Frankie Avalon Biography, Photos and Posters

Frankie Avalon

Biography

Born: September 18, 1939
City and Country of Origin: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Music Training: tutored on trumpet by his father
Awards:
Top Recordings: "Venus," "Why?," "Dede Dinah," "Ginger Bread," "Bobby Sox to Stockings," "Beauty School Dropout"
Frankie Avalon Biography: Francis Thomas Avallone (born September 18, 1939 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American actor, singer, and former teen idol.

By the time he was 12, Avalon began making appearances on U.S. television for his trumpet prowess, and as a teenager, played with Bobby Rydell in a band known as Rocco and the Saints. In 1959, his songs "Venus" and "Why?" both went to number one on Billboard magazine's Hot 100. Indeed, "Why" was the last #1 hit of the 1950s.

During the 1960s, Avalon became critically renowned for his acting. He had a role in an episode of "The Patty Duke Show". The episode was episode #73 of the "Patty Duke Show," and it was known as "A Foggy Day in Brooklyn Heights," and he appeared as himself (Frankie Avalon).

In his acting, he was best known for his starring roles in the Beach Party film genre. Later, he became the U.S. national television spokesperson for Sonic Drive-In.

Frankie Avalon married Kathryn Diebel on January 19, 1963. She was a former beauty pageant winner, and Avalon met her while playing cards at a friend's house. He told his friend that Kay was the girl he was going to marry. His agent warned Avalon not to marry, as it would spoil his teen idol mystique, but Avalon ignored his advice. Still together, the couple has eight children--in order of age, they are Frankie Jr., Tony, Dina, Laura, Joseph, Nicolas, Kathryn and Carla. They also have 10 grandchildren. Frankie Jr. is a drummer and Tony, the second oldest son, currently plays guitar and teaches at the Paul Green School of Rock; both still tour and perform with their father.

In 1987 Avalon and Annette Funicello returned to the movies, with the aptly titled Back to the Beach.

With the fading of his music and acting career, Avalon has turned to marketing, and has created Frankie Avalon Products, a successful line of health supplements and cosmetic products. Avalon personally promotes his products live on the Home Shopping Network, along with veteran host Bob Circosta.

He regularly guest stars in stage productions of Grease in the role of Teen Angel (a role he played in the popular 1978 film adaptation) and Tony n' Tina's Wedding as a characterized version of himself. Additionally, in 2007, he performed the song "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 television reality show Grease: You're the One that I Want!. Also, His first son Frank B Avalon Jr. frequently plays the drums on tour with his dad.

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