Frankie Avalon

Francis Thomas Avallone (born September 18, 1940), better known as Frankie Avalon, is an American actor, singer, and former teen idol.

"Why" was the last number one hit of the 1950s.

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 in Rio Bravo (1959).

In December 1952, Avalon made his American network television debut playing the trumpet in the Honeymooners "Christmas Party" sketch on The Jackie Gleason Show.

Two singles showcasing Avalon's trumpet playing were issued on RCA Victor'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 in Rocco and the Saints.

Avalon's first film was a short appearance in Jamboree (1957), playing a trumpet and singing "Teacher's Pet".

He had 31 charting U.S. Billboard singles from 1958 to late 1962, including number one hits, "Venus" and "Why" in 1959.

He is the earliest surviving singer to have scored a solo number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

Avalon had 31 charted U.S. Billboard singles from 1958 to late 1962, including "Just Ask Your Heart" (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 were written and/or produced by Bob Marcucci, head of Chancellor Records.

In 1959, "Venus", which was a number one single for five consecutive weeks, and "Why" went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

Avalon concentrated on his acting career which detracted from his recording career, and "Why" of 1959 would be Avalon's final top 10 hit.

Avalon started appearing in films in the 1960s; he is well-known for having appeared in the Beach party films of this decade and for a supporting role in the 1978 musical film Grease, in which he sings the song "Beauty School Dropout".

Avalon was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Mary and Nicholas Avallone.

His mother was originally from Sicily.

His father was a butcher who was born in Philadelphia, whose father Francesco was from Salerno, in Campania, Italy.

His paternal grandmother was from Sicily.

Alan Ladd's daughter was a Frankie Avalon fan, who recommended that he co-star with her father in the Western Guns of the Timberland (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, who was looking for a young actor to play the (fictitious) role of "Smitty" in his passion project, The Alamo (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. 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, Alakazam the Great (1960), which was done at the behest of the US distributor, American International Pictures.

It was the first in what would be a long association with that company.

For Irwin Allen, 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).

Avalon was teamed with Ray Milland in the science fiction film, Panic in Year Zero! (1962), written by Lou Rusoff.

Samuel Z. Arkoff of American International Pictures (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, Operation Bikini (1963), singing a few songs in flashback.

At MGM, he played the lead in an adventure film set in Africa, Drums of Africa (1963).

Of more significance for Avalon's career was a project originally written by Rusoff, Beach Party (1963).