition. CNN has requested comment from Darren and Moret's agents.
Responding to a post by singer Nancy Sinatra paying tribute to Darren on X, Moret replied: “Nancy, my father loved you. Thank you so much for your kind and loving words.”
According to IMDb, Darren had an extensive resume spanning film and television dating back to 1956. But his role in “Gidget” helped him achieve heartthrob status in the eyes of teenage moviegoers. In a 2015 interview with Los Angeles magazine, he was asked when he first realized he was a Hollywood sensation.
“The turning point was when I was in a studio in San Francisco and word got out that I was there,” Darren said in the interview. “Thousands of girls were screaming at the entrance. When I had to leave the building, I was thrown to the ground and had my hair ripped out. I had to be rescued by the police and taken to the roof until things calmed down. It was total chaos.”
In Gidget, Darren played Moondoggie, a surfer who rescues the heroine from a bed of seaweed and eventually becomes her romantic interest. He also appeared in two subsequent Gidget films: 1961’s Gidget Goes Hawaiian and 1963’s Gidget Goes to Rome.
Darren also had supporting roles on The Time Tunnel, TJ Hooker alongside co-star William Shatner, and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He also directed episodes of shows such as Beverly Hills, 90210 and Melrose Place.
Born in Philadelphia, Darren studied acting in New York and eventually signed with Columbia Pictures, Variety reported. He is survived by his wife Evy, his three children and five grandchildren, according to the outlet.
