Frankie Avalon
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Francis Thomas Avallone (born September 18, 1940), better known as Frankie Avalon, is an American actor, singer, and former
teen idol A teen idol is a celebrity with a large teenage fan base. Teen idols are generally young but are not necessarily teenagers. An idol's popularity may be limited to teens, or may extend to all age groups. By region Asia East Asia possess ...
. He had 31 charting U.S. ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large adverti ...
'' singles from 1958 to late 1962, including number one hits, "
Venus Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is sometimes called Earth's "sister" or "twin" planet as it is almost as large and has a similar composition. As an interior planet to Earth, Venus (like Mercury) appears in Earth's sky never f ...
" and "
Why Why may refer to: * Causality, a consequential relationship between two events * Reason (argument), a premise in support of an argument, for what reason or purpose * Grounding (metaphysics), a topic in metaphysics regarding how things exist in vi ...
" in 1959. Avalon, started appearing in films in the 1960s and is also well known for his role in the 1970s musical film '' Grease'' as ''Teen Angel'', in which he sings " Beauty School Dropout" to Frenchy (played by Didi Conn).


Early life and music

Avalon was born in
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...
,
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
, the son of Mary and Nicholas Avallone. His mother was originally from
Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...
. His father was a butcher from
Naples Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adm ...
or
Salerno Salerno (, , ; nap, label= Salernitano, Saliernë, ) is an ancient city and ''comune'' in Campania (southwestern Italy) and is the capital of the namesake province, being the second largest city in the region by number of inhabitants, after ...
, in
Campania (man), it, Campana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demog ...
,
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
. His paternal grandmother was from Sicily. In December 1952, Avalon made his American network television debut playing the trumpet in the
Honeymooners ''The Honeymooners'' is an American television sitcom which originally aired from 1955 to 1956, created by and starring Jackie Gleason, and based on a recurring comedy sketch of the same name that had been part of Gleason's variety show. It fo ...
"Christmas Party" sketch on ''
The Jackie Gleason Show ''The Jackie Gleason Show'' is the name of a series of American network television shows that starred Jackie Gleason, which ran from 1952 to 1970, in various forms. ''Cavalcade of Stars'' Gleason's first variety series, which aired on the DuMon ...
''. Two singles showcasing Avalon's trumpet playing were issued on
RCA Victor RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...
's "X" sublabel in 1954. His trumpet playing was also featured on some of his LP songs as well. As a teenager he played with
Bobby Rydell Robert Louis Ridarelli (April 26, 1942 – April 5, 2022), known by the stage name Bobby Rydell, was an American singer and actor who mainly performed rock and roll and traditional pop music. In the early 1960s he was considered a teen idol. Hi ...
in Rocco and the Saints. In 1959, "
Venus Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is sometimes called Earth's "sister" or "twin" planet as it is almost as large and has a similar composition. As an interior planet to Earth, Venus (like Mercury) appears in Earth's sky never f ...
" (5 weeks No. 1) and "
Why Why may refer to: * Causality, a consequential relationship between two events * Reason (argument), a premise in support of an argument, for what reason or purpose * Grounding (metaphysics), a topic in metaphysics regarding how things exist in vi ...
" went to number one on the
Billboard Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online stream ...
. "Why" was the last No. 1 of the 1950s. Avalon had 31 charted U.S. ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large adverti ...
'' singles from 1958 to late 1962, including "
Just Ask Your Heart "Just Ask Your Heart" is a song written by Diane DeNota, Joe Ricci, and Pete Damato and performed by Frankie Avalon. The song reached #7 on the ''Billboard'' Top 100 in 1959. The song was arranged by Peter De Angelis. The song was ranked #59 on ...
" (U.S. No. 7), " I'll Wait for You" (U.S. No. 5), " Bobby Sox to Stockings" (U.S. No. 8), and " A Boy Without a Girl" (U.S. No. 10). He was less popular in the U.K., but did still manage four chart hits with "Why", " Ginger Bread", "Venus" and "Don't Throw Away All Those Teardrops". Most of his
hits Hits or H.I.T.S. may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * '' H.I.T.S.'', 1991 album by New Kids on the Block * ''...Hits'' (Phil Collins album), 1998 * ''Hits'' (compilation series), 1984–2006; 2014 - a British compilation album s ...
were written and/or produced by
Bob Marcucci Robert Phillip "Bob" Marcucci (February 28, 1930 – March 9, 2011) was an American lyricist, talent manager, film producer, and the owner of Chancellor Records and Robert P. Marcucci Productions. He discovered and managed the careers of Fabian ...
, head of Chancellor Records. Avalon concentrated on his acting career which detracted from his recording career, and "Why" of 1959 would be Avalon's final top 10 hit.


