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Edd Byrnes

January 01, 1970

For other people with similar names, see Edward Burns (disambiguation) and Edward Byrne.

Edward Byrne Breitenberger (July 30, 1932 – January 8, 2020), known professionally as Edd Byrnes, was an American actor, best known for his starring role in the television series 77 Sunset Strip. He also was featured in the 1978 film Grease as television teen-dance show host Vince Fontaine, and was a charting recording artist with "Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb)" (with Connie Stevens).

Edd Byrnes
Byrnes in 1973 in a guest appearance on The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
Born
Edward Byrne Breitenberger

(1932-07-30)July 30, 1932
New York City, U.S.
DiedJanuary 8, 2020(2020-01-08) (aged 87)
Santa Monica, California, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1956–1999
Spouse
Asa Maynor
​
​
(m. 1962; div. 1971)​
Children1

Early life edit

Byrnes was born in New York City, the son of Mary (Byrne) and Augustus "Gus" Breitenberger.[1] He had two siblings, Vincent and Jo-Ann. After his abusive alcoholic father died[2] when Edd was 13, he dropped his last name in favor of Byrnes, based on the name of his maternal grandfather Edward Byrne.[3]

Byrnes developed the urge to act in high school but did not seriously consider pursuing it until after he had tried a number of other jobs, such as driving an ambulance, roofing and selling flowers.[4] At age 17, he found work as a photographer's model.[5]

Career edit

Early acting career edit

In 1956, Byrnes got an unpaid job in a summer stock theatre company in Connecticut, the Litchfield Community Playhouse. He soon began appearing in the company's plays as an actor; he also tried to get roles in Broadway theatre productions, but had no luck. Also that year, he was cast in an episode of the Crossroads TV program. Byrnes also appeared in episodes of the late-1950s series Wire Service and Navy Log.

After a year, Byrnes moved to Hollywood.[4] He appeared in a stage production of Tea and Sympathy.[6][7] Byrnes also appeared in episodes of The Adventures of Jim Bowie, and Telephone Time and in the film Fear Strikes Out (1957). Byrnes was third-billed in the low budget exploitation film Reform School Girl (1957) for American International Pictures, co-starring Sally Kellerman; the same year, he had a supporting role in the Warner Bros. film Johnny Trouble.

In 1957, Byrnes signed a three-year contract with John Carroll of Clarion Pictures.[8] He tested for roles in the films Bernardine and Until They Sail but was unsuccessful. He did, however, guest star on an episode of Cheyenne made by Warner Bros.,[9] and a contemporary report described him as "a Tab Hunter type.".[10] The studio liked Byrnes' work and signed him to a long-term contract in May 1957.[11]

Warner Bros. edit

Warners started off Byrnes' contract by assigning him to a comic role in the war drama The Deep Six (1958).[12][13] He also appeared in episodes of Cheyenne, The Gale Storm Show: Oh! Susanna and Colt .45. In 1958 he appeared (credited as Edward Byrnes) as Benji Danton on Cheyenne in the episode titled "The Last Comanchero."

When Tab Hunter refused a role in the war film Darby's Rangers (1958), Byrnes stepped in instead. He was wanted for Baby Face Nelson (1957), but Warners would not loan him out.[14]

Byrnes also appeared in the romantic drama Marjorie Morningstar (1958) and Life Begins at 17 (1958). He appeared as a guest star in Maverick, The Deputy, and Sugarfoot, in the latter with John Russell, Rodolfo Hoyos Jr., and Will Wright in the 1958 season-premiere episode "Ring of Sand." He was in another war film titled Up Periscope (1959).

77 Sunset Strip edit

Byrnes was cast in Girl on the Run, a pilot for a detective show starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr. Byrnes played contract killer Kenneth ("Kookie") Smiley, who continually combed his hair – Byrnes said this was an idea of his which the director liked and kept in.[15][16][17][18][19] Around this time Byrnes decided to change his acting name from "Edward" to "Edd". "I just dreamed it up one day", he said. "Edward is too formal and there are lots of Eddies."[4][16]

The show aired in October 1958[20] and was so popular Warners decided to turn it into a TV series: 77 Sunset Strip.[4] Byrnes' character became an immediate national teen sensation, prompting the producers to make Byrnes a regular cast member. They transformed Kookie from a hitman into a parking valet at Dino's Lodge who helped as a private investigator. Zimbalist Jr. explained the situation to the audience:

We previewed this show, and because Edd Byrnes was such a hit, we decided that Kookie and his comb had to be in our series. So this week, we'll just forget that in the pilot he went off to prison to be executed.

