BARRY LEVINE: Bobby Darin, Sandra Dee were the “It Couple” of the ’60s

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie … Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt.

Hollywood’s Golden Couple married in 2014, divorced in 2016 and had six children, three adopted internationally. After a bitter, protracted court fight, the two award-winning actors agreed on shared custody.

Grab a newspaper or a supermarket tabloid, and there is usually a story or snippet on either Pitt or Jolie.

The situation involving Pitt and Jolie was reminiscent of another entertainment couple who grabbed the romantic headlines more than 55 years ago when Bobby Darin, one of the hottest rock singers at that time, and actress Sandra Dee, whose photo adorned virtually every teen male’s bedroom wall, had their torrid romance.

Darin began his career as a songwriter for Connie Francis, and then recorded his initial million-seller, “Splish Splash,” in 1958. The song, written by Darin and New York DJ “Murray the K,” rose to No. 3.

He followed with “Dream Lover” and “Mack the Knife” in 1959 and “Beyond the Sea” in 1960. All three were Top 5 hits and million-sellers.

“Mack the Knife” reached the top spot in October and remained there for nine weeks. It was rated 1959’s top song.

He returned to the Top 5 with “You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby” in 1961, “Things” in 1962 and “You’re the Reason I’m Living” in 1963. Darin had his final Top 10 hit in 1966 with “If I Were a Carpenter.”

Darin’s first major movie, “Come September,” was filmed in 1960 and released in August 1961. The movie was a teen-oriented romantic comedy starring Rock Hudson and Gina Lollobrigida and featuring 18-year-old actress Sandra Dee and Darin.

Darin and Dee first met during the production of the film, fell in love and got married soon afterwards.

After doing a plethora of modeling jobs, the pert blonde-haired, brown-eyed actress gained fame starring in three 1959 films, including “Imitation of Life” opposite Lana Turner and “Gidget,” which made her a household name. Also in 1959, she starred in “A Summer Place” opposite teen heart-throb Troy Donahue The movie was a box-office smash.

The 5-foot-4 Dee also starred in “Portrait in Black” in 1960 and “Romanoff and Juliet” in 1961.

“The Queen of Teens” then did a pair of “Tammy” films with “Tammy Tell Me True” in 1961 and “Tammy and the Doctor” in 1963.

The couple reunited on film again in 1962 for “If a Man Answers.”

Dee’s career began to wane after making “Doctor, You’ve Got to be Kidding” in 1967. She made only five more films, none of which were extremely successful.

She made 26 films during her career.

Interest in Dee was reincarnated due to one of the popular songs from the Broadway musical and 1978 movie “Grease.” The song “Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee” was performed by the rebellious Betty Rizzo (Stockard Channing), who satirized new girl Sandy’s clean-cut image, likened to Sandra Dee’s. Sandy was played by Olivia Newton-John.

While their careers flourished, Dee’s and Darin’s storybook marriage quickly crumbled.

After meeting in May 1960 in Italy during the filming of “Come September,” they eloped on Dec. 1, 1960, when she was 18 and he was 24. They divorced in 1967.

Dee gave birth to a son, Dodd Mitchell Darin, on Dec. 16, 1961.

Darin, 37, died in 1973. On Dec. 19, 1973, a five-man surgical team worked for more than six hours to repair his damaged heart.

Shortly after the surgery ended in the early morning hours of Dec. 20, Darin died in the recovery room without regaining consciousness.

Darin’s last wish in his will was that his body be donated to science for medical research. His remains were transferred to the Ronald Reagan Medical Center shortly after his death.

Dee died in 2005 at age 62 of complications from kidney disease, brought on by a lifelong struggle with anorexia nervosa.

This date in rock history: Still an unknown local singer, Bobby Rydell, 16, made his first TV appearance on “American Bandstand” on March 20, 1959. He recorded his breakthrough hit, “Kissin’ Time,” in June and placed 19 songs on the Top 40. … The Beatles replaced one chart-topper with another on March 21, 1964, when “She Loves You” took over from “I Want To Hold Your Hand.” … “Our Day Will Come” by Ruby & The Romantics topped the hot 100 on March 22, 1963. On the day the song was recorded, it was the first time Ruby had been in a recording studio.

The Four Preps, a teenage quartet from California, saw their first big hit, “Twenty-Six Miles,” peak at No. 2 on the Hot 100 in March 23, 1958. They placed six more songs in the Top 40 during the next four years, including “Big Man” and “Down By The Station.” … The O’Jays followed their No. 3 hit “Back Stabbers” by topping the chart with “Love Train” on March 24, 1973. … Albany’s Ray Charles updated Hoagy Carmichael’s “Georgia On My Mind,” a song that first became a No. 10 hit for Frankie Trumbauer in 1931. Charles’ version became his fifth Pop chart hit on March 25, 1960.

Barry “The Old Rocker” Levine is an entertainment writer for The Albany Herald. He can be reached at [email protected].