Bobby Darin 1936 – 1973

Biography

Bobby Darin was born Walden Robert Cassotto in East Harlem, New York City, and grew up in the Bronx, overcoming rheumatic fever that damaged his heart and left him convinced he would not live long. He became one of the most versatile entertainers of his generation, scoring hits with Splish Splash, Dream Lover, and Mack the Knife, which won the Grammy for Record of the Year in 1959. He moved between pop, rock and roll, folk, and jazz, starred in films, earning an Academy Award nomination for Captain Newman, M.D., and hosted his own television variety show. He also became active in politics, campaigning for Robert F. Kennedy in 1968. He died in Los Angeles, California, in 1973, at the age of thirty-seven, following heart surgery. His recordings span so many styles that his career is still cited as proof of what a popular singer could achieve in a short life.