Product Description
Bobby Darin fit more into his 37 years alive than most people fit into longer lifetimes. By the age of 22, Darin was a pop idol with chart-toppers "Splish Splash" and "Dream Lovers." A year later, he reinvented himself as a Sinatra-style crooner with "Mack the Knife" and "Beyond the Sea," winning a Grammy Award, the adulation of millions, a Hollywood contract, and a starlet wife, Sandra Dee. His sense of urgency drove him throughout his life and if it seemed as though Darin was trying to do it all, he was: a rheumatic heart doomed him to an early death. Bobby Darin will examine the entertainer's entire life, from his boyhood in the Bronx, where he was born Walden Robert Cassotto, to his rise as a musical sensation, his rocky marriage to Sandra Dee, and the evolution of his career from pop idol to swingin' crooner to folk singer. Also detailed is the shocking secret Darin learned later in life-that his "sister" Nina was actually his mother, and that Polly, the woman he thought was his mother, was actually his grandmother-and how he spent the last five years of his life consumed by bitterness and anger over the betrayal

Interviews with such close friends and relatives as Steve Blauner, Darin's best friend and business manager, Gary Walden, Darin's half-brother, Dick Clark, Wayne Newton, Neil Sedaka, Tony Orlando, and many others will give the book a special intimacy and provide a deeply revealing portrait of the man. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Nothing Special
I was disappointed with this book. It is just the same things in the other books about Bobby warmed over. You don't learn anything new. The best book I read on Bobby was Roman Candle, The Life of Bobby Darin and Dream Lovers, but especially the Roman Candle book. If you want to find out everything about Bobby (the good things) read the Roman Candke book. This book is waste of time.

Okay book, but I was disappointed
If you're a huge Bobby Darin fan, you will probably find this book more interesting.I liked some of his songs, but wasn't necessarily a huge fan.The book has a lot of quotes, but I would have preferred more narriative from the author.

Decent, albeit slightly dry, bio of the great Darin
Any bio on Bobby Darin is welcome and inherantly interesting, and this one is respectable if a little dry.Not the best, Dream Lovers has that honor, but still recommended.

Cookie Cutter Bio
This book reads as if were written in a week. It is truly a cookie cutter biography, full of copious quotes from old movie magazines. What a disgrace to the memory of the great Bobby Darin. Awful.

ANOTHER BK ON THE GREAT BOBBY DARIN: THIS ONE MISSES THE MARK
I've been a Bobby Darin fan most of my life and as such have read pretty much everything I could get my hands on concerning this sadly underrated entertainer. For obvious reasons I had high hopes for this book but unfortunately, Mr. Starr failed to deilver the goods. Why? Quite frankly because he got so much obvious information just plain wrong, it leaves the reader doubting anything new the author may have uncovered. Indeed, the interview quotes are colorful but for the record: Bobby Darin's character in Captain Newman M.D. did NOT"Come to terms with his grief and is sent home a happier soldier" as Starr writes on page 126. Watch the movie all the way to the end Mr. Starr and you'll see what I mean. Also, where did he get the idea that Gary Busey won an Oscar for the Buddy Holly Story as he writes on page 219? These are just 2 quick examples of known mistakes from a text that also derides movie magazine articles and then quotes from them extensively as source material! By the way, a bibliography would've been a nice touch so the reader can see where the author may have made his mistakes. All in all a nice try that missed the mark on a fascinating subject. Better luck next time. . . . . ... Read more

Product Description
The son of Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin, using his own memories, interviews, letters, and rare photographs, chronicles his parents' lives, which were full of illness, family secrets, and the horror of childhood abuse. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (35)

The story behind one of the greatest entertainers of all time
Always a fan of Bobby Darin and Sandra Dee from my earliest teen years, I had to, of course, see the movie "Beyond the Sea" when it was released in 2004. I loved what a great job Kevin Spacey did portraying Bobby. This book, written by their son, Dodd Darin, reveals candidly many things that the movie did not go into.It is very well written and shines light on many of the mysteries which always surrounded this golden couple. I would recommend the book for anyone who wants to know more about Bobby and Sandra and the large circle of others who were in their life over the years.

Is It Surprising ?
Does it surprise anyone that money, fame, booze, drugs, and talent do NOT lead to happiness? Read the Bible and walk the NARROW way and you just may enter Heaven. You won't be perpetually happy here on Earth, but at least the "little waves won't sway or sink your ship"...St. Paul.Be vigilent and on guard, for the enemy does not sleep and pursues you like a raving lion.

good reading
I grew up in the era of sandra dee and bobby darin. loved them in movies and music. Found the family history quite interesting.

Excellent read!
I loved this book. It was an eye - opening experience for me to read all the interesting details of the lives of both of these people. It makes it
all the more personal because their son wrote it. I highly recommend it.

An un-put-downable read about two luminaries
I just finished reading "Dream Lovers," and I think this is the book that shines the most significant light on these two entertainers (I have read three Bobby Darin bios).

"Dream Lovers" explores Bobby Darin's short life through the prism of his illness. He fell ill with rheumatic fever when he was a young boy, and this left him with a bad heart condition. It must have been devastating when at 8 years old he overheard the doctors say he would not reach the age of 16. So, even he looked at his life through that lense -- everything had to happen quick. He clearly had no time for niceties. I think after reading this book that his illness made him an enigmatic force in music, and in a way, was responsible for his success. Never has an entertainer captured the "it" factor as well as he did.