Film and TV career

Avalon's first film was a short appearance in ''
Jamboree In Scouting, a jamboree is a large gathering of Scouts who rally at a national or international level. History The 1st World Scout Jamboree was held in 1920, and was hosted by the United Kingdom. Since then, there have been twenty-three other W ...
'' (1957), playing a trumpet and singing "Teacher's Pet". In the late 1950s, teen idols were often given roles in films, supporting older male stars in order to attract a younger audience, such as
Ricky Nelson Eric Hilliard Nelson (May 8, 1940 – December 31, 1985) was an American musician, songwriter and actor. From age eight he starred alongside his family in the radio and television series ''The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet''. In 1957, he bega ...
in '' Rio Bravo'' (1959).
Alan Ladd Alan Walbridge Ladd (September 3, 1913 – January 29, 1964) was an American actor and film producer. Ladd found success in film in the 1940s and early 1950s, particularly in films noir and Westerns. He was often paired with Veronica Lake ...
's daughter was a Frankie Avalon fan, who recommended that he co-star with her father in the Western ''
Guns of the Timberland ''Guns of the Timberland'' is a 1960 American Technicolor lumberjack Western film directed by Robert D. Webb and starring Alan Ladd, Jeanne Crain, Gilbert Roland and Frankie Avalon. Plot Logger Jim Hadley and his lumberjack crew are looking for n ...
'' (1960). Avalon sings two songs, "The Faithful Kind" and "Gee Whiz Whillikins Golly Gee"; both were released as singles. Ladd announced he would reteam Avalon and his daughter in ''Six Steps to Freedom'' but the film was never made. Rushes for ''Timberland'' were seen by
John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne and nicknamed The Duke or Duke Wayne, was an American actor who became a popular icon through his starring roles in films made during Hollywood's Go ...
, who was looking for a young actor to play the (fictitious) role of "Smitty" in his passion project, ''
The Alamo The Battle of the Alamo (February 23 – March 6, 1836) was a pivotal event in the Texas Revolution. Following a 13-day siege, Mexican troops under President General Antonio López de Santa Anna reclaimed the Alamo Mission near San Ant ...
'' (1960). Avalon was cast in his second dramatic part. After making the film Wayne told the press "We're not cutting one bit of any scene in which Frankie appears. I believe he is the finest young talent I've seen in a long time." "Mr Wayne said I was natural as far as acting goes," said Avalon. He added, "My ambition when I was ten years old was to have my own band like
Harry James Harry Haag James (March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983) was an American musician who is best known as a trumpet-playing band leader who led a big band from 1939 to 1946. He broke up his band for a short period in 1947 but shortly after he reorganized ...
. I never expected anything like this... I'd like to be identified as a singer, dancer, and actor. I don't want to be just one thing." "I like to appeal to teenagers and adults," he said in 1960. "Everybody". Avalon was now in demand as an actor. He provided the singing voice for the lead character in the English-language version of a Japanese musical
anime is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...
, ''
Alakazam the Great ''Alakazam the Great'', known in Japan as , is a 1960 Japanese anime musical film, based on the 16th-century Chinese novel ''Journey to the West''. It was one of the earliest anime films to be released in the United States. Osamu Tezuka was named ...
'' (1960), which was done at the behest of the US distributor,
American International Pictures American International Pictures (AIP) is an American motion picture production label of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. In its original operating period, AIP was an independent film production and distribution company known for producing and releasing fi ...
. It was the first in what would be a long association with that company. For
Irwin Allen Irwin Allen (born Irwin O. Cohen, June 12, 1916 – November 2, 1991) was an American film and television producer and director, known for his work in science fiction, then later as the "Master of Disaster" for his work in the disaster film genr ...
, Avalon had a small role and sang the title song in the science fiction adventure film, '' Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea'' (1961), a solid commercial hit. He had a supporting role in a comedy, '' Sail a Crooked Ship'' (1961).


