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Frankie is an American actor, singer, and former teen idol.[3][1] Avalon had 31 charted U.S. Billboard singles from 1958 to late 1962, including the number one hits "Venus" and "Why" in 1959. Avalon was born in Philadelphia. 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. In 1959, "Venus" (5 weeks #1) and "Why" went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100. "Why" was the last #1 of the 1950s. Avalon had 31 charted U.S. Billboard singles from 1958 to late 1962, including "Just Ask Your Heart" (U.S. #7), "I'll Wait for You" (U.S. #15), "Bobby Sox to Stockings" (U.S. #8), and "A Boy Without a Girl" (U.S. #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". Avalon's first film was a short appearance in Jamboree (1957), playing a trumpet and singing "Teacher's Pet". 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). 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).[7] Avalon sings two songs, "The Faithful Kind" and "Gee Whiz Whillikins Golly Gee"; both were released as singles.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 - the first in what would be a long association with that company. For Irwin Allen, Avalon had a small role and sang the title role in the science fiction adventure film, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961), a solid hit. He had a support 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 movie 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). This cheerful musical comedy starred Annette Funicello and was directed by William Asher; Arkoff said AIP originally wanted Fabian Forte to co-star with Funicello, but when he proved unavailable they went with Avalon. It was a big hit and led to several sequels. Avalon received an offer to appear in a swashbuckler set in 10th century Spain about Fernán González of Castile, The Castilian (1963), then was in the first Beach Party sequel, Muscle Beach Party (1963). It was popular; even more so was Bikini Beach (1964), where Avalon had a dual role. In August 1964 Avalon announced he signed to make ten films in five years for AIP. Pajama Party (1964) was unofficially the fourth in the series; it was a science fiction spoof, Avalon ceded leading man duties to Tommy Kirk, but he had a cameo. He was back as leading man in Beach Blanket Bingo (1965). Avalon later recalled, That's the picture of mine that I think people remember best, and it was just a lot of kids having a lot of fun -- a picture about young romance and about the opposition of adults and old people... It was also fun because we got to learn how to fake skydive out of an airplane. Avalon appeared in nearly two dozen TV episodes, including ABC's The Bing Crosby Show and The Patty Duke Show, appearing often as himself. Later, he became a national television spokesperson for Sonic Drive-In. In 1965 he appeared in the Combat! episode "Brother, Brother" as a childhood friend of Pfc.Kirby, played by Jack Hogan. Avalon and Tuesday Weld supported Bob Hope in a comedy, I'll Take Sweden (1965) for Edward Small. For AIP he teamed with Dwayne Hickman in a rip off of Some Like It Hot (1959), Ski Party (1965). That studio gave him the lead in a service comedy, Sergeant Deadhead (1965), playing another dual role. All this activity meant he was reluctant to appear in another "beach party" movie, so he let Hickman play the lead in How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (1965), although Avalon had a cameo. The box office performance of these last few films were disappointing - especially Sergeant Deadhead, for which sequels had been planned.[16] More popular was Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine (1965), a comedy with Vincent Price and Hickman, for AIP. This was liked enough to justify a sequel, although Avalon did not appear, Fabian Forte taking over. AIP tried to find a new formula for Avalon, and cast him as a stock car driver in Fireball 500 (1966), alongside Fabian and Funicello, for director William Asher. It was a medium success, and led to other AIP stock car movies, though none with Avalon. For Harry Alan Towers he played the lead in The Million Eyes of Sumuru (1967), and had a good part in Skidoo (1968), a comedy from Otto Preminger. In England he was in The Haunted House of Horror (1968) for AIP.