— From the pre-credit sequence for the episode "Lovely Lady, Pity Me"

Kookie's recurring character—a different, exciting look that teens of the day related to—was the valet-parking attendant who constantly combed his piled-high, greasy-styled teen hair, often in a windbreaker jacket, and who worked part-time at the so-called Dean Martin's Dino's Lodge restaurant, next door to a private-investigator agency at 77 Sunset Strip in West Hollywood. Kookie frequently acted as an unlicensed, protégé detective who helped the private eyes (Zimbalist and Roger Smith) on their cases, based upon "the word" heard from Kookie's street informants. Kookie called everybody "Dad" (as in "Sure thing . . . Dad") and was television's homage to the "Jack Kerouac" style of cult-hipster of the late 1950s.[21]

 
Byrnes as Kookie with Sue Randall (c. 1963)

The show became the most popular one in the country.[22] To the thrill of teen viewers, Kookie spoke a jive-talk "code" to everyone, whether you understood him or not, and Kookie knew, better than others, "the word on the street." Although the Kookie character was at least several years older than Jim Stark, James Dean's character in the film Rebel Without a Cause, Byrnes exuded a similar sense of cool. Kookie was also the progenitor of Henry Winkler's The Fonz character of the Happy Days series (switch hot rod for motorcycle; same hair and comb). By April 1959, Byrnes was among the most popular young actors in the country.[23]

"I was a nobody", said Byrnes. "Now I'm dragging in over 400 letters a week and I'm a name."[24]

Kookie's constant onscreen tending of his ducktail haircut led to many jokes among comedians of the time, and it resulted in the 1959-charted (13 weeks) 'rap' style recording, "Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb)", recorded with actress and recording artist Connie Stevens, and which reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. It sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA.[25][26] The song also appeared on the Edd Byrnes album, entitled Kookie. He and Stevens appeared together on ABC's The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom. During the run of 77 Sunset Strip, Byrnes, as the "Kookie" character, was a popular celebrity, and Byrnes received fan-mail that reached 15,000 letters a week, according to Picture Magazine in 1961; this rivalled most early rock recording-stars of the day.[citation needed]

Clashes with Warners edit

Warners put him in the second lead of a Western, Yellowstone Kelly (1959), supporting Clint Walker, star of another Warners show, Cheyenne; it was a minor success at the box office.[27]

"I'm not studying", said Byrnes at the time. "Why should I? I get all my experience in front of the camera. You get in front of the camera every day and you've got to learn."[4]

Byrnes walked off the show in the second season, demanding a bigger part and higher pay. In November 1959, Warners put him on suspension. They eventually offered $750 a week but he refused. In April 1960, they came to terms and Byrnes went back to work.[28][29]

Owing to restrictions in his Warner Brothers television contract, Byrnes was forced to turn down film roles in Ocean's Eleven (1960); Rio Bravo (1959); North to Alaska (1960) and The Longest Day (1962). He tested for the role of John F. Kennedy in PT 109, but President Kennedy preferred Cliff Robertson.;[30] instead of making that movie, he guest starred on Lawman.

Byrnes made a cameo as Kookie in Surfside Six and Hawaiian Eye, a 77 Sunset Strip spin-off. He bought a story for Warners, Make Mine Vanilla, but it was not made.[31] He threatened to punch a photographer who was trying to take a photo of him getting a marriage license.[32] He did some summer stock in 1962 with his wife.[33]

Although Byrnes was a popular celebrity, typecasting led him to ultimately buy out his television contract with Warner Brothers to clear his way for films—but it was too late for Byrnes to capitalize on feature-length cinema projects based upon his established television-series fame.

Post-Warner Bros. edit

In August 1963 Byrnes bought up the remaining ten months of his contract with Warner Bros. and left Sunset Strip. "No more hipster image for me", said Byrnes. "From now on I'd like to establish myself as a movie star."[34]

Byrnes appeared in episodes of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour; Burke's Law and Kraft Suspense Theatre. He travelled to Yugoslavia where he was one of several names in Roger Corman's ensemble war film The Secret Invasion (1964). While in Europe he signed to do a TV show in Munich.[35]

Back in the United States, he made a pilot for a TV series, Kissin' Cousins, based on the Elvis Presley film Kissin' Cousins (1964), with Byrnes taking the part of the lieutenant played by Presley in the film;[36][37] it did not go to series. Byrnes starred in a beach party movie financed by Corman, Beach Ball (1965).[38] While working on Beach Ball with Byrnes, Chris Noel complained about his behavior.[39] He was in episodes of Mister Roberts; Honey West and Theatre of Stars, and did Picnic; Bus Stop; Sunday in New York; Sweet Bird of Youth and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof on stage in stock.[40][41]

The shadow of Kookie hung over him. "People think that's the only role you can play", he said in 1966. "Producers and directors still think of me as the kid I played on the Strip. I've been offered other series but they've still wanted to cast me as the same kid."[42]

Byrnes returned to Europe for several Spaghetti Westerns, which included the 1967 films Renegade Riders; Any Gun Can Play and Red Blood, Yellow Gold.[43] In 1969 he said he made more money in the preceding year than in his entire time at Warner Bros.[44]

Back in the US he worked mostly in TV; this included episodes of Mannix; Love, American Style; The Virginian; Adam-12 and Pathfinders. He was also in the TV movies The Silent Gun (1969), starring Lloyd Bridges, and The Gift of Terror (1973), starring Denise Alexander and Will Geer. Byrnes had a supporting role in the Duo-Vision horror film Wicked, Wicked in 1973, starring Tiffany Bolling, and played a TV interviewer in the David Essex film Stardust (1974).

