How is Jim Moret related to James Darren? Relationship explored as former teen idol star dies at 88 

Actor James Darren reportedly died on Monday, September 2, 2024, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. The news of the former teen idol’s death was confirmed by his son, Jim Moret, to Variety and The Hollywood Reporter. The Gidget star was 88 years old at the time of his passing. Moret is Darren's son from his first marriage to Gloria Terlitsky.

As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, James Darren was hospitalized for an aortic valve replacement; however, he was “deemed too weak” to have the procedure performed on him. Speaking about his father, Moret said, “He was a good man. He was very talented. He was forever young.”

Moret, the chief correspondent for Inside Edition, also expressed gratitude for his father being able to take on the role of surfer Moondoggie in the Gidget film and for Darren having the opportunity to interact with his fans.

For those uninitiated, James Darren made his acting debut in Rumble on the Docks in 1956. He went on to appear in various films, including Gunmen’s Walk, Operation Madball, and series like Love, American Style, and The Love Boat, among other projects.

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Everything to know about Jim Moret and his relationship with James Darren as the latter passes away

Jim Moret is a Los Angeles-based journalist and author. He often covers human interest stories, hard news, and celebrity news. He has been a frequent guest host on Larry King Live and has also hosted HLN’s Jane Velez Mitchell.

In his memoir The Last Day of My Life, the former CNN anchor details his relationship with his father, James Darren. In one of the chapters, the writer extensively explained his journey of forgiveness after his father legally renounced his parental rights when Moret was just 13 years old. The journalist revealed how he coped with feelings of abandonment following his separation from his father in the book.

The news anchor has also worked on various other shows, including KTLA’s Morning News and Fox 5’s Good Day New York, among others.

A graduate of UCLA and Southwestern University School of Law, Moret has been open about the suicidal thoughts he battled in the past. In his book, he revealed that his life had turned upside down at one point as he dealt with mounting debt and hefty loans. Speaking about his book in an interview with CNN, Moret said:

“In the 20 or so chapters, if you can find one or two or three that you can relate to, then I feel wonderful, because the idea is that you can see yourself through my story. I'm telling you what my choices were and what I choose to feel is important and then I ask you a question at the end of many chapters.”

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“It was the best prison I think I’ll ever be in” — James Darren opens up about his Gidget series

James Darren was the teen idol who captured hearts in the 1950s. He will now be remembered for his role as Moondoggie, the dark-haired surfer boy who starred in Gidget.

The film was based on a novel by Californian author Frederick Kohner, who captured his muse, his own daughter, in the novel. The fictional piece ended up helping many gather interest in surfing.

Darren appeared in the movie’s two sequels, including Gidget Goes Hawaiian and Gidget Goes to Rome. Speaking about his journey on the franchise, Darren said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly in 2004:

“They had me under contract, I was a prisoner. But with those lovely young ladies, it was the best prison I think I’ll ever be in.”

Along with being an actor, Darren also dabbled in music, with his singles Goodbye Cruel World and Her Royal Majesty reaching the Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 chart at one point.