James Darren, a teen pop singer mostly known for his roles as Officer Jim Corrigan on T.J. Hooker, Jeffery Matthews in the 1959 film Gidget, and Vic Fontaine on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, has died.

According to Variety, his son, Jim Moret, confirmed his father's passing on Monday in Los Angeles. "He was a good man. He was very talented," he told Variety. "He was forever young."

Born on June 8, 1936, in Philadelphia, Darren, whose real name is James William Ercolani, dreamed of being an actor. He studied in New York City with Stella Adler and was eventually discovered by a talent agent. In July 1956, Darren signed a long-term contract with Columbia, starring in his first "B" film, Rumble on the Docks. For the next two years, he'd make guest appearances on TV shows and productions such as The Web (1956), Operation Mad Ball (1957), The Brothers Rico (1957), and Gunman's Walk (1958).

In 1959, Darren starred alongside Sandra Dee and Cliff Robertson in Gidget (1959), playing Jeffery Matthews, aka Moondoggie. He also snagged the title track, which became a hit among teens along with the film. Singing was something Darren did a lot as a child in Philadelphia, and his father often took him to bars and nightclubs to perform.

With his acting and singing career on the rise, Darren recorded various pop hits for Colpix Records; the biggest was "Goodbye Cruel World," which peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1961. It sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc (a platinum record today).

Darren was simultaneously starring in films and showing up on shows while recording more records. In the 1970s, he enjoyed nightclub performances and focused on guest starring on TV series, such as Love, American Style, S.W.A.T., Police Woman, Black Sheep Squadron, The Feather and Father Gang, Charlie's Angels, Police Story, Hawaii Five-O, Vegas, The Love Boat, and Fantasy Island.

From 1983 to 1986, he had a regular role as Officer James Corrigan on the television police drama T.J. Hooker. He also directed episodes of The A-Team, Renegade, and Hunter, among many more.

In 1998, he played Vic Fontaine on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, a holographic representation of a 1960s-era Las Vegas Rat Pack–style singer and entertainer.

Darren was also a close friend of Frank Sinatra, and Nancy Sinatra celebrated her friend's life in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

He was 88.

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