In 1974, Byrnes hosted the pilot of Wheel of Fortune, but NBC chose Chuck Woolery instead.[45]

He was a guest star in Marcus Welby, MD; Thriller; Police Story; Police Woman and Sword of Justice; and was also in the TV movies Mobile Two (1975) and Telethon (1977).

Grease edit

Byrnes played a small but memorable role of the Dick Clark-like dance-show host Vince Fontaine, host of National Bandstand, in the 1978 movie Grease.

The box office success of the film led to Byrnes becoming the only regular cast member of the NBC comedy-drama anthology series $weepstake$ in early 1979,[46] but it only lasted nine episodes. He went back to guest starring in shows like CHiPs, B.J. and the Bear, House Calls, Charlie's Angels, Vega$, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Quincy M.E., The Master, Simon & Simon, and Crazy Like a Fox.

Later career edit

Byrnes had a small role in the Erin Moran TV film Twirl (1981) and the lead in Erotic Images (1983) with Britt Ekland. Byrnes also appeared in Mankillers (1987); Back to the Beach (1987); Party Line (1988) and Troop Beverly Hills (1989).

Later appearances included parts in: Unhappily Ever After; Rags to Riches; Mr. Belvedere; Empty Nest; Burke's Law (the revival); Adam-12, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues and Murder, She Wrote. In 1987 he appeared on the sitcom Throb in the role of Bobby Catalina, a washed-up singer, and performed his trademark "Kookie" song. In 1992, he played a fictionalized version of himself on Married... with Children, being a celebrity endorser for a time share and singing a revamped version of "Kookie" with the thrash metal band Anthrax. The episode and his appearance were well-received.

One of his final TV roles was a small role in the mini-series Shake, Rattle and Roll: An American Love Story (1999).

Personal life and death edit

Byrnes’s son by Asa Maynor is Logan Byrnes, a television news anchor for KUSI-TV News in San Diego, California, since 2018, after performing the same duty at KTTV in Los Angeles. Before 2016 he was at Fox Connecticut from 2008.[47]

Byrnes died of natural causes on January 8, 2020, at his Santa Monica home. He was 87 years old. His body was cremated. [48][49][5]

Legacy edit

As a tribute to his enduring celebrity and his iconic "Kookie" character, Byrnes has ranked #5 in TV Guide's list of "TV's 25 Greatest Teen Idols" (23 January 2005). In 1996, he wrote an autobiography with Marshall Terrill titled Kookie No More.[5]

Byrnes appeared during the Memphis Film Festival in June 2014; he was reunited with his former Yellowstone Kelly co-star Clint Walker.[50]

