James Darren, the much-loved actor known for his roles in Gidget and TV shows like T. J. Hooker and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, has sadly passed away at the age of 88.
His son, Jim Moret, confirmed to TMZ that the star died peacefully in his sleep at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, California.The cause of James' death is unclear, but it was revealed that he had been suffering from heart problems and was being treated in the cardiac unit at Cedars-Sinai.
James initially went to the hospital for an aortic valve replacement, but according to TMZ, he was "deemed too weak to undergo the procedure." Despite being sent home, he was later readmitted to the hospital.
Jim shared with The Hollywood Reporter that he always believed his dad would "pull through" because "he was so cool. He was always cool." In his heyday, James was a teen idol, landing his breakout role as surfer Moondoggie in the 1959 hit film Gidget alongside Sandra Dee, followed by two sequels, Gidget Goes Hawaiian and Gidget Goes to Rome.
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