AIP association

Avalon was teamed with
Ray Milland Ray Milland (born Alfred Reginald Jones; 3 January 1907 – 10 March 1986) was a Welsh-American actor and film director. His screen career ran from 1929 to 1985. He is remembered for his Academy Award and Cannes Film Festival Award-winning ...
in the science fiction film, '' Panic in Year Zero!'' (1962), written by
Lou Rusoff Lou Rusoff (August 3, 1911 – June 29, 1963) was a Canadian-born screenwriter and producer best known for his work with American International Pictures. He was brother-in-law to Sam Arkoff and was the screenwriter for many of Roger Corman's f ...
. Samuel Z. Arkoff of
American International Pictures American International Pictures (AIP) is an American motion picture production label of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. In its original operating period, AIP was an independent film production and distribution company known for producing and releasing fi ...
(AIP) said Avalon and Milland were teamed together because "they both have particular types of followers and the combination adds up to an attraction." For AIP, Avalon made a war film with
Tab Hunter Tab Hunter (born Arthur Andrew Kelm; July 11, 1931 – July 8, 2018) was an American actor, singer, film producer, and author. Known for his blond, clean-cut good looks, Hunter starred in more than forty films. He was a Hollywood heartthrob of t ...
, ''
Operation Bikini ''Operation Bikini'', also titled ''The Seafighter'', is a war film released in 1963 by American International Pictures. It was directed by Anthony Carras and starred Tab Hunter, Frankie Avalon and Scott Brady. The casting was aimed to capture a ...
'' (1963), singing a few songs in flashback. At MGM, he played the lead in an adventure film set in Africa, ''
Drums of Africa ''Drums of Africa'' is a 1963 American adventure film set in Africa, directed by James B. Clark. It used footage from the 1950 film of ''King Solomon's Mines''. Plot Three adventurers fight slave traders in the Congo. Cast *Frankie Avalon as ...
'' (1963). Of more significance for Avalon's career was a project originally written by Rusoff, '' Beach Party'' (1963). This cheerful pop rock-and-roll musical comedy starred
Annette Funicello Annette Joanne Funicello (October 22, 1942 – April 8, 2013) was an American actress and singer. Funicello began her professional career as a child performer at the age of twelve. She was one of the most popular Mouseketeers on the orig ...
and was directed by William Asher. Arkoff said AIP originally wanted
Fabian Forte Fabian Forte (born Fabiano Anthony Forte, February 6, 1943), professionally known as Fabian, is an American singer and actor. Forte rose to national prominence after performing several times on '' American Bandstand''. He became a teen idol o ...
to co-star with Funicello, but when he proved unavailable, they went with Avalon; it was a big hit and led to several sequels. Avalon received an offer to appear in a swashbuckler set in 10th century Spain about
Fernán González of Castile Fernán González (died 970) was the first autonomous count of Castile. Fernán González was a colourful character of legendary status in Iberia, and founder of the dynasty that would rule a semi-autonomous Castile, laying the foundations for it ...
, '' The Castilian'' (1963). This was followed by the ''Beach Party'' sequel, ''
Muscle Beach Party ''Muscle Beach Party'' is the second of seven beach party films produced by American International Pictures. It stars Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello and was directed by William Asher, who also directed four other films in this series. D ...
'' (1963), which proved to be popular. Even more so was the third in the film series ''
Bikini Beach ''Bikini Beach'' is a 1964 American teen film directed by William Asher and starring Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello. The film belongs to the beach party genre of movies, popular in the 1960s. This is the third in the series of seven film ...
'' (1964), where Avalon had a dual role. In August 1964, Avalon announced he had signed to make ten films in five years for AIP. '' Pajama Party'' (1964) was the unofficial fourth film in the series; it was a science fiction spoof in which Avalon ceded the leading man duties to Tommy Kirk, but he did have a cameo in it, however. He was back as the leading man in ''
Beach Blanket Bingo ''Beach Blanket Bingo'' is a 1965 American beach party film directed by William Asher. It is the fifth film in the Beach Party film series. The film stars Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello, Linda Evans, Deborah Walley, Paul Lynde, and Don Rickl ...
'' (1965). Avalon later recalled, "'That's the picture of mine that I think people remember best, and it was just a lot of kids having a lot of fun ... a picture about young romance and about the opposition of adults and old people... It was also fun because we got to learn how to fake skydive out of an airplane." Avalon also appeared in nearly two dozen TV episodes, including ABC's '' The Bing Crosby Show'' and ''
The Patty Duke Show ''The Patty Duke Show'' is an American television sitcom created by Sidney Sheldon and William Asher. The series ran on ABC from September 18, 1963, to April 27, 1966. The series was developed as a vehicle for teenage star Patty Duke, who h ...
'', appearing often as himself. Later, he became a national television spokesperson for
Sonic Drive-In Sonic Corporation, founded as Sonic Drive-In and more commonly known as Sonic (stylized as SONIC), or "The Drive-In," is an American drive-in fast food restaurant Chain store, chain owned by Inspire Brands, the parent company of Arby's and Buf ...
. In 1965, he appeared in the '' Combat!'' TV series episode "Brother, Brother" as a childhood friend of Pfc. Kirby, played by Jack Hogan. Avalon and Tuesday Weld supported
Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was a British-American comedian, vaudevillian, actor, singer and dancer. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in more than 70 short and feature films, with ...
in the comedy film, ''
I'll Take Sweden ''I'll Take Sweden'' is a 1965 American comedy film directed by Frederick de Cordova, and starring Bob Hope, Frankie Avalon, and Tuesday Weld. Plot Single father Bob Holcomb, a widower, is unhappy with the guitar-playing boy Kenny his daughte ...
'' (1965) for
Edward Small Edward Small (born Edward Schmalheiser, February 1, 1891, Brooklyn, New York – January 25, 1977, Los Angeles) was a film producer from the late 1920s through 1970, who was enormously prolific over a 50-year career. He is best known for the movi ...
. For AIP, he teamed with Dwayne Hickman in a copy of ''
Some Like It Hot ''Some Like It Hot'' is a 1959 American crime comedy film directed, produced and co-written by Billy Wilder. It stars Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, with George Raft, Pat O'Brien, Joe E. Brown, Joan Shawlee, Grace Lee Whitne ...
'' (1959) called '' Ski Party'' (1965). That studio also gave him the lead in a military service comedy, ''
Sergeant Deadhead ''Sergeant Deadhead'' is a 1965 musical comedy film directed by Norman Taurog and starring Frankie Avalon. It features many cast members who appeared in the ''Beach Party'' movies. Plot Sergeant Deadhead is a bumbling soldier who is sent to the g ...
'' (1965), playing another dual role. All this activity meant he was reluctant to appear in another "beach party" film, so Hickman played the lead in ''
How to Stuff a Wild Bikini ''How to Stuff a Wild Bikini'' is a 1965 Pathécolor beach party film from American International Pictures. The sixth entry in a seven-film series, the movie features Mickey Rooney, Annette Funicello, Dwayne Hickman, Brian Donlevy, and Beverl ...
'' (1965), although Avalon had a cameo. The box office performance of these last few films was disappointing, especially ''Sergeant Deadhead'', for which sequels had been planned. More popular was AIP's '' Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine'' (1965), a comedy with
Vincent Price Vincent Leonard Price Jr. (May 27, 1911 – October 25, 1993) was an American actor, art historian, art collector and gourmet cook. He appeared on stage, television, and radio, and in more than 100 films. Price has two stars on the Hollywood Wal ...
and Hickman. This was liked well enough to justify a sequel, although Avalon did not appear; Fabian Forte took over the Avalon roll. In January 1966, Avalon said he no longer wanted to make beach films. "Even a seagull leaves the beach from time to time, and I'm getting a little sick of sand." AIP tried to find a new starring formula for Avalon, casting him as a stock car driver in ''
Fireball 500 ''Fireball 500'' is a 1966 stock car racing film, blended with the beach party film genre. A vehicle for stars Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello, and Fabian, it was one of a string of similar racing films from the 1960s. Written by William Ashe ...
'' (1966), alongside Fabian and Funicello, for director William Asher. It was a medium financial success and led to other AIP stock car films, though none had Avalon starring in them. For
Harry Alan Towers Harry Alan Towers (19 October 1920 – 31 July 2009) was a British radio and independent film producer and screenwriter. He wrote numerous screenplays for the films he produced, often under the pseudonym Peter Welbeck. He produced over 80 f ...
he played the lead role in ''
The Million Eyes of Sumuru ''The Million Eyes of Sumuru'' is a 1967 British spy film produced by Harry Alan Towers, directed by Lindsay Shonteff and filmed at the Shaw Brothers studios in Hong Kong. It stars Frankie Avalon and George Nader, with Shirley Eaton as the title ...
'' (1967), and also had a solid role in '' Skidoo'' (1968), a comedy from
Otto Preminger Otto Ludwig Preminger ( , ; 5 December 1905 – 23 April 1986) was an Austrian-American theatre and film director, film producer, and actor. He directed more than 35 feature films in a five-decade career after leaving the theatre. He first gai ...
. In England, he was in AIP's ''
The Haunted House of Horror ''The Haunted House of Horror'', also titled ''Horror House'' and ''The Dark'', is a 1969 British horror film directed by Michael Armstrong and starring Frankie Avalon and Jill Haworth as young adults looking for a thrill by spending the night ...
'' (1968).


