James Darren, the actor known for his roles in *Gidget*, *T.J. Hooker*, and *Star Trek: Deep Space Nine*, passed away at 88. According to TMZ, Darren died peacefully in his sleep at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles on Monday.
The exact cause of death remains unknown, but Darren’s son, Jim Moret, shared that his father had been facing heart issues. Darren initially sought treatment for an aortic valve replacement but was deemed too weak for surgery. He returned to the hospital after being sent home. “I always thought he would pull through because he was so cool. He was always cool,” Moret said.
Darren first gained fame as Moondoggie in the 1959 film *Gidget*, a role he reprised in the sequels. He also appeared in 66 episodes of *T.J. Hooker* as police officer Jim Corrigan.
Beyond acting, Darren was a singer, performing the theme song for *Gidget* and later directing episodes of popular TV shows like *Melrose Place* and *Beverly Hills, 90210*.
