James Darren, the ultimate cool cat of the ’60s, has moon-walked into the afterlife at the age of 88. Yes, the man who made you believe that surfing was a valid life choice (thanks, Moondoggie!) and crooned his way into hearts with hits like “Goodbye Cruel World,” has waved his final “Aloha.”
With a career that could make your average multi-hyphenate feel lazy, Darren surfed, sang, and sci-fi’d his way through Hollywood. He starred in not one, not two, but three Gidget films, convincing generations of landlocked kids they could become surfers by sheer force of will. When he wasn’t riding waves, he was time-traveling in The Time Tunnel or showing William Shatner how to be T.J. Hooker (spoiler alert: it involves a lot of running in slow motion).
Darren made his final encore on Monday, September 2nd, as he snoozed peacefully at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Apparently, his heart just couldn’t keep up with all that coolness, and when doctors suggested an aortic valve replacement, the man’s heart probably said, “Nah, I’m good.”
His son, Jim Moret (yes, that Jim Moret from Inside Edition, because being a cool icon runs in the family), broke the news to The Hollywood Reporter. Jim, clearly inheriting his father’s breezy demeanor, said, “I always thought he would pull through because he was so cool. He was always cool.”
James Darren: too cool for medical procedures, but just the right amount of cool to stay legendary forever. RIP, Moondoggie. You’ve surfed the final wave, and somewhere in the cosmic ocean, there’s an endless beach party in your honor.
