Biography
Francis Thomas Avallone (born September 18, 1939 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) was an Italian-American actor and teen idol in the 1950s and early 1960s.
By the time he was 12, Avalon began making appearances on U.S. television for his trumpet prowess, 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 No.1 on Billboard magazine's Hot 100.
During the 1960s, Avalon became known for his roles in the beach film genre. Later, he became the U.S. national television spokesperson for Sonic Drive-In.
Frankie Avalon married Kathryn (Kay) Diebel on January 26, 1962. 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 8 children--in order of age Frankie Jr., Tony, Dina, Laura, Joseph, Nicolas, Kathryn and Carla. They also have 8 grandchildren. In her autobiography, gossip queen Rona Barrett revealed that Avalon fathered a girl, born in December 1960, by a fan. Barrett was the assistant to Avalon's manager, Robert Marcucci, at the time. Tony, the second oldest son, currently plays guitar and helps kids learn music at a music organization called PARC ( www.parcmusic.org ) where he holds the music director position.
In 1987 Avalon and Annette Funicello returned to the movies, with the aptly titled Back to the Beach.
He was mentioned (unflatteringly) in the System of a Down song "Old School Hollywood."
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.
He regularly guest stars in stage productions of Grease (musical) in the role of Teen Angel (a role he played in the film version starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John) and Tony n' Tina's Wedding as a characterized version of himself.
Songs
"Cupid"
"Venus"
"Why?"
"Dede Dinah"
"You Excite Me"
"Ginger Bread"
"What Little Girl"
"I'll Wait You"
"Bobby Sox to Stockings"
"A Boy Without a Girl"
"Two Fools"
"Just Ask Your Heart"
"Beauty School Dropout"
"Swinging On A Rainbow"
"Don't Throw Away All Those Teardrops"
"Where Are You"
"Tuxedo Junction"
"Don't Let Love Pass Me By"
"Togetherness"
"The Puppet Song"
"A Perfect Love"
"All of Everything"
"Who Else But You"
"True, True Love"
"You Are Mine"
"A Miracle"
Filmography
Jamboree (1957)
The Enchanted Monkey (1960) (voice)
Guns of the Timberland (1960)
The Alamo (1960)
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961
Sail a Crooked Ship (1961)
Panic in Year Zero! (1962)
Operation Bikini (1963)
The Castilian (1963)
Drums of Africa (1963)
Beach Party (1963)
Muscle Beach Party (1964)
Bikini Beach (1964)
Pajama Party (1964)
Beach Blanket Bingo (1965)
I'll Take Sweden (1965)
Ski Party (1965)
How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (1965) (Cameo)
Sergeant Dead Head (1965)
Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine (1965)
Fireball 500 (1966)
The Million Eyes of Sumuru (1967)
Skidoo (1968)
Horror House (1970)
The Take (1974)
Grease (1978)
Blood Song (1982)
Back to the Beach (1987) (also co-executive producer)
Troop Beverly Hills (1989) (Cameo)
The Stoned Age (1994) (Cameo)
Casino (1995) (Cameo)