1970s and 1980s

In 1976, Avalon updated his song "Venus" with a new disco treatment. Materializing as a character called Teen Angel, his performance of "Beauty School Dropout" in the hit 1978 film of the musical '' Grease'' introduced Avalon to a new generation of viewers. In early 1979, Avalon portrayed Sergei in the episode "Dewey and Harold and Sarah and Maggie" of the
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
television series '' $weepstake$''. The 1980 film ''
The Idolmaker ''The Idolmaker'' is a 1980 American musical drama starring Ray Sharkey, Peter Gallagher, Paul Land, Tovah Feldshuh and Joe Pantoliano. The film is loosely based on the life of rock promoter/producer Bob Marcucci who discovered, among others, ...
'', written by Ed Di Lorenzo and directed by
Taylor Hackford Taylor Edwin Hackford (born December 31, 1944) is an American film director and former president of the Directors Guild of America. He won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film for '' Teenage Father'' (1979). Hackford went on to direct ...
, was a thinly-disguised biography of Avalon ("Tommy Dee" in the film) as well as 1950s teenage star
Fabian Forte Fabian Forte (born Fabiano Anthony Forte, February 6, 1943), professionally known as Fabian, is an American singer and actor. Forte rose to national prominence after performing several times on '' American Bandstand''. He became a teen idol o ...
(called "Caesare" in the film), along with songwriter/producer Bob Marcucci (called "Vinnie Vacarri"). In the film, Dee clashes with the record producer and younger singer Caesare, who he feels threatens his career. Eventually, Dee and Caesare quit the label, but their record careers collapse just as the
British Invasion The British Invasion was a cultural phenomenon of the mid-1960s, when rock and pop music acts from the United Kingdom and other aspects of British culture became popular in the United States and significant to the rising "counterculture" o ...
begins. The real Fabian threatened a lawsuit, despite the filmmakers' insistence that the film presented only fictional characters (though Marcucci was a paid consultant). Avalon denied most of the film's events. In 1980 Avalon appeared in the film ''
Blood Song ''Blood Song'' (also known as ''Dream Slayer'') is a 1982 American independent slasher film directed Alan J. Levi, produced by Frank Avianca and Lenny Montana, and starring Frankie Avalon and Donna Wilkes. It follows a crippled young woman in ...
'' as Paul Foley, a serial killer. The movie was shot in October-November 1980 in North Bend/Coos Bay, Oregon. It was released in October 1982. He also appeared in the ''
Happy Days ''Happy Days'' is an American television sitcom that aired first-run on the ABC network from January 15, 1974, to July 19, 1984, with a total of 255 half-hour episodes spanning 11 seasons. Created by Garry Marshall, it was one of the most su ...
'' episode "Poobah Doo Dah" playing himself where he sings his hits "Venus" and "Why". Avalon had the idea of returning to beach party films with Funicello. He hired several screenwriters and shopped the screenplay around town, eventually managing to set up the project at
Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...
. '' Back to the Beach'' (1987) was a moderate success. In 1989, Avalon and Funicello appeared as themselves in cameo roles, out jogging the streets in '' Troop Beverly Hills''. Not long afterward Funicello retired, having been diagnosed with
multiple sclerosis Multiple (cerebral) sclerosis (MS), also known as encephalomyelitis disseminata or disseminated sclerosis, is the most common demyelinating disease, in which the insulating covers of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord are damaged. This ...
.