Filmography edit

09/13/1972, TV Series) as Skinner

References edit

Citations edit

  1. ^ Aaker, Everett (2011). Encyclopedia of Early Television Crime Fighters. New York City: McFarland & Company. ISBN 9780786424764.
  2. ^ Jablon, Robert (January 10, 2020). . Star Tribune. Minneapolis. Associated Press. Archived from the original on January 10, 2020. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  3. ^ Biodata, imdb.com; accessed December 12, 2015.
  4. ^ a b c d e Schumach, Murry (August 30, 1959). "SUCCESS STORY; From Edward to Edd, or How Kookie Paid Off". The New York Times. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
  5. ^ a b c Fox, Margalit (January 9, 2020). "Edd Byrnes, Who Combed His Way to TV Stardom, Dies at 86". The New York Times. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  6. ^ Eliot 2013, pp. 22–23.
  7. ^ Davidson, Bill (October 12, 1975). "The conquering antihero". The New York Times. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
  8. ^ "Shirley jones costar signs clarion contract". Los Angeles Times. January 17, 1957. ProQuest 167028762. – via ProQuest (subscription required)
  9. ^ "Movieland Events". Los Angeles Times. January 29, 1957. ProQuest 167066724. – via ProQuest (subscription required)
  10. ^ "MOVIELAND EVENTS". Los Angeles Times. February 23, 1957. ProQuest 167075975.
  11. ^ Schallert, Edwin (May 14, 1957). "Author favors Glenn Ford for 'Quicksand'; skouras project afoot". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 167113681.
  12. ^ Pryor, Thomas M. (May 14, 1957). "Palance In Movie Backed By Mexico". The New York Times. ProQuest 114243188.
  13. ^ Thompson, Jr., Henry Howard (January 16, 1958). "'Deep Six' Is Drama About Pacifist at War". The New York Times. Retrieved January 11, 2020.(subscription required)
  14. ^ Schallert, Edwin (July 2, 1957). "Cornel Wilde readies Hungary saga; George Sanders stars abroad". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 167078820.
  15. ^ Beck, Joan (August 20, 1959). "Meet Kookie, idol of teen set". Chicago Tribune. ProQuest 182333579.
  16. ^ a b Compo 2009, p. 58.
  17. ^ Compo 2009, p. 478.
  18. ^ Variety Staff (May 2, 2014). "'77 Sunset Strip,' 'F.B.I.' Star Efrem Zimbalist Jr. Dies at 95". Variety. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
  19. ^ Terrace 2003, p. 148.
  20. ^ S., R. F. (Oct 11, 1958). "TV: Innovations on 'your hit parade'". New York Times. ProQuest 114499247.
  21. ^ "Dad, He Got a Bulb". Los Angeles Times. April 26, 1959. ProQuest 167394158.
  22. ^ L. L. (Aug 20, 1959). "On your mark, gang: 'kookie' flies in today". The Washington Post and Times-Herald. ProQuest 149177278.
  23. ^ Korman, S. (Apr 12, 1959). "Hollywood's bright young men!". Chicago Daily Tribune. ProQuest 182314140.
  24. ^ Scheuer, S. H. (Apr 18, 1959). "They FLIP over 77 sunset strip". Chicago Daily Tribune. ProQuest 182308495.
  25. ^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 111. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
  26. ^ J. S. (Jun 21, 1959). "How no-talent singers get 'talent'". New York Times. ProQuest 114789984.
  27. ^ Wolters, L. (Aug 9, 1959). "Kookie is kool, man, kool!". Chicago Daily Tribune. ProQuest 182377654.
  28. ^ 77 Sunset Strip. Tvparty.com. Retrieved on 2012-05-05.
  29. ^ "Edd Byrnes, studio settle pay dispute". Los Angeles Times. Apr 18, 1960. ProQuest 167674728.
  30. ^ p. 24 Davidson, Bill "The President Casts a Movie" The Saturday Evening Post, Volume 235 Curtis Publishing Company, September 8, 1962
  31. ^ MacMINN, A. (Mar 5, 1962). "INSIDE TV". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 168084128.
  32. ^ "TV'S KOOKIE CURSES, THREATENS LENSMAN". Los Angeles Times. Mar 23, 1962. ProQuest 168091828.
  33. ^ "Summer stock for edd". Los Angeles Times. Jun 28, 1962. ProQuest 168081810.
  34. ^ "Kookie's not a kook anymore". Chicago Tribune. Aug 4, 1963. ProQuest 182810136.
  35. ^ "Edd sets european projects". Los Angeles Times. Oct 9, 1963. ProQuest 168442966.
  36. ^ "Pamela austin to re-create role". Los Angeles Times. Oct 8, 1964. ProQuest 155021107.
  37. ^ "Byrnes signed to new series". Los Angeles Times. Oct 16, 1964. ProQuest 155031229.
  38. ^ Lisanti 2005, p. 158.
  39. ^ Lisanti 2005, p. 164.
  40. ^ "Pheasant run stars rennie in 'mary, mary'". Chicago Tribune. Feb 7, 1965. ProQuest 179838341.
  41. ^ K. H. (May 7, 1966). "Great way to earn a living". The Christian Science Monitor. ProQuest 510869207.
  42. ^ "The way kookie doesn't crumble". Los Angeles Times. Mar 23, 1966. ProQuest 155429867.
  43. ^ V. S. (Dec 14, 1967). "'Kookie' rustlin' up movies in italy". The Washington Post and Times-Herald. ProQuest 143029346.
  44. ^ Cross, R. (Feb 4, 1969). "Edd byrnes 10 years later". Chicago Tribune. ProQuest 168880022.
  45. ^ David Baber (2008). Television game show hosts: biographies of 32 stars. McFarland & Company. ISBN 9780786429264. Retrieved 2013-02-15 – via Google Books.
  46. ^ Rosenberg, H. (Dec 1, 1978). "MINUS 8 PLUS 9 EQUALS?". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 158650157.
  47. ^ Logan Byrnes official website; retrieved December 12, 2015.
  48. ^ Alicia Adejobi (9 January 2020). "Grease actor Edd Byrnes dies aged 87". Metro Entertainment. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  49. ^ "Edd Byrnes, Kookie on '77 Sunset Strip,' Dies at 87". The Hollywood Reporter.
  50. ^ . Memphis Film Festival website. Archived from the original on 2015-08-28. Retrieved 2015-08-17.
  51. ^ "Payment in Blood (1967)". IMDb.com. Retrieved August 18, 2021.

Sources edit

  • Compo, Susan A. (2009). Warren Oates: A Wild Life. Screen Classics (1st ed.). Lexington: University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 978-0813125367.
  • Eliot, Marc (2013). Nicholson: A Biography (1st ed.). New York City: Crown Publishing Group. pp. 22–23. ISBN 978-0307888372.
  • Hopkins, Professor Fred (1997). "Edd "Kookie" Byrnes". Psychotronic Video. No. 26. p. 59-65.
  • Lisanti, Thomas (2005). Hollywood Surf and Beach Movies: The First Wave, 1959–1969 (Reprint ed.). New York City: McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-0786421046.
  • Terrace, Vincent (2003). The Television Crime Fighters Factbook: Over 9,800 Details from 301 Programs, 1937–2003. New York City: McFarland & Company. p. 148. ISBN 978-0786415335.

