“I’m a sucker for Grandpa’s song Dream Lover. And I think I look a lot like him. His strong, Italian features were definitely passed down to me and some say I was lucky enough to get my grandma’s eyes and lips.”

It’s a story as old as time that grandchildren and grandparents share a profound connection that’s genuinely heartwarming. But for the grandkids of the two world-famous artists from the 1950s, this also translated into an uncanny resemblance.

Bobby Darin was a musician, singer, and actor. He began his career as a songwriter and recorded his first single in 1958. After his stellar performance on the charts, he was prepared to try his luck on the silver screen.

He got his big shot in 1960 when he earned the role of a junior lead opposite Sandra Dee in the Rock Hudson and Gina Lollobrigida film, “Come September.” While on location in Italy, Bobby immediately started to pursue Dee.

Interestingly, Bobby didn’t miss a single chance to confess his feelings for Dee. Their son, Dodd Mitchell Darin, revealed:

“He [Bobby] was standing on the shore wearing a yellow suit, and she [Sandra] was in a boat just pulling in to dock. ‘Will you marry me?’ He called out to her. ‘Not today,’ she replied.”

Dee wasn’t impressed with her co-star’s tactics, and she wasn’t afraid to speak her mind. She found his methods conniving and didn’t want anything to do with him, said Dodd.

But Bobby was determined to turn things around, and he resorted to juvenile tactics. Whenever he saw Dee, he shouted, “Sandra Dee has a flea.” Moreover, he also wooed Dee’s gorgeous young mother, Mary, with his charming demeanor.

Fortunately, his methods worked, and Mary finally convinced Dee to accompany Bobby on a carriage ride. The fateful meeting enabled Bobby to voice his feelings openly. Regarding the lovely evening, Dodd mentioned:

“Bobby told her he acted as he did because he was scared. He was out of his element. He wasn’t the main attraction. He was falling in love with her and was at a loss how to get her to pay attention to him.”

Soon afterward, the two became a thing, laughing and flirting all across Rome. The couple eloped on December 1, 1960, much to the annoyance of everyone, including Dee’s mom. But Dee’s initial thoughts about Bobby had finally changed. She told Dodd:

“I do remember my thoughts that first morning when I woke up in bed with my husband. I thought I had never felt so safe in my life as I felt with Bobby.”

By 1963, things drastically changed for the couple, and their juvenile antics caught up with them. Bobby became convinced that his wife was having an affair with her “Tammy and the Doctor” co-star Peter Fonda, and he had a lackey tell her he wanted a divorce.

But Dodd stated that Dee denied the allegations and said she and Fonda were merely good co-workers. The couple’s separation was short-lived, and they reconciled soon afterward. In 1961, they welcomed their son, Dodd.

But things went awry again when in 1966, Bobby saw Dee conversing with Warren Beatty at a buffet at the home of Joan Collins and Anthony Newley. He immediately had their psychiatrist tell her he wanted a divorce. Sadly, this time, it was permanent.

The late 60s were cumbersome for the former lovers. Bobby became furious, bitter, and scared. He knew he wouldn’t live to be an older man as he developed sepsis and suffered from dementia. On his son’s twelfth birthday, he called to wish from the hospital.

Dodd...