Later career

Avalon then turned to marketing and created Frankie Avalon Products, a line of health and cosmetic aids. He promoted his products on the
Home Shopping Network HSN, an initialism of its former name Home Shopping Network, is an American free-to-air television network owned by the Qurate Retail Group, which also owns catalog company Cornerstone Brands. Based in the Gateway area of St. Petersburg, Flo ...
with host Bob Circosta. Avalon made a cameo appearance as himself with
Robert De Niro Robert Anthony De Niro Jr. ( , ; born August 17, 1943) is an American actor. Known for his collaborations with Martin Scorsese, he is considered to be one of the best actors of his generation. De Niro is the recipient of various accolades ...
in the 1995 film, ''
Casino A casino is a facility for certain types of gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos are also known for hosting live enterta ...
''. In recent years, Avalon has starred in stage productions of '' Grease'' in the role of Teen Angel and in ''
Tony n' Tina's Wedding ''Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding'' is an "environmental/immersive theatre" event based on a traditional Italian-American wedding and reception, with warm and intrusive stereotypes exaggerated for comic effect. Audience members are treated as guests at ...
'' as a caricature of himself. Additionally, in 2007, he performed "Beauty School Dropout" with the four remaining female contenders (Kathleen Monteleone, Allie Schulz, Ashley Spencer, and winner Laura Osnes) for the role of Sandy on the
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
television reality show '' Grease: You're the One that I Want!'' On April 8, 2009, Avalon performed on ''
American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to ...
''. As part of a long-running concert tour, Avalon has toured with fellow Philadelphian early 1960s teen idols Fabian and
Bobby Rydell Robert Louis Ridarelli (April 26, 1942 – April 5, 2022), known by the stage name Bobby Rydell, was an American singer and actor who mainly performed rock and roll and traditional pop music. In the early 1960s he was considered a teen idol. Hi ...
under the banner "Dick Fox's Golden Boys". A cookbook with over 80 recipes from St. Martin's Press, ''Frankie Avalon's Italian Family Cookbook'', was published in 2015. On October 18, 2021, Avalon performed on ''
Dancing with the Stars ''Dancing with the Stars'' is the name of various international television series based on the format of the British TV series '' Strictly Come Dancing'', which is distributed by BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the form ...
''.


Personal life

Avalon married Kathryn "Kay" Diebel on January 19, 1963. She was a
beauty pageant A beauty pageant is a competition that has traditionally focused on judging and ranking the physical attributes of the contestants. Pageants have now evolved to include inner beauty, with criteria covering judging of personality, intelligence, ...
winner he met while playing cards at a friend's house. He told that friend she was the girl he would marry. His agent warned him that marriage would spoil his
teen idol A teen idol is a celebrity with a large teenage fan base. Teen idols are generally young but are not necessarily teenagers. An idol's popularity may be limited to teens, or may extend to all age groups. By region Asia East Asia possess ...
mystique, to no avail. The Avalons have eight children – Frankie Jr., Tony, Dina, Laura, Joseph, Nicolas, Kathryn and Carla – and ten grandchildren. Frankie Jr. is a former actor who appeared in the original ''
The Karate Kid ''The Karate Kid'' is a 1984 American martial arts drama film written by Robert Mark Kamen and directed by John G. Avildsen. It is the first installment in the ''Karate Kid'' franchise, and stars Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue an ...
'' and is now a musician. Tony, the second-eldest son, plays guitar and taught at the Rock Nation School. Both sons play on tour with their father.