External links edit

January 01, 1970
byrnes, other, people, with, similar, names, edward, burns, disambiguation, edward, byrne, edward, byrne, breitenberger, july, 1932, january, 2020, known, professionally, american, actor, best, known, starring, role, television, series, sunset, strip, also, fe. For other people with similar names see Edward Burns disambiguation and Edward Byrne Edward Byrne Breitenberger July 30 1932 January 8 2020 known professionally as Edd Byrnes was an American actor best known for his starring role in the television series 77 Sunset Strip He also was featured in the 1978 film Grease as television teen dance show host Vince Fontaine and was a charting recording artist with Kookie Kookie Lend Me Your Comb with Connie Stevens Edd ByrnesByrnes in 1973 in a guest appearance on The Sonny amp Cher Comedy HourBornEdward Byrne Breitenberger 1932 07 30 July 30 1932New York City U S DiedJanuary 8 2020 2020 01 08 aged 87 Santa Monica California U S OccupationActorYears active1956 1999SpouseAsa Maynor m 1962 div 1971 wbr Children1 Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 2 1 Early acting career 2 2 Warner Bros 2 3 77 Sunset Strip 2 4 Clashes with Warners 2 5 Post Warner Bros 2 6 Grease 2 7 Later career 3 Personal life and death 4 Legacy 5 Filmography 6 References 6 1 Citations 6 2 Sources 7 External linksEarly life editByrnes was born in New York City the son of Mary Byrne and Augustus Gus Breitenberger 1 He had two siblings Vincent and Jo Ann After his abusive alcoholic father died 2 when Edd was 13 he dropped his last name in favor of Byrnes based on the name of his maternal grandfather Edward Byrne 3 Byrnes developed the urge to act in high school but did not seriously consider pursuing it until after he had tried a number of other jobs such as driving an ambulance roofing and selling flowers 4 At age 17 he found work as a photographer s model 5 Career editEarly acting career edit In 1956 Byrnes got an unpaid job in a summer stock theatre company in Connecticut the Litchfield Community Playhouse He soon began appearing in the company s plays as an actor he also tried to get roles in Broadway theatre productions but had no luck Also that year he was cast in an episode of the Crossroads TV program Byrnes also appeared in episodes of the late 1950s series Wire Service and Navy Log After a year Byrnes moved to Hollywood 4 He appeared in a stage production of Tea and Sympathy 6 7 Byrnes also appeared in episodes of The Adventures of Jim Bowie and Telephone Time and in the film Fear Strikes Out 1957 Byrnes was third billed in the low budget exploitation film Reform School Girl 1957 for American International Pictures co starring Sally Kellerman the same year he had a supporting role in the Warner Bros film Johnny Trouble In 1957 Byrnes signed a three year contract with John Carroll of Clarion Pictures 8 He tested for roles in the films Bernardine and Until They Sail but was unsuccessful He did however guest star on an episode of Cheyenne made by Warner Bros 9 and a contemporary report described him as a Tab Hunter type 10 The studio liked Byrnes work and signed him to a long term contract in May 1957 11 Warner Bros edit Warners started off Byrnes contract by assigning him to a comic role in the war drama The Deep Six 1958 12 13 He also appeared in episodes of Cheyenne The Gale Storm Show Oh Susanna and Colt 45 In 1958 he appeared credited as Edward Byrnes as Benji Danton on Cheyenne in the episode titled The Last Comanchero When Tab Hunter refused a role in the war film Darby s Rangers 1958 Byrnes stepped in instead He was wanted for Baby Face Nelson 1957 but Warners would not loan him out 14 Byrnes also appeared in the romantic drama Marjorie Morningstar 1958 and Life Begins at 17 1958 He appeared as a guest star in Maverick The Deputy and Sugarfoot in the latter with John Russell Rodolfo Hoyos Jr and Will Wright in the 1958 season premiere episode Ring of Sand He was in another war film titled Up Periscope 1959 77 Sunset Strip edit Byrnes was cast in Girl on the Run a pilot for a detective show starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr Byrnes played contract killer Kenneth Kookie Smiley who continually combed his hair Byrnes said this was an idea of his which the director liked and kept in 15 16 17 18 19 Around this time Byrnes decided to change his acting name from Edward to Edd I just dreamed it up one day he said Edward is too formal and there are lots of Eddies 4 16 The show aired in October 1958 20 and was so popular Warners decided to turn it into a TV series 77 Sunset Strip 4 Byrnes character became an immediate national teen sensation prompting the producers to make Byrnes a regular cast member They transformed Kookie from a hitman into a parking valet at Dino s Lodge who helped as a private investigator Zimbalist Jr explained the