Sandra Dee emerges as a frightened child who had dealt with sexual abuse from her stepfather and a difficult stage mother. It's clear from this book that she had no clue how to go about managing her life after Bobby died, and after her movie career ended. If it were a different time, she would have been able to move on to independent films and the like; her performances were clear and wonderful. If things had been different, I could see her in movies like Neil Simon made, such as the Goodbye Girl.

Bobby would have exploded as an actor, had he lived. He didn't get to have that second phase in his career like Dennis Hopper or Peter Fonda or even Frank Sinatra. I can see him in the role of the fresh retired astronaut in Terms of Endearment. And as a singer, he would still be melting hearts.

Both Bobby and Sandra clearly had issues, and it's unfortunate they couldn't work through their stuff and repair their marriage.

One thing, though. In the book, it cites the fact that Bobby made some ill-advised comments about a miscarriage Sandra had after he got her pregnant (this was long after their divorce). Dodd said she fell out of love with him despite the fact that he at some point wanted to remarry her (it's unclear when he wanted to get remarried, they divorced in 1967).

After he said those words in 1971, she would no longer date him. But Sandra has said in other media in the 1990s that she loved him then and was still in love with him even after he had been dead about 20 years. So if she had a miscarraige after she would not remarry him, I can see how he would not want to start a family. Especially if he was not long for this world. I'm sure he didn't mean to be insensitive to her, even though he was.

The book is a wonderful testament to Dodd's love for his parents, warts and all. It doesn't excuse their behavior, but you can tell there's still a lot of love there. ... Read more

Product Description
A multilayered portrait of this brash, gifted artist, whose restless voice and spirit seem as alive today as ever. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

Cheap summer read on Darin
This book was so cheaply constructed that it literally fell apart before I was able to finish reading it. My copy has pages falling out due to the poor condition of the binding. The writing style is disjointed making itdifficult to read at times and to keep track of who is actually speaking. Some of the information is interesting if not salacious and for some people quite self serving, but I still wonder how accurate allot of this stuff is when people are being quoted some 30+ years later. Also, there are just so many annoying typos and mistakes in names and dates that one wonders about the accuracy of the rest of the content and if this expose wasn't just thrown together in a hurry to coincide with the movie bio that came out a couple of years ago. If you're a Bobby Darin fan as I am you may have to read everything you can get on him but this bio reads more like a gossip column than a biography.

More like Roman Meal...........................................
This book was a difficult read because it was poorly written and edited. Bobby Darin was presented, and it may be a true picture, as a complete narcissist. Everything was about him, similar to the antics of many teens today. Unfortunately Darin was unable to grow out of it. Anyway, I would pick another of the several books available on Bobby Darin's life were I given the choice anew. This one was just plain disappointing.

Great Title
I have read all the available books and this one brought both my husband and self to tears at the end. A must for Darin Fans knowing none of us are perfect human beings, I pray for his soul every day.

Great read
To Lois Lane, et. all:
How would you have written this biography, sans the quotes from the people who knew him best?The form inherently lends itself to this technique, as any journalist will assure you.
The comparison between Evanier and McCullough is irrelevant.They are two completely different animals.
Glad I didn't take your misguided attempt at egalitarianism for gospel.I would've missed a great book, one I highly recommend to other Darin fans.

The Candle Burns At Both Ends
David Evanier's biography of Bobby Darin has many interesting sequences, telling of the singer/actor's struggle from the sidewalks of the Bronx to the big time in Hollywood.The heart condition that threatened to take his life before he reached thirty, propelled him to set out and achieve as much as he could in the limited time he had on earth, as well as the tortured, volatile relationship with his family, which is enough to move one to tears.Glowing reminices from friends elevates this biography.Despite his success, he never felt it was enough - he was constantly searching for other outlets through music, acting and politics.

But there are some negative aspects - namely, the writer's
description of Sandra Dee.He seems to paint her in a less that flattering light as a mentally disturbed, alcoholic starlet without any redeeming virtues or talent.As she was sexually abused as a child and prevented from having a normal childhood thanks to her controlling stage mother, she could hardly be expected to live a carefree, ideal life, much less while married to Darin.Evanier also downplays the intense love they shared, and doesn't seem to make any connection of the disentagration of the marriage to Darin's infedelities, grueling schedules that took him away from home from long periods of time, and Bobby's own demons, causing him to be restless and sometimes cruel. The blame falls on Dee, since she was suffering from alcoholism, anorexia, as well as a series of miscarriages, and as she was in very poor health in her last years, it seemed to have made her an ideal scapegoat.Very few people speak favorably about her, with the exception of the one person whom some would have thought would have slammed her - Bobby's close friend Steve Blauner.Although an arguement between Steve and Sandra is described, he rarely puts her down and shows some compassionate understanding.Dee sadly died not long after the book was published (she and son Dodd Darin did not particpate in it), and Blauner again spoke of her in very glowing terms.Also, the book erronously states her second film, "The Restless Years" as her debut, and of course, there is the annoying mistake of the reference to Bridget, rather than "Gidget" (attention, editing!).And there is a debate over Sandra's actual birthdate - was she 16 or 18 when she married Bobby?

