 , James Darren, the young hero who reportedly played beautiful surfing Moondoggie in the” Gidget” pictures of the 1950s and 1960s and segued into tasks behind the lens, has died. He was 88.
Darren died Monday in his sleeping at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, according to a statement posted on the writer’s official website.
His father, who is the chief editor for” Inside Edition,” was reportedly too weak to undergo an aortic valve replacement when his son Jim, a top editor for” Inside Edition,” reported on his father’s admission to the hospital. He went home but had to gain, the , speech said.
Darren rose to fame using Jeffrey” Moondoggie” Matthews in 1959’s surf classic” Gidget” with Sandra Dee and in the 1961 spinoff” Gidget Goes Pacific”. In the next movie, Deborah Walley replaced Dee with Cindy Carol in the second, 1963’s” Gidget Goes to Rome,” and Cindy Carol took Cindy Carol’s place. The classic movie, which was shot in Malibu amid Southern California’s emerging search field, was adapted into a Television series in 1965 that launched Sally Field’s career as the mythical character.
” Sandra Dee, I loved. I did have ]dated her], but she was 17]Darren was 20]. She had a mother who was extremely watchful. When she and I appeared on Sally Jessy Raphael’s talk show together]in 1991 ], I told her I was in love with her, and she said,’ Why did n’t you tell me then?,'” he told , The Times , in 2019.
Darren, who did no star in the TV series, was the only solid part to appear in both drama sequel. His figure, a playful college-student-turned-surf-bum who caught Gidget’s attention, got his name “because he made love by the sun and he was a dog”! Darren told , The Times , in 2004. Interestingly, Darren had “never surfed” in his career before starring in the movie, but learned how to walk on a plank and walk a little storm.
Darren was signed to Columbia Pictures in 1958 and, under contract there, he first began singing professionally in the” Gidget” films and topped the pop charts with the songs” Goodbye Cruel World” and” Her Royal Majesty”.
He also starred in” Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”, played Officer Jim Corrigan in” T. J. Hooker” and the hip scientist Dr. Tony Newman in the 1966-67 ABC series” The Time Tunnel”. He appeared in the Oscar winning 1961 experience” The Weapons of Navarone” and the 1960 play” Let No Person Write My Epitaph”. Darren went on to have a productive career directing broadcast set, including” Beverly Hills, 90210″,” Melrose Place” and” Walker, Texas Ranger”.
Before” Gidget”, the Philadelphia-born actor studied acting with Stella Adler in New York and appeared in the films” Operation Mad Ball” and” Gunman’s Walk”. He even starred in 1964’s” For Those Who Think Younger” with Frank Sinatra’s child, Nancy Sinatra, and eventually became godfather to her child A. J. Lambert.
Sinatra paid tribute Monday to Jack on X,  , writing , that” One of my beloved, closest associates in all the earth, of all my life has passed ahead”. She even wished Darren” a strong &, beautiful journey through the Universe &, beyond”.
” Godspeed, special Jimmy. My soul is torn but full of love for Evy, Christian, Anthony &, Jimmy Jr”, she tweeted.
Born James Ercolani on June 8, 1936, Darren was a second-generation United of European descent. He and his parents, both from Philadelphia and New Jersey, both knew at the age of 14 that he wanted to work in the show business. A chance meeting in New York with film producer Joyce Selznick, the daughter of famous” Gone With the Wind” manufacturer David O. Selznick, led to his position in” Gidget” and the younger Selznick managing him.
” I think being under agreement was interesting. I liked that. It is work stability, but we were groomed and cared for. Joyce Selznick, she was truly wonderful. She loved me. She treated me like a girl had, he claimed, adding that she “really took great care of me.”
Darren is survived by three children, Jim, Christian and Anthony, and his second family, Evy Norlund.
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