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• Former teen idol Frankie Avalon has been entertaining people since he played his trumpet on U.S. TV when he was just 12 years old. As a teenager he was in a band called Rocco and the Saints with Bobby Rydell. By 1959 he had two number one songs in the Billboard Magazine's Hot 100.

  On April 8, 2009, Avalon made a surprise appearance on American Idol and sang his hit single "Venus." He almost didn't make the appearance, as an ambulance was called for him before the show started, as Avalon hadn't eaten all day. After eating a bag of "red candy," the singer was shaking badly, but decided "the show must go on."msnbc: Ambulance Called for Avalon Before Idol (April 13, 2009)

• Fast Facts

  1. Name: Francis Thomas Avallone
  2. Born: September 18, 1940
  3. Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  4. Years active: 1951 - present
  5. Occupation: Actor, singer, cabaret and nightclub entertainer
  6. Spouse: Kay Diebel (1962 - present)History of Rock: Frankie Avalon
  7. Children: 8
  8. 1985 Avalon toured with Bobby Rydell and FabianHistory of Rock: Frankie Avalon
  9. 1994 Avalon appeared on television as a spokesman for Sonic a chain of hamburger drive-insHistory of Rock: Frankie Avalon
  10. Frankie Avalon Products sells a line of health supplements productsHistory of Rock: Frankie Avalon

• Personal Life

  In 1962 Avalon married former beauty pageant winner, Kathryn Diebel, and together they had 8 children. Gossip queen Rona Barrett revealed in her autobiography that Avalon fathered another child in 1960 with one of his fans. Today Avalon and Diebel are still together.History of Rock: Frankie Avalon

• Beach Blankets

  During the 1960's Avalon teamed up with Annette Funicello to star in what became known as the beach film genre. Together they starred in 6 out of 7 movies in the Beach Party series before Funicello became stricken with MS and couldn't act anymore.

• Beach Party Films

  • Beach Party
  • Muscle Beach Party
  • Bikini Beach
  • Pajama Party
  • Beach Blanket Bingo
  • How to Stuff a Wild Bikini

• Albums

  • 1959: Swingin' on a Rainbow
  • 1959: The Young Frankie Avalon
  • 1960: Summer Scene
  • 1960: Young and in Love
  • 1961: A Whole Lot of Frankie
  • 1961: And Now About Mr. Avalon
  • 1962: Frankie Avalon's Christmas Album
  • 1962: Italiano
  • 1962: You Are Mine
  • 1964: Songs from Muscle Beach Party
  • 1970: I Want You Near Me
  • 1978: You're My Life
  • 1991: Frankie Avalon
  • 2002: Merry Christmas

• Related Pages On Mahalo

  Bikinis | Annette Funicello | Grease

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