Andrea Yeager, who would become Darin's second wife for a few brief months in 1973, is made out to be some kind of a flawless saint, when in fact, as soon as they got married, their relationship, which had been almost ideal, began to deteriorate.It also omits the fact that Bobby was in fact, unfaithful to her as well, getting Sandra pregnant again (resulting in her final miscarriage).

Bobby Darin wasn't perfect.Because of his medical condition, the painful revelation that the woman that he thought was his sister was actually his mother, and his own ruthless ambition, he could seem to be cold and cruel to those close to him - his family was often at the receiving end of that.But his touching love for his son Dodd, his passionate support of the Civil Rights movement, his devotion to his friends and the women that he loved and lost, not just his wives but also Connie Francis, and his unstoppable drive and talent endears him to our hearts.His indelible spirit and contributions to the world of music and film will never die, and will endure forever. ... Read more

Product Description
With the pending release of a major motion picture (Beyond the Sea) about Darin, directed by and starring Kevin Spacey, Al DiOrio has revised this look at the performer's life, first published by Running Press in 1981, now featuring a new epilogue and catalog of Darin's works in music and film. Bobby Darin was a brilliant vocalist, song stylist, six-time Grammy nominee, as well as a singer-songwriter, an Academy Award nominated actor, and a stage performer who dazzled crowds in Vegas. He was just beginning to savor fame when he died, of complications from childhood rheumatic fever, at age 37. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

One of the first, and the best by far.
Despite the recent rush of books about Bobby Darin, none tell the tale more clearly or tersely as Al DiOrio's biography. Filled with photos, and candid biography, it's a quick and interesting read. Recommended.

An alright book
I somewhat enjoyed this book about Bobby Darin. It was not my favorite of all the books I have read about him. It skims the surface, but does notever get 'deep' into the subject. It is a good look at Bobby if you know nothing about him and are just starting to explore the genius of Bobby, but not my first choice of all the books about him.

A Must for a Fan
This book is special and I have read & reread it. So informative no punches pulled but written with love & affection. Don't miss it.

Beyond "Beyond The Sea"
A Well-written Bio of a very talentedsinger/composer/actor/performer. I learned a lot about Mr. Darin (Sorry, but I can't remember his Birth Name.) Apparently Dodd's book , rather than this one, was the basis forthe movie. Too bad, says Bobby's Half Brother. HOWEVER I do not see any glaring differences between the film and this bio. But the scene in the movie where Bobby acknowledges his "real" Mother, apparently never happened. If you had a competiton back in the 60s (Ala ESPN's "Who's now") between Bobby and (say) Ricky Nelson I think Bobby would've done very well.

The first of the bios of superstar Bobby Darin
I really appreciate this bio because it was written long ago, before the recent flurry of Darin bios, when there was little info out there on the subject.It was also the first (I think) to report on Darin's family secret about his mother and sister.

Tho' it's written in a fairly dry style and has some errors, it's recommended to any Darin fan.Diorio have expertise on Darin; he appeared on both video bios - the A&E Songmasters bio and PBS's Beyond the Song.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Inside the mind of Bobby Darin
Of the six published bios about Darin, this is the most fascinating because it takes us inside the mind of the man and explores many of his political and moral beliefs as well as his view on music and performance. Darin was an intensely political animal with very left-wing libertarian beliefs. This book addresses all the gaps in Spacey's movie and other bios. After all, we need to know what made someone like Bobby Darin write and record all those protest songs. Here you will find some answers.

My only quibble with this book is that it is badly edited and many sections are simply repeated to flesh out the pages.

Essential reading for the Darin enthusiast....
..ok, if you are like me you already have all the Darin books, and are ecstatic over the newer ones following the recent uptick in interest in Darin.Al Aronowitz's may be the best of the bunch! His is of the "first person" style, having interacted with Bobby Darin going way back, and Al's journalistic writing makes the reading move nicely.You will also read about topics that have been hard to find info on, like Bobby's "Vendors" project. With friends like Al Aronowitz, the late great Bobby Darin lives forever...

