Gyp The Cat - Early Years

Early Years

Darin was born in the Bronx borough of New York City. He was reared by his grandparents, whom he thought were his parents. Darin’s mother became pregnant at age 16 and presumably because of the scandalous nature of such in that era the family hatched a plan to pass the baby off as his maternal grandparents’ child. Darin’s mother never revealed who the father of her child was, not even to Darin who was reportedly devastated at learning the true circumstances of his birth. His maternal grandfather, Saverio Antonio Cassotto, was of Italian descent. His maternal grandmother, Vivian Fern (Walden), was of English ("Old Yankee") and Danish ancestry and a vaudeville singer. His mother, Giovannina Cassotto, was presented as his elder sister. He only learned of their actual relationship in 1968, when he was 32.

By the time he was a teenager he could play several instruments, including piano, drums, and guitar. He later added harmonica and xylophone.

Darin graduated from the prestigious Bronx High School of Science. He matriculated at Hunter College, but soon dropped out in order to play nightclubs around the city with a musical combo.