James Darren, beloved star of Gidget and T.J. Hooker, has passed away at the age of 88, leaving behind a legacy of iconic roles and cherished performances.

The seasoned actor, who gained notoriety for his part in the 1959 movie Gidget and a television appearance on T.J. Hooker, died on Monday.

James passed away peacefully on September 2 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre in Los Angeles, according to a statement on his website.

The late actor needed to travel to the hospital for an aortic valve replacement, but his son Jim Moret recently informed The Hollywood Reporter that the actor was too frail to have the surgery completed.

Jim said, “I always thought he would pull through because he was so cool. He was always cool.”

He starred in The Brothers Rico, The Tijuana Story, Operation Mad Ball, and The Brothers Rico in 1957. In 1958, he made an appearance in Gunman's Walk.

James shared with PEOPLE, "One time in San Francisco, I was on a dance-party TV show and hundreds of girls mobbed the studio, took the glass door right off, dragged me outside, down on the ground, pulling hairs out of my head for souvenirs.”

He added, “I was terrified. Tears were streaming down my face from the pain of having my hair pulled out."

In 1936, James was born in Philadelphia. When he turned 16, he embarked on an acting career.