Jim P ; macknife@comcast.net ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Darin was Brilliant and Deserves a Greater Musical Appraisal
Let's face it. Bobby Darin sang swing songs better than any other popular male vocalist. His sense of musical syncopation was impeccable, and his lyrical timing was unmatched. No one, not even Sinatra, could sing anup-tempo tune as well as Bobby. And yet there was so much more intellectualdepth and artistic talent in the man that his definitive biography has notyet been written. Darin won numerous acting awards and nominations, washailed as Las Vegas' greatest entertainer by the likes of Sammy Davis, Jr.and Wayne Newton, and his uncanny ability to impersonate legendaryperformers of the past left many of these stars speechless (two who comeinstantly to mind are Groucho Marx and Jimmy Durante). He was anaccomplished guitarist, pianist, drummer, vibraphonist, and harmonicaplayer. He composed dozens of hit songs, many of which were performedsuccessfully by other pop singers as diverse in their singing styles asDean Martin, Anne Murray, and Rod Stewart. His own vocal style anddexterity defied description and boundaries. Darin could sing yourstandard, simple Elvis Presley-like three chord rock-and-roll with the bestof them, then in an instant croon a sophisticated Cole Poter or JohnnyMercer ballad with breath control and dramatic intensity matched by veryfew (i.e., Sinatra in his early years, Vic Damone, and perhaps Jack Jonesand Matt Monro-but the list is not much longer). Furthermore, he performedfolk, gospel, and blues with equal ease. No pop vocalist, then or now, hadsuch range. Finally, Darin was many years ahead of his time, as evinced byhis composing and singing what can only be described as the earliest"rap" song, "Me and Mr. Hohner." For my money, BobbyDarin, had he lived a normal life span, would have been far bigger thanSinatra. Think of his mass appeal at the time of his death (he was thehighest paid performer in Las Vegas whose audiences encompassed individualsfrom nine to ninety years of age). Now imagine how many more fans he wouldhave won over had he lived and performed these past twenty-seven years. Hehad the lovers of old Vaudeville-style entertainment and Tin Pan Alley inhis hip pocket; his unequaled singing of big-band swing tunes won over theWW II generation; his rock and roll and folk ballads widely appealed to theViet Nam generation. By now, Darin would have had four generations of fans.We mustn't forget that the man also thought deeply about injustice in theworld and contributed to numerous altruistic causes. His selflessness wasevident even in death, as he willed his body to medical science. BobbyDarin was a great talent and a man's man, and his brilliance demands abiography and artistic assessment by an author not afraid of stating itplainly: Considering his vocal abilities from the perspective ofversatility, style, and sense of rhythm, Bobby Darin (despite thepredictably outraged reaction of those fans who have deified Frank Sinatra)was quite possibly the greatest popular male vocalist in the history ofAmerican entertainment. There. I've said it.

"A Good Biography of a Great Entertainer"ÿ
Had he lived a normal lifespan, Bobby Darin had the talent and magneticism to have risen to the top of the heap as both a serious male vocalist and nightclub entertainer. What Darin did lack was a healthy heart. Sadly, asdepicted in Al Di Orio's fine book, Bobby succombed to the degenerativeheart condition at only 37 years of age.

I agree with the reviwer fromPhiladelphia that Di Orio's book is an earnest and sincere attempt atwriting the life story of a complicated and misunderstood performer. ButBobby Darin had so much talent, personal charm, and wit that a fullerappraisal of his body of work is still needed. After all, Darin really hadonly seven or right years of good health during his career, yet he stillmanaged to be nominated for an Academy award and a half-dozen Grammies. Healso had over a dozen Gold Records and was the recipient of the GoldenGlobe and French Film Critics' awards. Who knows how far he might have gonehad he lived a normal life span?

In an age when even Tony Bennett,replete with raspy-voice and a pseudo-cool demeanor, is winning over manyyoung fans, Bobby Darin- who was genuinely cool and who could sing withoriginal style and unmatched syncopation in every musical genre- wouldprobably be the new Sinatra-esque icon of our generation. Too bad he didnot live long enough to garner all the praise and popular following that hetruly deserved.

In short, while Al di Orio did a fine job, Bobby'ssuperb acting, inimitable swing/jazz singing, and impeccable stage presencedeserves a richer treatment. buy Di Orio's book, but hope that someoneundertakes to write the definitive Bobby Darin biography-one whichhighlights and evaluates why everyone from George Burns, Jerry Lewis, JackBenny, Henry Mancini, Sidney Potier, and Peggy Lee (among dozens of others)to Rod Stewart and Berry Gordy thought Bobby Darin was one of the graetestnatural entertainers in the history of show business.

An earnest, if not definitive, biography of the late star
Al Di Orio's "Borrowed Time: The 37 Years of Bobby Darin" is a well-researched and heartfully written account of the life of the late multi-talented performer. Di Orio does a fine job at excavating the facts of Bobby's troubled early life, including the details of his illegitimatebirth. Di Orio also covers in detail Darin's childhood bouts with RheumaticFever that irreparabley damaged his heart and ultimately led to his tragic,untimely death.

While Di Orio's work breaks much ice in the uncovering ofa very complex and often misunderstood entertainer's life, it does not doample justice to Darin's talents. Bobby Darin was hailed by Sammy Davis,Jr. as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, cabaret performers in thebusiness. Wayne Newton called Darin "the most connsummate performer Ihave ever known." Darin was also a fine actor, skilled songwriter, andnatural musician. His legions of fans and admirers spanned the entire agespectrum and virtually all entertainment genres. His line of admirersstretched from Henry Mancini, George Burns, and Johnny Mercer to NeilYoung, Felix Cavaliere, and Brian Setzer.

Yet, after reading Di Orio'sbook, I came away feeling that the author barely touched on the universaladmiration and critical acclaim that Darin achieved in his short life. Forinstance, Di Orio spends little time assessing the reasons why Darin washailed by many as the only performer in the business who had the genuinetalent, personal magneticism, and eclectic appeal to eventually assume themantle held by Frank Sinatra as America's greatest male vocalist. As acabaret and nightclub performer, it was acknowledged by many in theentertainment industry that Darin could do more things well than any otherlive entertainer. However, the book barely hints at the magnitude ofDarin's greatness as a performer.

