..FRANKIE AVALON
Information from IMDb
Date of Birth
18 September 1939, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Birth Name
Francis Thomas Avallone
Height
5' 8" (1.73 m)
Spouse
Kathryn Diebel (26 January 1962 - present) 8 children
Trivia
He and his wife have 8 children and they are in order of age Frank Burt Avalon, Tony, Dina, Laura, Joseph, Nicolas, Kathryn and Carla.
He studied acting with Wynn Handman in New York and Estelle Harmon in Los Angeles.
Mother, Mary Avallone was born July 3, 1916; father, Nicholas Avallone was born April 27, 1913. Sister, Theresa Avallone.
He sang the song "These Are The Good Times" in both the movie Beach Blanket Bingo (1965) and when he guest starred in "The Patty Duke Show" (1963) in 1965.
His sister Theresa is 2 years older than he is.
Has a house in the San Bernadino Mountains in Southern California
He met Michael Wayne's wife, Gretchen Wayne (aka Gretchen Diebel), on the set of the John Wayne film The Alamo (1960), in which he had a part. Four years later, he married beauty pageant winner Kathryn Diebel, Gretchen's sister. So, he is part of the extended John Wayne family.
Brother-in-law of Michael Wayne, Patrick Wayne, Toni Wayne, Marisa Wayne, Ethan Wayne, Aissa Wayne and Melinda Wayne.
Discovered by Robert P. Marcucci.
He had the last #1 hit of the 1950s with the ballad,"Why".
Mini Biography
One of a spate of teen idols to come out of Philadelphia in the 1950s and 1960s, Frankie Avalon--unlike many of the others--actually had a musical background, having been taught to play the trumpet at a very young age by his father. As a youth Avalon performed in local clubs and theaters. He won a local TV talent contest playing a trumpet solo. In 1951, at age 12, he was in a band called Rocco and the Saints, which included another soon-to-be famous teen singer, Bobby Rydell. In 1952 he was performing at a private party held for singer Al Martino. A talent scout who was also at the party was impressed enough by Avalon to get him an appearance on Jackie Gleason's TV show, which led to more television appearances. In 1954, he made two singles for "X" Records, an RCA Victor subsidiary. Both were instrumentals featuring Frankie Avalon playing his trumpet: "Trumpet Sorrento" and ""Trumpet Tarantella." Avalon eventually landed a recording contract with Philadelphia's Chancellor Records, and he recorded "Cupid" and "Teacher's Pet". These records got him his first movie role, a small part in Disc Jockey Jamboree (1957) designed to promote "Teacher's Pet." His next record was "DeDe Dinah", a song written by his managers (and one for which he had so little respect that he pinched his nose while recording it, resulting in its extremely nasal sound). After an appearance on Dick Clark's teen dance show "Bandstand" (1952), sales of the record zoomed and it eventually sold more than a million copies. In 1959, after two more big hits ("Ginger Bread" and "I'll Wait for You") he recorded the song he is probably best known for, the million-selling "Venus." However, as 1960 rolled around his career began to wane and his record sales dropped precipitously. He soon began taking small parts in movies, most notably in John Wayne's The Alamo (1960). He began to get somewhat bigger parts and had his first starring role in Drums of Africa (1963). His movie career really took off, however, when he was paired with former Mousketeer Annette Funicello in Beach Party (1963) and its string of sequels. These films, with their combination of surfing, low comedy, dancing and bikinis, struck a nerve with teenage audiences, were produced for peanuts and made a fortune. Avalon still recorded songs for Chancellor and other labels, but now he was far better known among younger audiences for his movies than for his records. In 1985 he began touring with fellow teen idols Rydell and Fabian in an oldies show called "The Golden Boys of Bandstand," which was a rousing success. In 1987 he and Funicello were reunited in Back to the Beach (1987), an homage to, and parody of, their earlier "beach" movies. Avalon still makes personal appearances and tours, many with and for his old friend and mentor Dick Clark.
