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Teen idol Frankie Avalon is known for singing the hit "Venus" and for starring in the popular Beach Party film series with Annette Funicello.
Synopsis
Born on September 18, 1940, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Frankie Avalon is considered one of the first manufactured teen idols. His song "Venus" became his first No. 1 single in 1959, and he released six more Top 40 records in that year alone. In 1962, Avalon and Annette Funicello paired their clean-cut looks to make the popular Beach Party surfer film series.
Early Life and Career
Considered the first manufactured teen idol—before Fabian and Bobby Rydell and the myriads of other pretenders hoping to follow in Elvis's blue suede shoes—Frankie Avalon was born Francis Thomas Avallone on September 18, 1940, in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Avalon broke into show business as a child prodigy trumpet player, earning an appearance on The Jackie Gleason Show and making records for RCA Victor Records' subsidiary, "X." In his teens, he played backup trumpet in a local band called Rocco and the Saints, and it was there that local impresario Bob Marcucci discovered the future teen star.
Eight months later, Avalon's first single, "Cupid," came out on Marcucci's Chancellor label, and his third release, "Dede Dinah," hit the Top 10. Then, in 1959, Avalon had his first No. 1 single with "Venus," and went on to release six more Top 40 records in that year alone. Marcucci nudged Avalon away from rock, following the successful run he was having with easy-listening fare.
Synopsis
Born on September 18, 1940, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Frankie Avalon is considered one of the first manufactured teen idols. His song "Venus" became his first No. 1 single in 1959, and he released six more Top 40 records in that year alone. In 1962, Avalon and Annette Funicello paired their clean-cut looks to make the popular Beach Party surfer film series.
Early Life and Career
Considered the first manufactured teen idol—before Fabian and Bobby Rydell and the myriads of other pretenders hoping to follow in Elvis's blue suede shoes—Frankie Avalon was born Francis Thomas Avallone on September 18, 1940, in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Avalon broke into show business as a child prodigy trumpet player, earning an appearance on The Jackie Gleason Show and making records for RCA Victor Records' subsidiary, "X." In his teens, he played backup trumpet in a local band called Rocco and the Saints, and it was there that local impresario Bob Marcucci discovered the future teen star.
Eight months later, Avalon's first single, "Cupid," came out on Marcucci's Chancellor label, and his third release, "Dede Dinah," hit the Top 10. Then, in 1959, Avalon had his first No. 1 single with "Venus," and went on to release six more Top 40 records in that year alone. Marcucci nudged Avalon away from rock, following the successful run he was having with easy-listening fare.
Frankie Avalon
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Frankie Avalon on InnerVIEWS with Ernie Manouse
Former teen idol Frankie Avalon sits down with Emmy-winning interviewer Ernie Manouse to recount his glory days, and reveals the big break that helped launch...
Thank you my friend Maj Marty Hogan for reminding us that September 18 is the anniversary of the birth of child prodigy trumpet player and singer Francis Thomas Avallone who is best known as Frankie Avalon.
Unlike most performers Frankie Avalon has been married to one wife since January 1963 and together they raised 8 children.
I remember watching the beach-party-themed movies with Annette Funicello as a young teenager.
Image: Frankie Avalon married Kathryn 'Kay' Diebel on 19 January 1963
Background from imdb.com/name/nm0000811/bio
"Frankie Avalon Biography
Overview | Mini Bio | Spouse | Trivia (11) | Personal Quotes (18)
Overview
Born September 18, 1939 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Birth Name Francis Thomas Avallone
Height 5' 8" (1.73 m)
Mini Bio
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 Avalon playing his trumpet: "Trumpet Sorrento" and ""Trumpet Tarantella." He 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 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 American 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 "beach bunnies" in 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.
Spouse Kathryn Diebel (19 January 1963 - present); 8 children: Frank Burt Avalon, Tony, Dina, Laura, Joseph, Nicolas, Kathryn and Carla.
Trivia (11)
1. He and his wife have eight children and they are, in order of age, Frank Burt Avalon, Tony, Dina, Laura, Joseph, Nicolas, Kathryn and Carla.
2. He studied acting with Wynn Handman in New York and Estelle Harmon in Los Angeles.
3. Mother, Mary Avallone was born July 3, 1916; father, Nicholas Avallone was born April 27, 1913. Sister, Theresa Avallone.
4. 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.
5. His sister Theresa is two years older than he is.
6. Has a house in the San Bernardino Mountains in Southern California.
7. 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.
8. Discovered by Robert P. Marcucci.
9. He had the last #1 hit of the 1950s with the ballad,"Why," the shortest title of any chart-topping song (as of 2018). In January 1960, "Why" was bumped from the #1 spot by singer Marty Robbins' "El Paso", the first #1 hit of the 1960s.
10. Due to the popularity of Grease (1978) and its soundtrack, he considers "Beauty School Dropout" to be his most popular song.
11. Born in South Philadelphia.
Personal Quotes (18)
1. God's delay is not God's denial.
2. These kids today, everything is about hitting a vocal home run. They look for the top note in every song. They don't know what they're singing about. They have no style.
3. [about touring in his "oldies" shows] I like that because the fans want to see onstage what they know so well from the big screen.
