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.

Born James Ercolani in Philadelphia, Darren was already using a stage name when he starred in "Gidget" in 1959 and its sequels. His fame was secured instantly by the '50s surf-culture hit ...