James Darren, the actor best known for his role as heartthrob Moondoggie in the Gidget Films, has died at the age of 88.

The former Hollywood teen star, who also starred in the television police drama TJ Hooker And Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, died peacefully on Monday at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles from complications of heart disease, his family said.

His son Jim Moret, a Inside Edition Correspondent, said The Hollywood Reporter: “I always thought he would make it because he was so cool. He was always cool.”

Darren won the lead role in 1959 Gidget although he can’t surf and played alongside cult actress Sandra Dee. He also played in the sequels Gidget goes to Hawaii in 1961 and Gidget goes to Rome in 1963.

He played Officer Jim Corrigan in the successful police drama of the 80s TJ HookerIn the 90s he played hologram crooner Vic Fontaine in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

The former pop singer also directed TV hits such as Beverly Hills 90210 And Melrose Square.

In the early 60s he had pop hits with Goodbye, Cruel World which reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in 1961, and Her Royal Majestywritten by Carole King and Gerry Goffin, which reached the top 10 in 1962.

The Philadelphia native has had some famous fans over the years, The Hollywood Reporter Darren told author Tom Beaver: “I was in a pizza place with a friend one day. I heard a motorbike arrive and Bruce Springsteen came in, wearing his little motorbike cap like Brando wore. The Wild – I guess he left his helmet outside. I said, “Oh, I have to go and say hi to him.”

“I went up to him and said, ‘Hi, I don’t want to interrupt you, but my name is James Darren. I just want to tell you that I’m a huge fan. I love all your stuff.’ And he said, ‘James Darren? I bought ‘Goodbye Cruel World’ in Freehold, New Jersey.’ Isn’t that sweet?”