James Darren, who went from teen idol status starring in children’s films like “Gidget” to acting on TV shows like “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” and “TJ Hooker” to becoming a singer and director, died Monday at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. He was 88.

His son Jim Moret said he was able to express his love for his family while he was being treated in the cardiac unit. “He was a good person. He was very talented,” Moret said. “He was forever young.”

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Moret said he was grateful that his father was able to embrace his signature role as surfer Moondoggie in the film “Gidget” and that he remained in touch with his fans.

Born in Philadelphia, he studied acting with Stella Adler in New York and was signed by Columbia Pictures, where his first role was in “Rumble on the Docks.” He appeared in such films as “Operation Madball” and “Gunmen’s Walk” before being cast in the 1959 teen film “Gidget,” starring Sandra Dee and Cliff Robertson. Darren also sang the theme song for the hit film, which was based on the experiences of a teenage surfer in Malibu and later became a popular TV series.

The theme song “Gidget” launched a successful singing career for Darren, who had a gold record in 1961 with “Goodbye Cruel World” and released at least 14 albums. He continued to appear in feature films, including “The Guns of Navarone”, “The Gene Krupa Story”, “All the Young Men” and “Because They’re Young”.

He reprised his role as Moondoggie in “Gidget Goes Hawaiian” and again in “Gidget Goes to Rome,” although by then he had grown tired of the typecasting.

Moving into television, he starred in the series “The Time Tunnel” and after a brief stint in Italy, where he appeared in Jess Franco’s “Venus in Furs”, he guest-starred on numerous series, including “Love, American Style”, “Fantasy Island” and “The Love Boat”.

Darren was a regular on “TJ Hooker” from 1983 to 1986 and also moved into television directing, working on such series as “Beverly Hills, 90210” and “Melrose Place.”

In 1998, he found a new generation of fans as Vic Fontaine, the holographic lounge singer in “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.”

He is survived by his wife Evy, his sons Jim Moret, Christian Darren and Tony Darren and five grandchildren.

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