In all fairness, Di Orio does a noblejob, particularly in his treatment of the singer's troubled personal life.Consequently, I highly recommend this book to all fans of Bobby Darin.However, Darin's ecelectic body of work cries out for a richer criticalassessment. Darin was a stylish vocalist who mastered standard ballads,jazz/swing, rhythm and blues, folk/rock, and country/western. Think aboutit. This one man sang such diverse material as "Beyond the Sea,""Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey?" "Eighteen YellowRoses," "Mack the Knife," "Me and Mr. Hohner,""Splish Splash," and "If I Were A Carpenter." No one,including Sinatra, covered such a wide span of musical genres and styles.

If you are a Bobby Darin fan who wishes to learn more about Darin theman, Mr. Di Orio's biography is a great starting point. However, a fulleracknowledgement and critical assessment of Bobby Darin's enormous andwide-ranging talent is long overdue. ... Read more

Product Description
Me and Bobby D. is the exciting coming-of-age story of two teenage boys from the Bronx - Steve Karmen and Walden Robert Cassotto - who meet in high school, play in the same band, and then form a singing act. The year is 1956, at the dawn of rock and roll, a crossroad in the entertainment business rarely written about. Cassotto changes his name to Bobby Darin, makes his first recording, and he and Karmen are booked on the road for their first job ever as entertainers into Club Temptation, a seedy nightclub in suburban Detroit. This is Bobby Darin before "Splish Splash," "Mack, The Knife," "Beyond the Sea" and "Dream Lover"; and Steve Karmen before composing "I Love New York," "This Bud's for You," "Hershey Is the Great American Chocolate Bar" and "Nationwide Is on Your Side." What happens to them during the two-week engagement will alter their friendship, and change both of their lives forever. Steve Karmen has been a composer/lyricist/arranger/producer of advertising music for over 30 years. In addition to the above-mentioned themes, some of his most memorable compositions are: "Here Comes the King (The Budweiser Clydesdale Theme)," "Hertz, We're America's Wheels," "Weekends Were Made for Michelob," "Sooner or Later, You'll Own Generals," "Quality Is Job One - Ford," "We Build Excitement - Pontiac" and "At the Nevele." He is the recipient of 16 CLIO Awards, the "Oscar" of the advertising industry; the author ofThrough the Jingle Jungle, the accepted textbook about the industry, published by Billboard Books; and The Jingle Man, a collection of 152 of his jingles, published by Hal Leonard Corporation. Karmen lives in Westchester, NY. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Get over it!!!The Better Man Won.............
As a long time fan of Bobby D I was interested in reading this "first person account" of the start of his journey intoshow business.What you come away with after reading this book is that Mr. Karmen, after almost 40 years,has not gotten over it.The bottom line is that Bobby had the talent with the driven and stubborness and yes the ability to make his career happen and that wasn't always the best outcome for those around.Mr. karmen, you finally lost you virginity andappear to have made a successful career and good life with your
children, so why still so bitter?Maybe because we will always remember Bobby and not you. ... Read more

Product Description
Me and Bobby D. is the exciting coming-of-age story of two teenage boys from the Bronx - Steve Karmen and Walden Robert Cassotto - who meet in high school, play in the same band, and then form a singing act. The year is 1956, at the dawn of rock and roll, a crossroad in the entertainment business rarely written about. Cassotto changes his name to Bobby Darin, makes his first recording, and he and Karmen are booked on the road for their first job ever as entertainers into Club Temptation, a seedy nightclub in suburban Detroit.This is Bobby Darin before "Splish Splash," "Mack, The Knife," "Beyond the Sea" and "Dream Lover"; and Steve Karmen before composing "I Love New York," "This Bud's for You," "Hershey Is the Great American Chocolate Bar" and "Nationwide Is on Your Side." What happens to them during the two-week engagement will alter their friendship, and change both of their lives forever. B/W photos; Hardcover; May; Biography; World RightsSteve Karmen has been a composer/lyricist/arranger/producer of advertising music for over 30 years. In addition to the above-mentioned themes, some of his most memorable compositions are: "Here Comes the King (The Budweiser Clydesdale Theme)," "Hertz, We're America's Wheels," "Weekends Were Made for Michelob," "Sooner or Later, You'll Own Generals," "Quality Is Job One - Ford," "We Build Excitement - Pontiac" and "At the Nevele."He is the recipient of 16 CLIO Awards, the "Oscar" of the advertising industry; the author of Through the Jingle Jungle, the accepted textbook about the industry, published by Billboard Books; and The Jingle Man, a collection of 152 of his jingles, published by Hal Leonard Corporation. Karmen lives in Westchester, NY. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

I'ts a Square Up
I can understand this memoir from the authors perspective. We all know Darin like everyone had his faults but his talent was unmeasureable. Steve had talent also but his forte was another area. Still an informative book on the very early years when Darin was trying to get off the bottom rung. I guess we would all be a little obnowious if we knew we only had a few years to make a mark, and what a mark it happened to be,

Me and Bobby D and a book deal makes three....
This book was published during the highly anticipated (and just as highly-disappointed) bio-pic on Bobby Darin was being released.Undoubtly Steve Karmen was a good friend of Bobby Darin's and this story is intended to take the reader along on a fateful summer as the two head out to promote Bob's latest song (Rock Island Line) and find fame and fortune in a nightclub.Although the story may be true, Karmen seems to want to reflect more about his being delegated to the back of the band rather than put more into the real character of Darin.From what I have read, Karmen was there during the real formative years of Darin's career, but I felt like he was telling only part of the story here.

