Bobby Darin (born Walden Robert Cassotto; May 14, 1936 – December 20, 1973)[1] was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, impressionist, and actor. He performed jazz, pop, rock and roll, folk, swing, and country music.
He started his career as a songwriter for Connie Francis. He recorded his first million-selling single, "Splish Splash", in 1958. That was followed by "Dream Lover", "Mack the Knife", and "Beyond the Sea", which brought him worldwide fame. In 1962 he won a Golden Globe Award for his first film, Come September, co-starring his first wife, actress Sandra Dee.
Although he made a successful comeback (in television) in the early 1970s, his health was beginning to fail, as he had always expected[citation needed], following bouts of rheumatic fever in childhood. The knowledge of his vulnerability had always spurred him on to use his musical talent while still young. He died at the age of 37 after a heart operation in Los Angeles.