Legacy

Avalon was mentioned in the
System of a Down System of a Down (also known as SoaD or simply System) is an Armenian-American heavy metal band formed in Glendale, California, in 1994. Since 1997, the band has consisted of Serj Tankian (lead vocals, keyboards); Daron Malakian (guitar, voc ...
song " Old School Hollywood". The song supposedly is about Daron Malakian's experience in a celebrity baseball game, where he and Avalon were both ignored. Avalon is also mentioned in "It Takes Two", a song from the hit musical '' Hairspray'', sung by the character Link Larkin, and in a song by the
Wu-Tang Clan Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop group formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992. Its original members include RZA, GZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Masta Killa. Close aff ...
called "The City" which refers to his experiences of being a big part of the beach party film genre ("Ride the wave like Frankie Avalon"). One of numerous obscure cultural references present in Midway's video game ''
Mortal Kombat 3 ''Mortal Kombat 3'' is a 1995 arcade fighting game developed by Midway Games and first released into arcades in 1995. It is the third main installment in the ''Mortal Kombat'' franchise and a sequel to 1993's ''Mortal Kombat II''. As in the prev ...
'' was a lo-res image of Frankie Avalon's face that would dart up in the lower right-hand corner of the screen when Goro killed his opponent by knocking him into the spike pit on the Bridge level. His song "Venus" was featured in
Cranium Command Cranium Command was an attraction at the Wonders of Life pavilion at Walt Disney World Resort's Epcot theme park. The show was a humorous presentation on the importance of the human brain. The show's script was written by Jenny Tripp, a staff w ...
(1989–2005), an attraction at
Epcot Epcot, stylized in all uppercase as EPCOT, is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. It is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Parks, Experiences and Products division. Inspired by an unre ...
's Wonders of Life Pavilion (now closed) at
Walt Disney World The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, near the cities of Orlando and Kissimmee. Opened on October 1, 1971, th ...
. In the attraction, a 12-year-old boy named Bobby (Scott Curtis), tries to survive the pressures of life and falls in love with a beautiful girl named Annie (
Natalie Gregory Natalie Lynn Gregory is an American former child actress. Career She starred as Alice in the 1985 television film ''Alice in Wonderland''. Gregory is the youngest actress (age 9 years when she filmed the miniseries) to have played the role in ...
) at school. Avalon and his song "Venus" are mentioned in
Wendy Wasserstein Wendy Wasserstein (October 18, 1950 – January 30, 2006) was an American playwright. She was an Andrew Dickson White Professor-at-Large at Cornell University. She received the Tony Award for Best Play and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1989 ...
's 2005 play ''
Third Third or 3rd may refer to: Numbers * 3rd, the ordinal form of the cardinal number 3 * , a fraction of one third * Second#Sexagesimal divisions of calendar time and day, 1⁄60 of a ''second'', or 1⁄3600 of a ''minute'' Places * 3rd Street (d ...
''. The main character, English professor Laurie Jameson, watches a
PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...
reunion show featuring Avalon singing the song, and sings a line of it to her daughter. In stage productions of the show, part of the song is played and a portion of the supposed
PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...
special is screened as part of the scenery. Avalon is also referenced in the 1994 film, ''
The Stöned Age ''The Stoned Age'' is a 1994 American comedy film directed by James Melkonian, following two long-haired stoners who spend a night touring the suburbs of Los Angeles, looking for alcohol, parties, and young women. Plot The film is set in Torr ...
'', in which he makes an ending scene
cameo appearance A cameo role, also called a cameo appearance and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief appearance of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly eit ...
. His song "Venus" additionally appeared in
season 4 Season 4 may refer to: * "Season 4" (''30 Rock'' episode), an episode of ''30 Rock'' See also * * Season One (disambiguation) * Season 2 (disambiguation) Season 2 may refer to: * ''Season 2'' (Infinite album) * '' 2econd Season'' See also * ...
of the TV series '' Dexter'' in which
John Lithgow John Arthur Lithgow ( ; born , 1945) is an American actor. Lithgow studied at Harvard University and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art before becoming known for his work on the stage and screen. He has been the recipient of numerous ...
's character, Arthur Mitchell, plays it to remember his deceased sister. Also, "Venus" is sampled in Nick Bertke's, single, "J'Adore Juin", a mashup of sounds from the movie
The Apartment ''The Apartment'' is a 1960 American romantic comedy-drama film directed and produced by Billy Wilder from a screenplay he co-wrote with I. A. L. Diamond. It stars Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray, Ray Walston, Jack Kruschen, Dav ...
. "Venus" also appeared in the 2016 film '' 10 Cloverfield Lane'' starring John Goodman. Avalon is also mentioned in
The Vaccines The Vaccines are an English indie rock band, formed in West London in 2010. Band members Justin Hayward-Young (lead vocals, guitar), Freddie Cowan (lead guitar, vocals), Árni Árnason (bass, vocals), Timothy Lanham (guitars, keys, vocals) and ...
' song " Teenage Icon".