I like this book in spite of the sour grapes and credibility problems with timeline
I think this is one of the better bios of Bobby D (and Steve K, tho' I bought it for Bobby of course) in spite of some flaws.I liked that fact that, thanks to the level of detail and transcripts of conversations, Bobby Darin was a vivid presence in this book unlike in most bios of him.I also think it mostly rings true, since early BD was a very aggressive, confident, and determined individual who did not stumble into stardom but worked hard for it.Steve K is clearly jealous and bitter about Darin's success after leaving him behind, but he's also pretty honest about those emotions and acknowledging them earns him some credibility.

In addition, Steve K is honest enough to include passages where Darin and Darin's manager tell Steve K up front early on that he is *only* accompanying Darin to a Detroit night club engangement to help Darin with *his* act and *his* career and to reduce Darin's nervousness at his first engagement.So Steve was warned immediately that he was just along for Bobby's ride, at Bobby's personal expense in fact, and those were terms he readily agreed to up front.As a result he forfits a lot of the justification for his bitterness.He was not mislead or lied to unless he lied to himself.So he shouldn't have been horribly shocked when that's exactly how events unfolded, tho' I doubt that he expected to be so completely dismissed from Bobby's life.(And I think the reason for his total dismissal was jealousy on Darin's part because Karmen was more classically handsome and thereby a bit of a threat to upstage the more charismatic Darin.)

But mostly ringing true means that some rang false.Most significant is that Karmen's timeline sometimes doesn't jibe with reality, esp in the last chapter.For example he describes meeting with "Bob" Darin (Bobby's late life folk incarnation in which he spurned the show biz plastic tux and toupee in favor of denim and accustic guitars and protest songs) November of 1972 - a year before Darin's death.

Sorry but that's impossible."Bob" Darin was retired by 1970 at the latest - a full two years earlier.And by the time Karmen claims to have reunited with "Bob" Darin at the Desert Inn, Darin was again in tux and toupee and doing middle of the road material mixed with his beloved folk and R&B material.It's very distracting when he's describing a scenario that couldn't have taken place when and as described.

Along the same lines, he claims that he basically never saw Darin from 1956 to 1973 (aside from attending Polly's funeral and a copa show), yet numerous accounts in other books, and his appearance in photos, have him in Darin's presence in the late 50's.

I also share the scepticism of those who doubt he could remember hundreds of pages of verbatim converstation decades later.It's just a bit of a red flag, but I think he probably remembers the gist of it.And the conversation is so instrumental in bringing the characters to life that I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

He also takes a few cheap shots, implying that there was something pathetic about the later day Darin when in fact he was a superstar whose body, through no fault of his own, was simply wearing out and betraying him.

Regardless of these quibbles, this books provides one of the most vivid portrayals, along with Dream Lover, of Bobby Darin - who earned his superstar status in spite of bad health and in spite of sour grapes from Steve Karmen.

THE BEST show business biography !
This is THE BEST show business biography that I have EVER read !

Not withstanding that this is about Bobby Darin, this book gives the BEST account of how a Star is created...and yes, it isn't all just "Chance", it involves delicate construction, and LOTS of hard work.

For Bobby Darin fans, this is a treasure trove of information, that ONLY a Best Friend could share with us. The author's unvarnished account here is vividly written, so that the reader is "included", if you will, in this life-career, defining moment.

ATTENTION TO THOSE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE DETAILED CONVERSATIONS and RECOLLECTIONS: We all have experienced personal, life defining "moments", where we had to make choices, that we have had to live with, the rest of our lives. They will be forever, etched into our consciousness, like a jackhammer into granite.

To intimate, that the author could not state each word of a conversation, that was held decades ago, is a cheap shot and totally made without any foundation of fact or reality.

The book is awesome ! It may change your life, too !

Mr. Karmen's recollections are deeply, and personally felt. It's our privilege to relive them, with him.

You like whining? You like jealousy?This book is for you!
As much as Karmen tried to make Darin look mean and hateful, what he succeeded in doing was show that Darin knew exactly what he wanted and how to get it - add his extraordinary talent to the mix, and you have a star.Karmen had no guts, a thin skin, and couldn't believe that Darin wouldn't let him ride his coat tails to success.

This book, though, is mostly about the adventures leading up to Karmen's loss of virginity.At the end, he begrudgingly reunites with Darin prior to his death, and "feels better".

The book contains dialog you are supposed to believe is verbatim, and tries very hard to make Darin look like a mean spirited jerk that cast aside his friends on the way to stardom.

It didn't work.Instead, Darin looks smart, and Karmen is just another jealous guy whose claim to fame is that 'he was there'.

Karmen should have stuck to his very good jingles and left the past alone. ... Read more

Product Description
In this unforgettable audio presentation, the son of Bobby Darin and Sandra Dee tells the true story of his parents' tragic love and life. 2 cassettes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

The best of the Darin bios
Of all the Darin bios this one is my favorite.Darin and Dee's son Dodd, along with his collaborator, did a lot right and really fleshed out both people so that I felt like I had some idea what they were like.I also felt like I got to know Dodd, and he's a man any two parents would be proud of.He was brave and honest in his portrayal of his parents, and in approaching some estranged relatives and friends for their input.