situation to the audience We previewed this show and because Edd Byrnes was such a hit we decided that Kookie and his comb had to be in our series So this week we ll just forget that in the pilot he went off to prison to be executed From the pre credit sequence for the episode Lovely Lady Pity Me Kookie s recurring character a different exciting look that teens of the day related to was the valet parking attendant who constantly combed his piled high greasy styled teen hair often in a windbreaker jacket and who worked part time at the so called Dean Martin s Dino s Lodge restaurant next door to a private investigator agency at 77 Sunset Strip in West Hollywood Kookie frequently acted as an unlicensed protege detective who helped the private eyes Zimbalist and Roger Smith on their cases based upon the word heard from Kookie s street informants Kookie called everybody Dad as in Sure thing Dad and was television s homage to the Jack Kerouac style of cult hipster of the late 1950s 21 nbsp Byrnes as Kookie with Sue Randall c 1963 The show became the most popular one in the country 22 To the thrill of teen viewers Kookie spoke a jive talk code to everyone whether you understood him or not and Kookie knew better than others the word on the street Although the Kookie character was at least several years older than Jim Stark James Dean s character in the film Rebel Without a Cause Byrnes exuded a similar sense of cool Kookie was also the progenitor of Henry Winkler s The Fonz character of the Happy Days series switch hot rod for motorcycle same hair and comb By April 1959 Byrnes was among the most popular young actors in the country 23 I was a nobody said Byrnes Now I m dragging in over 400 letters a week and I m a name 24 Kookie s constant onscreen tending of his ducktail haircut led to many jokes among comedians of the time and it resulted in the 1959 charted 13 weeks rap style recording Kookie Kookie Lend Me Your Comb recorded with actress and recording artist Connie Stevens and which reached 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 It sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA 25 26 The song also appeared on the Edd Byrnes album entitled Kookie He and Stevens appeared together on ABC s The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom During the run of 77 Sunset Strip Byrnes as the Kookie character was a popular celebrity and Byrnes received fan mail that reached 15 000 letters a week according to Picture Magazine in 1961 this rivalled most early rock recording stars of the day citation needed Clashes with Warners edit Warners put him in the second lead of a Western Yellowstone Kelly 1959 supporting Clint Walker star of another Warners show Cheyenne it was a minor success at the box office 27 I m not studying said Byrnes at the time Why should I I get all my experience in front of the camera You get in front of the camera every day and you ve got to learn 4 Byrnes walked off the show in the second season demanding a bigger part and higher pay In November 1959 Warners put him on suspension They eventually offered 750 a week but he refused In April 1960 they came to terms and Byrnes went back to work 28 29 Owing to restrictions in his Warner Brothers television contract Byrnes was forced to turn down film roles in Ocean s Eleven 1960 Rio Bravo 1959 North to Alaska 1960 and The Longest Day 1962 He tested for the role of John F Kennedy in PT 109 but President Kennedy preferred Cliff Robertson 30 instead of making that movie he guest starred on Lawman Byrnes made a cameo as Kookie in Surfside Six and Hawaiian Eye a 77 Sunset Strip spin off He bought a story for Warners Make Mine Vanilla but it was not made 31 He threatened to punch a photographer who was trying to take a photo of him getting a marriage license 32 He did some summer stock in 1962 with his wife 33 Although Byrnes was a popular celebrity typecasting led him to ultimately buy out his television contract with Warner Brothers to clear his way for films but it was too late for Byrnes to capitalize on feature length cinema projects based upon his established television series fame Post Warner Bros edit In August 1963 Byrnes bought up the remaining ten months of his contract with Warner Bros and left Sunset Strip No more hipster image for me said Byrnes From now on I d like to establish myself as a movie star 34 Byrnes appeared in episodes of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Burke s Law and Kraft Suspense Theatre He travelled to Yugoslavia where he was one of several names in Roger Corman s ensemble war film The Secret Invasion 1964 While in Europe he signed to do a TV show in Munich 35 Back in the United States he made a pilot for a TV series Kissin Cousins based on the Elvis Presley film Kissin Cousins 1964 with Byrnes taking the part of the lieutenant played by Presley in the film 