James Darren Best Known as Star Trek: Deep Space 9 Actor Dies Aged 88

James Darren, known for his appearance in ‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’, has died aged 88.

He passed on Monday September 2 at Cendars- Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. 

His son Jim Moret said that his father expressed love for his family while in the cardiac unit. 

“He was a good man. He was very talented,” Moret said. “He was forever young.”

Moret added that he was grateful his father had been able to take on his signature role as the surfer Moondoggie in the ‘Gidget’ movie and that interacted with his fans. 

Darren was born in Philadelphia in 1936, and studied acting with Stella Adler in New York, and was signed to Columbia Pictures. His first role was in ‘Rumble on the Docks’.

Other films that he appeared in films like ‘Operation Madball’ and Gumen’s Walk’.

In 1959 he was casted as Moondoggie in the teen film ‘Gidget’, where he also sang the title track.  

In 1998, Darren joined ‘Star Trek: Deep Space 9’ as the holographic lounge singer Vic Fontaine in the 20th episode of season six in the show titled “His Way”. 

He would appear in six more episodes of the show. 

Darren also had a successful music career, launched off the back of his title track in ‘Gidget’.

His biggest success in this area came with the Gloria Shayne-written song ‘Goodbye Cruel World’, which reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1961.

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