Bobby Darin Succumbs at 37

HOLLYWOOD -- Bobby Darin, who became a teen idol in the 50's and 60's after his song "Splish Splash" became a number one hit in 1958, died Dec. 20 in the Cedars of Lebanon Hospital, the victim of heart ailments which had plagued him throughout much of his life. Darin had undergone open-heart surgery for the second time since 1971 to correct malfunctioning of two artificial heart valves, but a spokesman for the four-surgeon team who spent six hours trying to repair the damage said, "He was just too weak to recover."

Darin, born Walden Robert Cassotto, fought his way out of the Bronx streets to become a millionaire by the age of 24, having starred in the nation's major nightclubs and made appearances in movies which earned him in excess of $2-million. Sandra Dee, his first leading lady, became his wife shortly after completion of his film debut in Come September in 1960 and the couple had a son, Dodd, who was born in 1952.

Among the entertainer's many achievements were four gold records, two Grammys, and an Oscar nomination for his role in the film Captain Newman, M.D. He once remarked that Frank Sinatra had also won two Grammys and he stated, "I hope to pass Frank in everything he's done."

Music became his life in 1958 when a song he had written in twelve minutes, "Splish Splash," sold 100,000 copies in just three weeks. It bore the name Bobby Darin, which he claimed to have gotten out of the phone book. In the nineteen-sixties, Darin's career surged to new heights beginning in 1960 with his recording of "Mack the Knife," in which he used his amazing range of talent in a parody of Louis Armstrong's style that earned the record number one status for the year, 2-million copies sold, and Grammys for best song and best new artist of the year. More important, the record helped Darin make the transition from teen idol to adult star. His other major hit records were "Early in the Morning" and "Dream Lover."

In the sixties Darin played the major Las Vegas nightclubs on a regular basis and became one of that city's biggest box office draws. The success led him into a number of television appearances, including several Bobby Darin TV specials, and a new recording contract with Motown Records. He topped the string of triumphs by attaining his dream of having is own TV show and had designs on making more personal statements in his writing efforts, to be used in 'concept' albums, but these never materialized in the form of commercial releases. In fact, he often carried a cassette recorder with him to tape spontaneous ideas.

Darin and Ms. Dee were divorced in 1966 and he married legal secretary Andrea Joy Yeager in June, 1972. They had been separated for several months at his death. The entertainer directed that his body be donated for medical research to the University of California stating that it would help save the lives of others.