My only regret is that Dee had the advantage of going through the book and requesting changes because she felt it was too hard on her.These changes were then made in accordance with her wishes.Darin had no such editorial advantage since he was long dead when it was written.So it feels like Dodd's bending over backward (tho' understandably given that his mom's feelings were at stake) to be accomodating to Dee, while (also understandably) unable to do the same for Bobby.

But a great dual bio of two fascinating and appealing stars: one damaged physically and doomed to a short life, and one damaged emotionally and unable to enjoy her longer life.

I've never ached so much for people I'll never know
The recent PBS documentary ("Bobby Darin-Beyond the Song") caught my attention and really grabbed me. I grew up in the 60's but had never paid much attention to music- and even hated some of the songs hesang. But even as I hated the songs I became mesmerized watching him. So Ibought this little book and couldn't put it down. The authors start at thevery beginning of Darin's and Dee's lives, making me feel like I was livingeach heart-breaking day and year with them.Andwatching Darin's life asit slowly unfolded made me slowly realize what a total genius he was, andmade me realize how UTTERLY ORDINARY I am! How does one person become socompletely talented that it is nothing short of frightening, and I exhibitnot the slightest bit of creativity!So dramatic and yet too routine fora TV soap opera, it is heart-wrenching that Darin idolized but never sawthe man he thought was his father, and found out very late in his too shortlife that his "sister" was actually his mother, his"mother" was actually his grandmother, and his "father"was not his father. He died only suspecting who his father actually was butnever really knowing.But more upsetting to me is that in the UnitedStates in the 1970's no one could save this man's life when surely he couldhave been easily saved.He suffered physical pain that the book had mebelieving I was experiencing, and worst of all: he suffered alone.Everyone- including doctors who should have known better- told him therewas nothing wrong with him. His physical ailments naturally made himdifficult to be with and even those closest to him were driven away. This"brash," "cocky" man who gave us so much talent andenjoyment and ways to escape our troubles lived his last years terrifiedand feeling very much alone. What was also striking about this is that hehad life-long friends who were more passionately in love with him than theywere with almost anyone else- even when they were "on the outs"with him (How many of us have friends who would cry when speaking about ustwenty years after our deaths?). But ultimately for various reasons, few ofthem were there for him. This magnificient talent who had everything-wealth, fame, the adulation of friends and strangers, genius, entourages-truly died alone and terrified- the same way we "ordinary" peoplefear passing.

This book left me more sad for and more concerned aboutstrangers than I usually am forpeople I know, but it also left me trulyheartened that the subjects' son seems to be doing so well and is so happy.His father would be as proud of him as he is of his parents, and his mothershouldrest assured that he will continue caring for her. He seems to bethe type of son that should not only make a mother proud of him, but ofherself- despite the low self-esteem she seems to have, she clearly didsomething very right when she raised him.

For an in-depth review, THIS IS DARIN AND DEE!!
For anyone interested in the lives of America's dream couple, this is the definitive collection.From Dees troubled childhood, her early rise to fame, a practicly unknown side of Darin as well as Dee through thier marriage, to Dees collapse and hints of a comback. The only thing left out is Dees recounts of the end of the marriage other then a brief "why" it happened. Darin's life is presented here in the most concentrated, interview-laden publication.Every aspect of his career and life are exhamined with a much-due artist respect tone.The plus here is a section of "what if's" are explored.The structure of the book is a new approach with chapters vollying back and forth in chronoligical order.An interesting ending with Dodd Darin's own little life dramas being raised a Hollywood teen. For Dee fans, this shows the price of fame. For us Darin fanatics, this shows the "why" of fame.Why do they do it? A must have for 50's/60's fans, Darin/Dee fans, biography fans, music fans, or anyone who's looking to open a new door. ... Read more

Product Description
25 songs from Bobby Darin's long and fruitful career, featuring such hits as: Artificial Flowers * Beyond the Sea * Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home * Dream Lover * If I Were a Carpenter * Mack the Knife * More (Ti Guardero' Nel Cuore) * Splish Splash * Things * You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby * and many more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Meh...
Good selection.Better than I thought it would be, however, the arrangments are not the arrangements are not those that bobby darin did.These are the original versions of the songs and not the "vamped up" Bobby darin versions we've all know and love. Mack the knife plays like it's German minor keyed style...

'Beyond the Sea....Somewhere'
This one is chock-full of classics - 'Mack the Knife,' 'Splish-Splash,' and 'Beyond the Sea.'Includes a biography, and makes a great companion to the film 'Beyond the Sea' (starring Kevin Spacey.)For piano, guitar, and voice. ... Read more

Product Description
Commentary (music and lyrics not included).Chapters: Moon River, Mack the Knife, You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby, Beyond the Sea, Dream Lover, Our Day Will Come, the Shadow of Your Smile, if I Were a Carpenter, (Up A) Lazy River, Splish Splash, the Letter, Things, You're the Reason I'm Living, Early in the Morning. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 66. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: "Moon River" is a song composed by Johnny Mercer (lyrics) and Henry Mancini (music) in 1961, for whom it won that year's Academy Award for Best Original Song. It was originally sung in the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's by Audrey Hepburn, although it has been covered by many other artists. The song also won the 1962 Grammy Award for Record of the Year. It became the theme song for Andy Williams, who first recorded it in 1961 and performed it at the Academy Awards ceremonies in 1962. He sang the first eight bars at the beginning of his television show and also named his production company and venue in Branson, Missouri after it. Williams' version was vetoed by Cadence Records president Archie Bleyer, who believed it had little or no appeal to teenagers. Andy Williams' version never charted, except as an LP track, which he recorded for Columbia in a hit album of 1962. The success of the song was responsible for re-launching Mercer's career as a songwriter, which had stalled in the mid-1950s because rock and roll replaced jazz standards as the popular music of the time. An inlet near Savannah, Georgia, Johnny Mercer's hometown, was named Moon River in honor of him and this song. The popularity of the song is such that it has been used as a test sample in a study on people's memories of popular songs. Comments about the song have noted that it is particularly reminiscent of Mercer's youth in the Southern Unit...http://booksllc.net/?id=534458 ... Read more

