Walden Robert Cassotto, known later to the world as Bobby Darin, was born May 14, 1936, in The Bronx, New York. Darin’s heritage was primarily Italian American, and although the family made enough for food and rent, financial strains were always present. Darin’s father left several months after his birth, leaving his mother no choice but public assistance to keep her family fed. Darin’s family ultimately decided to avoid any potential scandal by posing his seventeen-year-old mother as his sister and his grandmother as his mother. Darin was unaware of this until his adulthood.
Darin’s youth was dominated by poor health, struck often with rheumatic fever. With tight funds, Darin’s family could not afford the kind of medical attention he needed. He was left with a damaged heart and prediction after prediction he would not live past his teens. Continually shocking his physicians, Darin’s will to live proved strong.
Possessing an extremely high IQ as well as a natural affinity for music, Darin pursued his secondary education at Hunter College thanks to a scholarship. With his knowledge of the piano, drums, guitar, and his vocal prowess, Darin began working the nightclub circuit. Signing with various record labels, Darin met with mediocre success until 1958 when his smash hit "Splish Splash" was released.
He found overnight success and added to his good fortune with singles such as "Dream Lover," "Mack the Knife," and "Beyond the Sea." Receiving critical acclaim as well as mass appeal, Darin was rewarded with the Record of the Year Grammy in 1960.
Darin became known as the premier nightclub performer of the day, passing even Frank Sinatra’s ticket sales at the Copacabana. He is also credited with bringing new talent into the spotlight, including Richard Pryor, Wayne Newton, Flip Wilson, and Nipsey Russell.
Equally as known for his acting abilities, Darin made his onscreen debut in 1957 with a bit part in The Sad Sack, opposite Jerry Lewis and Peter Lorre. Capitalizing on his popularity with the youth market, his first major role was in Come September starring Rock Hudson. Nobody, however, anticipated how popular he would be with his then eighteen-year-old co-star Sandra Dee. The two fell in love and quickly married. Their son, Dodd Mitchell Darin, was born just one year later. Despite the idyllic façade, the marriage proved tempestuous. They divorced in 1967.
Darin quickly lost interest in teeny-bopper films and sought out more emotionally charged and serious roles, including Pressure Point in 1962. Working with the renowned Sidney Poitier, Darin earned a Golden Globe nomination. He received even higher accolades with his next role in the comedy drama Captain Newman, M.D. Not only did Darin earn the opportunity to work with greats such as Gregory Peck, Tony Curtis, and Robert Duvall, but he also earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
He continued acting and producing music until his lifelong heart condition worsened dramatically and incited the need for open heart surgery. In the meantime, Darin met and married Andrea Yeager in June 1973. They divorced just four months later. Darin’s health declined rapidly, and he passed away on December 20, 1973.
Darin’s story was converted to film thanks to longtime fan Kevin Spacey, who portrayed the late crooner in the 2004 biopic Beyond on the Sea. Kate Bosworth co-starred as Sandra Dee. The film also featured John Goodman, Bob Hoskins, and Brenda Blethyn. The popularity of the film helped ignite a newfound interest in Darin by a new generation.
YUDDY