36 37 it did not go to series Byrnes starred in a beach party movie financed by Corman Beach Ball 1965 38 While working on Beach Ball with Byrnes Chris Noel complained about his behavior 39 He was in episodes of Mister Roberts Honey West and Theatre of Stars and did Picnic Bus Stop Sunday in New York Sweet Bird of Youth and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof on stage in stock 40 41 The shadow of Kookie hung over him People think that s the only role you can play he said in 1966 Producers and directors still think of me as the kid I played on the Strip I ve been offered other series but they ve still wanted to cast me as the same kid 42 Byrnes returned to Europe for several Spaghetti Westerns which included the 1967 films Renegade Riders Any Gun Can Play and Red Blood Yellow Gold 43 In 1969 he said he made more money in the preceding year than in his entire time at Warner Bros 44 Back in the US he worked mostly in TV this included episodes of Mannix Love American Style The Virginian Adam 12 and Pathfinders He was also in the TV movies The Silent Gun 1969 starring Lloyd Bridges and The Gift of Terror 1973 starring Denise Alexander and Will Geer Byrnes had a supporting role in the Duo Vision horror film Wicked Wicked in 1973 starring Tiffany Bolling and played a TV interviewer in the David Essex film Stardust 1974 In 1974 Byrnes hosted the pilot of Wheel of Fortune but NBC chose Chuck Woolery instead 45 He was a guest star in Marcus Welby MD Thriller Police Story Police Woman and Sword of Justice and was also in the TV movies Mobile Two 1975 and Telethon 1977 Grease edit Byrnes played a small but memorable role of the Dick Clark like dance show host Vince Fontaine host of National Bandstand in the 1978 movie Grease The box office success of the film led to Byrnes becoming the only regular cast member of the NBC comedy drama anthology series weepstake in early 1979 46 but it only lasted nine episodes He went back to guest starring in shows like CHiPs B J and the Bear House Calls Charlie s Angels Vega The Love Boat Fantasy Island Quincy M E The Master Simon amp Simon and Crazy Like a Fox Later career edit Byrnes had a small role in the Erin Moran TV film Twirl 1981 and the lead in Erotic Images 1983 with Britt Ekland Byrnes also appeared in Mankillers 1987 Back to the Beach 1987 Party Line 1988 and Troop Beverly Hills 1989 Later appearances included parts in Unhappily Ever After Rags to Riches Mr Belvedere Empty Nest Burke s Law the revival Adam 12 Kung Fu The Legend Continues and Murder She Wrote In 1987 he appeared on the sitcom Throb in the role of Bobby Catalina a washed up singer and performed his trademark Kookie song In 1992 he played a fictionalized version of himself on Married with Children being a celebrity endorser for a time share and singing a revamped version of Kookie with the thrash metal band Anthrax The episode and his appearance were well received One of his final TV roles was a small role in the mini series Shake Rattle and Roll An American Love Story 1999 Personal life and death editByrnes s son by Asa Maynor is Logan Byrnes a television news anchor for KUSI TV News in San Diego California since 2018 after performing the same duty at KTTV in Los Angeles Before 2016 he was at Fox Connecticut from 2008 47 Byrnes died of natural causes on January 8 2020 at his Santa Monica home He was 87 years old His body was cremated 48 49 5 Legacy editAs a tribute to his enduring celebrity and his iconic Kookie character Byrnes has ranked 5 in TV Guide s list of TV s 25 Greatest Teen Idols 23 January 2005 In 1996 he wrote an autobiography with Marshall Terrill titled Kookie No More 5 Byrnes appeared during the Memphis Film Festival in June 2014 he was reunited with his former Yellowstone Kelly co star Clint Walker 50 Filmography editFear Strikes Out 1957 as Boy in Car Assisting Jimmy Up Stairway uncredited Reform School Girl 1957 as Vince Johnny Trouble 1957 as Elliott Maverick 1957 1960 TV Series as Stableboy Wes Fallon in the episode Stage West The Kid Cheyenne 1957 1958 TV Series as Clay Rafferty Benji Danton as Edward Byrnes Sugarfoot Warner Bros Studios as Borden in Ring of Sand The Deep Six 1958 as Rescue Seaman voice uncredited Darby s Rangers 1958 as Lt Arnold Dittman Marjorie Morningstar 1958 as Sandy Lamm Life Begins at 17 1958 as Jim Barker Girl on the Run 1958 as Kenneth Smiley Up Periscope 1959 as Pharmacist Mate Ash Yellowstone Kelly 1959 as Anse Harper The Secret Invasion 1964 as Simon Fell Beach Ball 1965 as Dick Martin Honey West 1965 66 TV series as Robin Hood in the episode Little Green Robin Hood Any Gun Can Play 1967 as Clayton the Banker Red Blood Yellow Gold 1967 as Chattanooga Jim Renegade Riders 1967 as Stuart 51 The Silent Gun 1969 TV Movie as Joe Henning Wicked Wicked 1973 as Henry Peter Hank Lassiter Adam 12 09 13 1972 TV Series as