Discography


Acting roles

* 1956 ''
The Honeymooners ''The Honeymooners'' is an American television sitcom which originally aired from 1955 to 1956, created by and starring Jackie Gleason, and based on a recurring comedy sketch of the same name that had been part of Gleason's variety show. It fol ...
'' as Himself * 1957 ''
Jamboree In Scouting, a jamboree is a large gathering of Scouts who rally at a national or international level. History The 1st World Scout Jamboree was held in 1920, and was hosted by the United Kingdom. Since then, there have been twenty-three other W ...
'' as Himself * 1960 ''
Guns of the Timberland ''Guns of the Timberland'' is a 1960 American Technicolor lumberjack Western film directed by Robert D. Webb and starring Alan Ladd, Jeanne Crain, Gilbert Roland and Frankie Avalon. Plot Logger Jim Hadley and his lumberjack crew are looking for n ...
'' as Bert Harvey * 1960 ''
Alakazam the Great ''Alakazam the Great'', known in Japan as , is a 1960 Japanese anime musical film, based on the 16th-century Chinese novel ''Journey to the West''. It was one of the earliest anime films to be released in the United States. Osamu Tezuka was named ...
'' as Alakazam (English version, singing voice) * 1960 ''
The Alamo The Battle of the Alamo (February 23 – March 6, 1836) was a pivotal event in the Texas Revolution. Following a 13-day siege, Mexican troops under President General Antonio López de Santa Anna reclaimed the Alamo Mission near San Ant ...
'' as Smitty * 1961 '' Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea'' as Lieutenant Junior Grade Danny Romano * 1961 '' Sail a Crooked Ship'' as Ensign Rodney J. Foglemeyer * 1962 '' Panic in Year Zero!'' as Rick Baldwin * 1962–1963 '' The Eleventh Hour'' (TV series, in episode entitled "A Tumble from a High White House") as Larry Thatcher * 1963 ''
Operation Bikini ''Operation Bikini'', also titled ''The Seafighter'', is a war film released in 1963 by American International Pictures. It was directed by Anthony Carras and starred Tab Hunter, Frankie Avalon and Scott Brady. The casting was aimed to capture a ...
'' as Seaman Joseph Malzone * 1963 ''
The Jack Benny Program ''The Jack Benny Program'', starring Jack Benny, is a radio-TV comedy series that ran for more than three decades and is generally regarded as a high-water mark in 20th century American comedy. He played one role throughout his radio and televis ...
'' (TV series, episode: "The Frankie Avalon Show") as Himself * 1963 ''
The Patty Duke Show ''The Patty Duke Show'' is an American television sitcom created by Sidney Sheldon and William Asher. The series ran on ABC from September 18, 1963, to April 27, 1966. The series was developed as a vehicle for teenage star Patty Duke, who had w ...
'' (TV series, episode: "How to Be Popular") * 1963 '' The Castilian'' as Jerifán * 1963 ''
Drums of Africa ''Drums of Africa'' is a 1963 American adventure film set in Africa, directed by James B. Clark. It used footage from the 1950 film of ''King Solomon's Mines''. Plot Three adventurers fight slave traders in the Congo. Cast *Frankie Avalon as ...
'' as Brian Ferrers * 1963 '' Beach Party'' as Frankie * 1963 '' Rawhide'' (TV series) as Billy Farragut * 1963 ''
Mr. Novak ''Mr. Novak'' is an American television dramatic series starring James Franciscus in the title role as a high school teacher. The series aired on NBC for two seasons, from 1963 to 1965. It won a Peabody Award in 1963. Synopsis The series follows ...
'' (TV series, in "A Thousand Voices") as David Muller * 1964 ''
Muscle Beach Party ''Muscle Beach Party'' is the second of seven beach party films produced by American International Pictures. It stars Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello and was directed by William Asher, who also directed four other films in this series. D ...
'' as Frankie * 1964 ''
Bikini Beach ''Bikini Beach'' is a 1964 American teen film directed by William Asher and starring Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello. The film belongs to the beach party genre of movies, popular in the 1960s. This is the third in the series of seven film ...
'' as Frankie / Potato Bug * 1964 '' Pajama Party'' as Socum * 1965 '' Combat!'' (TV series) as Eddie Cane * 1965 ''
Beach Blanket Bingo ''Beach Blanket Bingo'' is a 1965 American beach party film directed by William Asher. It is the fifth film in the Beach Party film series. The film stars Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello, Linda Evans, Deborah Walley, Paul Lynde, and Don Rickl ...
'' as Frankie * 1965 ''
I'll Take Sweden ''I'll Take Sweden'' is a 1965 American comedy film directed by Frederick de Cordova, and starring Bob Hope, Frankie Avalon, and Tuesday Weld. Plot Single father Bob Holcomb, a widower, is unhappy with the guitar-playing boy Kenny his daughte ...
'' as Kenny Klinger * 1965 '' Ski Party'' as Todd Armstrong * 1965 ''
How to Stuff a Wild Bikini ''How to Stuff a Wild Bikini'' is a 1965 Pathécolor beach party film from American International Pictures. The sixth entry in a seven-film series, the movie features Mickey Rooney, Annette Funicello, Dwayne Hickman, Brian Donlevy, and Beverl ...
'' as Frankie * 1965 ''
The Patty Duke Show ''The Patty Duke Show'' is an American television sitcom created by Sidney Sheldon and William Asher. The series ran on ABC from September 18, 1963, to April 27, 1966. The series was developed as a vehicle for teenage star Patty Duke, who h ...
'' (TV series, episode: "A Foggy Day in Brooklyn Heights") as Himself * 1965 ''
