James Darren, who became an instant teen idol as the boyish surfer Moondoggie in the "Gidget" movies and went on to a prolific career in TV and music, has died. He was 88.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — James Darren, a teen idol who helped ignite the 1960s surfing craze as a charismatic beach boy paired off with Sandra Dee in the hit film “Gidget,” died Monday at 88.