IMDb Mini Biography By: frankfob2
Personal Quotes
God's delay is not God's denial.
These kids today, everything is about hitting a vocal home run. They look for the top note in every song. They don't know that they're singing about. They have no style.
Filmography
Actor
1996 Renegade (TV series)– High Rollers (1996) … Dan Travis
1995 Burke's Law (TV series)– Who Killed the World's Greatest Chef? (1995) … Johnny Fingers
1987 Back to the Beach...Annette's Husband
1982 Blood Song...Paul Foley
1980 Fantasy Island (TV series)– The Swinger/Terrors of the Mind (1980)
1979 $weepstake$ (TV series)– Episode #1.2 (1979) … Sergei
1978 Frankie and Annette: The Second Time Around (TV movie)...Frankie
1978 Grease...The Teen Angel
1978 The Love Boat (TV series)– Memories of You/Computerman/Parlez Vous? (1978) … Nick Heider
1974 Police Story (TV series)
David Koslenko / Lee
– Requiem for C.Z. Smith (1974) … Lee
– The Hunters (1974) … David Koslenko (as Frank Avalon)
1974 The Take...Danny James
1973 Saga of Sonora (TV movie)...Stagecoach Driver
1971 Love, American Style (TV series)
Henry (segment "Love and the Tuba")
– Love and the Accidental Passion/Love and the Black Limousine/Love and the Eskimo's Wife/Love and the Tuba (1971) … Henry (segment "Love and the Tuba")
1969 It Takes a Thief (TV series)– A Friend in Deed (1969) … Guido Cartarenzi
1969 The Haunted House of Horror...Chris
1968 Skidoo...Angie
1967 Off to See the Wizard (TV series)– Who's Afraid of Mother Goose? (1967) … Jack
1967 The Lucy Show (TV series)– Lucy and the Starmaker (1967) … Tommy Cheever
1967 The Million Eyes of Su-Muru...Agent Tommy Carter
1966 Fireball 500...Dave
1965 Dr. G and the Bikini Machine...Craig Gamble
1965 Sergeant Dead Head...Sergeant O.K. Deadhead/Sergeant Donovan
1965 How to Stuff a Wild Bikini...Frankie
1965 Ski Party...Todd Armstrong
1965 I'll Take Sweden...Kenny Klinger
1965 Beach Blanket Bingo...Frankie
1965 The Bing Crosby Show (TV series)– The Keefers Come Calling (1965) … Ted Keefer
1965 Combat! (TV series)– Brother, Brother (1965) … Eddie Cane
1963-1965 Burke's Law (TV series)
Max / Ralph Hirt
– Who Killed the Strangler? (1965) … Ralph Hirt
– Who Killed Cynthia Royal? (1963) … Max
1964 Pajama Party...Socum
1964 Bikini Beach...Frankie / Potato Bug
1964 Muscle Beach Party...Frankie
1964 Amigos del martes (TV series)– Episode dated 20 January 1964 (1964)
1963 Mr. Novak (TV series)– A Thousand Voices (1963) … David Muller
1963 Rawhide (TV series)– Incident at Farragut Pass (1963) … Billy Farragut
1963 Beach Party...Frankie
1963 Drums of Africa...Brian Ferrers
1963 El valle de las espadas...Jerifán
1963 Operation Bikini...Seaman Joseph Malzone
1963 The Eleventh Hour (TV series)– A Tumble from a High White House (1963) … Larry Thatcher
1962 Panic in Year Zero!...Rick Baldwin
1961 Sail a Crooked Ship...Ens. Rodney J. Foglemeyer
1961 Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea...Lt (j.g.) Danny Romano
1960 The Alamo...Smitty
1960 Saiyûki...Alakazam (singing voice: English version)
1960 Guns of the Timberland...Bert Harvey
Soundtrack
2011 Metal Evolution (TV series documentary)– Pre-Metal (2011) (performer: "Venus")
2010 20 to 1 (TV series documentary)
– Our All Time Favourite Films (2010) (performer: "Beauty School Dropout" - uncredited)