Sergeant Deadhead ''Sergeant Deadhead'' is a 1965 musical comedy film directed by Norman Taurog and starring Frankie Avalon. It features many cast members who appeared in the ''Beach Party'' movies. Plot Sergeant Deadhead is a bumbling soldier who is sent to the g ...
'' as Sergeant O.K. Deadhead / Sergeant Donovan * 1965 '' Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine'' as Craig Gamble * 1966 ''
Fireball 500 ''Fireball 500'' is a 1966 stock car racing film, blended with the beach party film genre. A vehicle for stars Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello, and Fabian, it was one of a string of similar racing films from the 1960s. Written by William Ashe ...
'' as Dave Owens * 1967 ''
The Million Eyes of Sumuru ''The Million Eyes of Sumuru'' is a 1967 British spy film produced by Harry Alan Towers, directed by Lindsay Shonteff and filmed at the Shaw Brothers studios in Hong Kong. It stars Frankie Avalon and George Nader, with Shirley Eaton as the title ...
'' as Tommy Carter * 1967 ''
The Lucy Show ''The Lucy Show'' is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from 1962 to 1968. It was Lucille Ball's follow-up to ''I Love Lucy''. A significant change in cast and premise for the fourth season (1965–1966) divides the program into two distinct ...
'' (TV series, in episode entitled "Lucy The Starmaker") as Tommy Cheever * 1968 '' Skidoo'' as Angie * 1969 ''
The Haunted House of Horror ''The Haunted House of Horror'', also titled ''Horror House'' and ''The Dark'', is a 1969 British horror film directed by Michael Armstrong and starring Frankie Avalon and Jill Haworth as young adults looking for a thrill by spending the night ...
'' as Chris * 1971 ''
Love, American Style ''Love, American Style'' is an anthology comedy television series that aired on ABC from 1969 to 1974. The series was produced by Paramount Television. During the 1971–72 and 1972–73 seasons, it was a part of ABC's Friday primetime lineup ...
'' (TV series) as Henry (segment "Love and the Tuba") * 1974 '' The Take'' as Danny James * 1978 '' Grease'' as Teen Angel * 1978 ''
The Love Boat ''The Love Boat'' is an American romantic comedy/drama television series that aired on ABC from 1977 to 1986; in addition, four three-hour specials aired in 1986, 1987, and 1990. The series was set on the luxury passenger cruise ship MS ''Pac ...
'' (TV series, in the episode " Memories of You/Computerman/Parlez Vous?") as Nick Heider * 1982 ''
Blood Song ''Blood Song'' (also known as ''Dream Slayer'') is a 1982 American independent slasher film directed Alan J. Levi, produced by Frank Avianca and Lenny Montana, and starring Frankie Avalon and Donna Wilkes. It follows a crippled young woman in ...
'' as Paul Foley * 1982 ''
Happy Days ''Happy Days'' is an American television sitcom that aired first-run on the ABC network from January 15, 1974, to July 19, 1984, with a total of 255 half-hour episodes spanning 11 seasons. Created by Garry Marshall, it was one of the most su ...
'' (TV series, in the episode " Poobah Doo Dah") as Himself * 1987 '' Back to the Beach'' as Annette's Husband * 1988 ''Christmas at Pee Wee's Playhouse'' (TV movie) as Himself * 1989 '' Troop Beverly Hills'' as Himself * 1991 ''
Full House ''Full House'' is an American television sitcom created by Jeff Franklin for ABC. The show is about widowed father Danny Tanner who enlists his brother-in-law Jesse Katsopolis and childhood best friend Joey Gladstone to help raise his three dau ...
'' (TV series, in the episode "Joey Goes Hollywood") as Himself * 1992 ''Twist'' (documentary) * 1994 ''
The Stoned Age ''The Stoned Age'' is a 1994 American comedy film directed by James Melkonian, following two long-haired stoners who spend a night touring the suburbs of Los Angeles, looking for alcohol, parties, and young women. Plot The film is set in Torr ...
'' as Himself * 1995 ''
Casino A casino is a facility for certain types of gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos are also known for hosting live enterta ...
'' as Himself (archive footage) * 1996 ''
Renegade Renegade or The Renegade may refer to: Aircraft *Lake Renegade, an American amphibious aircraft design *Murphy Renegade, a Canadian ultralight biplane design *Southern Aeronautical Renegade, an American racing aircraft design Games *'' Comman ...
'' – (TV series, in the episode "High Rollers") as Dan Travis * 2001 ''
Sabrina the Teenage Witch ''Sabrina the Teenage Witch'' is a comic book series published by Archie Comics about the adventures of a fictional American teenager named Sabrina Spellman. Sabrina was created by writer George Gladir and artist Dan DeCarlo, and first appear ...
'' – (TV series, in the Season 5 episode "Beach Blanket Bizarro") as Himself * 2007 ''Charlie Gracie Fabulous'' (documentary) * 2007 ''The Wages of Spin'' (documentary) * 2007 '' Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project'' (documentary) * 2018 '' Papa'' as Jack Freidman


References


External links

* * *
Frankie Avalon images
from Google image search * Frankie Avalon at AllMusic.com
Film Reference bio

June 8, 1961 appearance on ''You Bet Your Life''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Avalon, Frankie 1940 births Living people 20th-century American male actors 20th-century American singers 21st-century American male actors 21st-century American singers American child musicians American male film actors American people of Italian descent American male pop singers American male television actors Male actors from Philadelphia Musicians from Philadelphia Singers from Pennsylvania X Records artists Chancellor Records artists 20th-century American male singers 21st-century American male singers Sonet Records artists