4. Kids know me from their Grease (1978) DVD, so they instantly respond. You can hear a pin drop when I do my old songs.
5. The kids have all seen it on DVD or videotape.
6. I was not a trained actor.
7. No sooner [did I] take it seriously [then] I had million-selling hits and movies with John Wayne.
8. Rocco paid me 35 bucks a week at Murray's Inn in South Jersey. People started asking Rocco to have me sing.
9. It captures a lot of the spirit of the '50s.
10. I've been around two years shy of 50 years doing what I do. I am a musician.
11. I wish I could talk to [Annette Funicello], but she doesn't even correspond at this point.
12. I learned not to blink in a close-up or move your head at all, because if you did, they wouldn't use it.
13. I'll be 65 in September and I work as much as I want to, take cruises with Kay, relax with my family, do everything in moderation, because I want to enjoy my life.
14. I think today's music absolutely stinks. I really do mean that.
15. Yes, but I don't think of the Teen Angel as of an age.
16. When I started to play trumpet I was fortunate to learn very quickly.
17. Well, we all age, but I'd been taking herbal supplements for a long time.
18. [on his "Beach Party" movies] They weren't great pictures, but they were fun, and they really represented that period of time well."
Frankie Avalon on InnerVIEWS with Ernie Manouse
"Former teen idol Frankie Avalon sits down with Emmy-winning interviewer Ernie Manouse to recount his glory days, and reveals the big break that helped launch him to superstardom and the TV icon who helped make it happen."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qash4Q2FtKc
FYI Maj William W. "Bill" Price Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown 1stSgt Eugene Harless CW5 John M. MSG Andrew White SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4"SCPO Morris Ramsey SGT Michael Thorin SGT (Join to see) SGT Robert George SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Mark Kuzinski SP5 Robert Ruck SPC Margaret Higgins SSgt Brian Brakke Sgt Arthur Caesar SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
Unlike most performers Frankie Avalon has been married to one wife since January 1963 and together they raised 8 children.
I remember watching the beach-party-themed movies with Annette Funicello as a young teenager.
Image: Frankie Avalon married Kathryn 'Kay' Diebel on 19 January 1963
Background from imdb.com/name/nm0000811/bio
"Frankie Avalon Biography
Overview | Mini Bio | Spouse | Trivia (11) | Personal Quotes (18)
Overview
Born September 18, 1939 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Birth Name Francis Thomas Avallone
Height 5' 8" (1.73 m)
Mini Bio
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 Avalon playing his trumpet: "Trumpet Sorrento" and ""Trumpet Tarantella." He 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 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 American 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 "beach bunnies" in 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.
Spouse Kathryn Diebel (19 January 1963 - present); 8 children: Frank Burt Avalon, Tony, Dina, Laura, Joseph, Nicolas, Kathryn and Carla.
Trivia (11)
1. He and his wife have eight children and they are, in order of age, Frank Burt Avalon, Tony, Dina, Laura, Joseph, Nicolas, Kathryn and Carla.
2. He studied acting with Wynn Handman in New York and Estelle Harmon in Los Angeles.
3. Mother, Mary Avallone was born July 3, 1916; father, Nicholas Avallone was born April 27, 1913. Sister, Theresa Avallone.
4. 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.
5. His sister Theresa is two years older than he is.
6. Has a house in the San Bernardino Mountains in Southern California.
7. 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.
8. Discovered by Robert P. Marcucci.
9. He had the last #1 hit of the 1950s with the ballad,"Why," the shortest title of any chart-topping song (as of 2018). In January 1960, "Why" was bumped from the #1 spot by singer Marty Robbins' "El Paso", the first #1 hit of the 1960s.
10. Due to the popularity of Grease (1978) and its soundtrack, he considers "Beauty School Dropout" to be his most popular song.
11. Born in South Philadelphia.
Personal Quotes (18)
1. God's delay is not God's denial.
2. These kids today, everything is about hitting a vocal home run. They look for the top note in every song. They don't know what they're singing about. They have no style.
3. [about touring in his "oldies" shows] I like that because the fans want to see onstage what they know so well from the big screen.
4. Kids know me from their Grease (1978) DVD, so they instantly respond. You can hear a pin drop when I do my old songs.
5. The kids have all seen it on DVD or videotape.
6. I was not a trained actor.
7. No sooner [did I] take it seriously [then] I had million-selling hits and movies with John Wayne.
8. Rocco paid me 35 bucks a week at Murray's Inn in South Jersey. People started asking Rocco to have me sing.
9. It captures a lot of the spirit of the '50s.
10. I've been around two years shy of 50 years doing what I do. I am a musician.
11. I wish I could talk to [Annette Funicello], but she doesn't even correspond at this point.
12. I learned not to blink in a close-up or move your head at all, because if you did, they wouldn't use it.
13. I'll be 65 in September and I work as much as I want to, take cruises with Kay, relax with my family, do everything in moderation, because I want to enjoy my life.
14. I think today's music absolutely stinks. I really do mean that.
15. Yes, but I don't think of the Teen Angel as of an age.
16. When I started to play trumpet I was fortunate to learn very quickly.
17. Well, we all age, but I'd been taking herbal supplements for a long time.
18. [on his "Beach Party" movies] They weren't great pictures, but they were fun, and they really represented that period of time well."
Frankie Avalon on InnerVIEWS with Ernie Manouse
"Former teen idol Frankie Avalon sits down with Emmy-winning interviewer Ernie Manouse to recount his glory days, and reveals the big break that helped launch him to superstardom and the TV icon who helped make it happen."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qash4Q2FtKc
FYI Maj William W. "Bill" Price Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown 1stSgt Eugene Harless CW5 John M. MSG Andrew White SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4"SCPO Morris Ramsey SGT Michael Thorin SGT (Join to see) SGT Robert George SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Mark Kuzinski SP5 Robert Ruck SPC Margaret Higgins SSgt Brian Brakke Sgt Arthur Caesar SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
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