Dario was born in 1918 at Yurong Street East Sydney. His family was unusual. His parents were intellectuals, of Italian origin, and the family was artistically and musically talented. Actors Peter Finch and Chips Rafferty were family friends. Artist Unk White was another friend of Dario’s brother, Virgil Lo Schiavo, another artist, famous for murals. Dario describes Italian culture, the social and commercial life in Potts Point and Kings Cross and his education by the Marist Brothers at Darlinghurst.