The teen idol who helped ignite the 1960s surfing craze as a handsome beach boy in the “Gidget” movies, James Darren, has died at 88.

The “Gidget” theme song launched a successful singer career for Darren, who had a gold record with “Goodbye Cruel World” in 1961 and released at least 14 albums.

The “Gidget” theme song launched a successful singer career for Darren, who had a gold record with “Goodbye Cruel World” in 1961 and released at least 14 albums.

Darren revived his singing career in the late ’90s when he appeared on several episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as holographic lounge singer Vic Fontaine.

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.