2010 United States of Tara (TV series)
– From This Day Forward (2010) ("All of Everything" - uncredited)
2007 La tele de tu vida (TV series)
– Episode #1.16 (2007) (performer: "Venus")
2004 Frágil (performer: "Venus")
2002 Deuces Wild (performer: "Silent Night")
2002 Un paso adelante (TV series)
– Detrás del telón (2002) (performer: "Beauty School Drop-Out")
2000 Hollywood Rocks the Movies: The Early Years (1955-1970) (TV documentary) (performer: "Beach Party")
1996 Sydney (performer: "Christmas Medley")
1994 Blue Sky (performer: "Venus")
1991 Full House (TV series)– Joey Goes Hollywood (1991) (performer: "Who Put the Bomp" - uncredited)
1990 Betsy's Wedding (performer: "Come Fly with Me")
1989 Born on the Fourth of July (performer: "Venus")
1989 She's Out of Control (performer: "Venus")
1987 Good Morning, Vietnam (performer: "Beach Blanket Bingo")
1987 Back to the Beach (performer: "California Sun", "Venus")
1981 Shifshuf Naim (performer: "Why")
1979 Yotzim Kavua (performer: "Why")
1978 Grease (performer: "BEAUTY SCHOOL DROP-OUT")
1976 The Sonny and Cher Show (TV series)
– Episode #2.7 (1976) (performer: "Yesterday Once More/Rock Around the Clock/Jailhouse Rock/Little Darlin'/Venus/Rock and Roll Is Here To Stay")
1967 The Lucy Show (TV series)
– Lucy and the Starmaker (1967) (performer: "When the Feeling Hits You" - uncredited, "Walking Happy" - uncredited, "When the Feeling Hits You Reprise" - uncredited)
1966 Fireball 500 (performer: "Fireball 500", "My Way", "Turn Around", "A Chance Like That", "Country Carnival")
1965 The Patty Duke Show (TV series)
– A Foggy Day in Brooklyn Heights (1965) (performer: "These Are The Good Times" - uncredited)
1965 How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (performer: "If It's Gonna Happen" - uncredited)
1965 Ski Party (performer: "Ski Party", "Lots, Lots More", "Paintin' the Town")
1965 I'll Take Sweden (performer: "I'll Take Sweden", "Would Ya Like My Last Name", "The Bells Keep Ringin'", "There'll Be Rainbows Again" - uncredited)
1965 Beach Blanket Bingo (performer: "Beach Blanket Bingo" - uncredited, "I Think You Think" - uncredited, "These Are the Good Times" - uncredited)
1964 Bikini Beach (performer: "Gimme Your Love, Yeah Yeah Yeah", "How About That", "Because You're You")
1964 Muscle Beach Party (performer: "Runnin' Wild", "Surfer's Holiday", "A Girl Needs a Boy" Part 2)
1963 Beach Party (performer: "Beach Party", "Don't Stop Now")
1963 Come Fly with Me (performer: "Come Fly With Me")
1963 Operation Bikini (performer: "The Girl Back Home")
1963 The Jack Benny Program (TV series)
– The Frankie Avalon Show (1963) (performer: "I'll Never Say "Never Again" Again" - uncredited, "My Sweet Embraceable You" - uncredited)
1961 Sail a Crooked Ship (performer: "Opposites Attract")
1961 Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (performer: "Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea")
1960 The Alamo (performer: "Here's to the Ladies")
1959 Hound-Dog Man (writer: "What Big Boy?")
1958 The Dick Clark Show (TV series)
– Episode #2.8 (1958) (performer: "I'll Wait For You", "Ginger Bread")
– Episode #1.5 (1958) (performer: "Dee Dee Dinah" - uncredited)
1957 Disc Jockey Jamboree (performer: "Don't Want To Be Teacher's Pet")
Producer
1987 Back to the Beach (co-executive producer)
