The teen idol who helped ignite the 1960s surfing craze as a handsome beach boy in the “Gidget” movies, James Darren has died at 88. In his long career, Darren acted, sang and built up a successful behind-the-scenes career as a television director, helming episodes of such well-known series as “Beverly Hills 90210” and “Melrose Place.” He both acted in and directed episodes of the 1980s cop show “T.J. Hooker.” But to movie fans, he was remembered best as Moondoggie, the surfer boy in the smash 1959 film “Gidget” and its two sequels. His son Jim Moret told news outlets he died in his sleep at a Los Angeles hospital on Monday.
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