Product Description
This new, updated edition of "That's All: Bobby Darin On Record, Stage & Screen" (called "the ultimate Darin reference book" by Billboard magazine) chronicles the life and professional accomplisments of the classic pop singer ("Mack The Knife," "Beyond The Sea"), Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, and show business icon Bobby Darin (1936-1973).

Singer, songwriter, actor, television personality, musician, teen idol, and consummate Las Vegas entertainer, Bobby Darin had "the most interesting career of any performer of the second half of the 20th century," according to author Jeff Bleiel.

Based on extensive archival research and interviews with over 25 professional associates (including producers, arrangers, musicians, and actors) who worked with Darin, this book provides coverage and analysis of:

--Classic Darin hits including "Splish Splash," "Mack The Knife," "Beyond The Sea," "Dream Lover," "If I Were A Carpenter" and many more

--Darin's appearances in 13 movies (including three in which he co-starred with his wife Sandra Dee) and numerous television shows, including his own 1972-73 series

--Darin's legendary live performances in Las Vegas, at The Copacabana in New York, and elsewhere

--His success as a songwriter, his acclaimed work in different musical genres (rock'n'roll, pop standards, folk, jazz, country), and his activities in the political and social movements of the 1960s. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Great Reference Book
I refer to this book constantly as it has so much history. Don't miss it.

Excellent Bobby Darin History
This book is different from the other biographies on Bobby Darin.More dedicated to the history of how and why things happened with albums and songs.Bleiel did a good job of giving information of Bobby's friends and peers to insight of who BD was in the recording studio.Gives a better biography on LP's and singles continuing past the DiOrio run down of LP's.
A lighter read than Evaniers biography.Reading it a second time.

That's all Bobby Darin on Record, Stage & Screen, Jeff Bleiel
This book, I do not recomend, it is nothing compared to the book Bobby Darin by Al Diorio, Al has everything in his book that you need to know about Bobby, including the names of all songs he wrote and recored and also movies he was in.

Fascinating work on Darin's life and music
Probably the closest to the bible on Bobby Darin and his music and life.I've read them all and this one is at the top of the list, a real in depth look at the career of this late, great performer!!

Great reference book on Darin's career
This invaluable book describes Darin's professional output.For info on his fascinating personal life, read Dream Lovers.For details on his equally fascinating professional life this is the book.

It has some omissions, e.g., unknown songs performed on some TV shows, and even seems to be missing some TV appearances (e.g., some Carson episodes and the English "This is Bobby Darin" special to name a couple), but it's as complete a reference as we're going to find for the present.And it was written when info on Darin was harder to come by than it is now (thanks in part to Kevin Spacy).I hope future editions are published and fill in some of the holes.
... Read more

Product Description
Bobby Darin
Bobby Darin, also known as Walden Robert Cassotto, was born on May 14, 1936, in New York, NY. In 1958, he changed his name to Bobby Darin and began a singing career. He became famous in 1959, with the release of the song "Mack the Knife." He married the actress Sandra Dee, had one son, and separated from her in 1966. He died in 1973.
... Read more

Product Description
Bobby Darin
Bobby Darin, also known as Walden Robert Cassotto, was born on May 14, 1936, in New York, NY. In 1958, he changed his name to Bobby Darin and began a singing career. He became famous in 1959, with the release of the song "Mack the Knife." He married the actress Sandra Dee, had one son, and separated from her in 1966. He died in 1973.


... Read more

Product Description
Commentary (music and lyrics not included).Chapters: Dream Lover, Splish Splash, Things, I'll Be There, You're the Reason I'm Living, Early in the Morning, This Little Girl's Gone Rockin'. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 22. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: "Dream Lover" is a song written and recorded by Bobby Darin on March 5, 1959. It was produced by Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler and engineered by Tom Dowd. It is considered a soulful rock song. The song became a multi-million seller, reaching #2 in US charts and #1 in UK. It was released as a single on Atco Records in 1959. In addition to Darin's vocal, the song features Neil Sedaka on piano. A picture sleeve was also issued for this record. The song is also featured in the movie "Hot Shots!" (starring Charlie Sheen) during a scene in which Sheen's character performs several stunts on a motorcycle, trying to impress a girl. The song was also used in Michael Apted's movie "Stardust" (1974) and Barry Levinson's debut film "Diner" (1982). The song was used in the off-Broadway musical, "The Marvelous Wonderettes", a revue of 50's and 60's songs. It was performed as a medley with "All I have to do is Dream." ...http://booksllc.net/?id=4155045 ... Read more