Skinner Stardust 1974 as TV Interviewer Grease 1978 as Vince Fontaine weepstake TV series as The weepstake M C 9 episodes Erotic Images 1983 as Logan Roberts Back to the Beach 1987 as Valet Mankillers 1987 as Jack Marra Party Line 1988 as Maitre d Troop Beverly Hills 1989 as Ross Coleman Married with Children 1992 as a prospective neighbor to Al and Peg Murder She Wrote 1993 as Freddie Major Shake Rattle and Roll An American Love Story 1999 TV Movie as Bobby Icovella final film role References editCitations edit Aaker Everett 2011 Encyclopedia of Early Television Crime Fighters New York City McFarland amp Company ISBN 9780786424764 Jablon Robert January 10 2020 Edd Byrnes who played Kookie in 77 Sunset Strip dies Star Tribune Minneapolis Associated Press Archived from the original on January 10 2020 Retrieved January 10 2020 Biodata imdb com accessed December 12 2015 a b c d e Schumach Murry August 30 1959 SUCCESS STORY From Edward to Edd or How Kookie Paid Off The New York Times Retrieved January 11 2020 a b c Fox Margalit January 9 2020 Edd Byrnes Who Combed His Way to TV Stardom Dies at 86 The New York Times Retrieved January 10 2020 Eliot 2013 pp 22 23 Davidson Bill October 12 1975 The conquering antihero The New York Times Retrieved January 11 2020 Shirley jones costar signs clarion contract Los Angeles Times January 17 1957 ProQuest 167028762 via ProQuest subscription required Movieland Events Los Angeles Times January 29 1957 ProQuest 167066724 via ProQuest subscription required MOVIELAND EVENTS Los Angeles Times February 23 1957 ProQuest 167075975 Schallert Edwin May 14 1957 Author favors Glenn Ford for Quicksand skouras project afoot Los Angeles Times ProQuest 167113681 Pryor Thomas M May 14 1957 Palance In Movie Backed By Mexico The New York Times ProQuest 114243188 Thompson Jr Henry Howard January 16 1958 Deep Six Is Drama About Pacifist at War The New York Times Retrieved January 11 2020 subscription required Schallert Edwin July 2 1957 Cornel Wilde readies Hungary saga George Sanders stars abroad Los Angeles Times ProQuest 167078820 Beck Joan August 20 1959 Meet Kookie idol of teen set Chicago Tribune ProQuest 182333579 a b Compo 2009 p 58 Compo 2009 p 478 Variety Staff May 2 2014 77 Sunset Strip F B I Star Efrem Zimbalist Jr Dies at 95 Variety Retrieved January 11 2020 Terrace 2003 p 148 S R F Oct 11 1958 TV Innovations on your hit parade New York Times ProQuest 114499247 Dad He Got a Bulb Los Angeles Times April 26 1959 ProQuest 167394158 L L Aug 20 1959 On your mark gang kookie flies in today The Washington Post and Times Herald ProQuest 149177278 Korman S Apr 12 1959 Hollywood s bright young men Chicago Daily Tribune ProQuest 182314140 Scheuer S H Apr 18 1959 They FLIP over 77 sunset strip Chicago Daily Tribune ProQuest 182308495 Murrells Joseph 1978 The Book of Golden Discs 2nd ed London Barrie and Jenkins Ltd p 111 ISBN 0 214 20512 6 J S Jun 21 1959 How no talent singers get talent New York Times ProQuest 114789984 Wolters L Aug 9 1959 Kookie is kool man kool Chicago Daily Tribune ProQuest 182377654 77 Sunset Strip Tvparty com Retrieved on 2012 05 05 Edd Byrnes studio settle pay dispute Los Angeles Times Apr 18 1960 ProQuest 167674728 p 24 Davidson Bill The President Casts a Movie The Saturday Evening Post Volume 235 Curtis Publishing Company September 8 1962 MacMINN A Mar 5 1962 INSIDE TV Los Angeles Times ProQuest 168084128 TV S KOOKIE CURSES THREATENS LENSMAN Los Angeles Times Mar 23 1962 ProQuest 168091828 Summer stock for edd Los Angeles Times Jun 28 1962 ProQuest 168081810 Kookie s not a kook anymore Chicago Tribune Aug 4 1963 ProQuest 182810136 Edd sets european projects Los Angeles Times Oct 9 1963 ProQuest 168442966 Pamela austin to re create role Los Angeles Times Oct 8 1964 ProQuest 155021107 Byrnes signed to new series Los Angeles Times Oct 16 1964 ProQuest 155031229 Lisanti 2005 p 158 Lisanti 2005 p 164 Pheasant run stars rennie in mary mary Chicago Tribune Feb 7 1965 ProQuest 179838341 K H May 7 1966 Great way to earn a living The Christian Science Monitor ProQuest 510869207 The way kookie doesn t crumble Los Angeles Times Mar 23 1966 ProQuest 155429867 V S Dec 14 1967 Kookie rustlin up movies in italy The Washington Post and Times Herald ProQuest 143029346 Cross R Feb 4 1969 Edd byrnes 10 years later Chicago Tribune ProQuest 168880022 David Baber 2008 Television game show hosts biographies of 32 stars McFarland amp Company ISBN 9780786429264 Retrieved 2013 02 15 via Google Books Rosenberg H Dec 1 1978 MINUS 8 PLUS 9 EQUALS Los Angeles Times ProQuest 158650157 Logan Byrnes official website retrieved December 12 2015 Alicia Adejobi 9 January 2020 Grease actor Edd Byrnes dies aged 87 Metro Entertainment Retrieved 9 January 2020 Edd Byrnes Kookie on 77 Sunset Strip Dies at 87 The Hollywood Reporter Home security and locksmith blog tips amp info Memphis Film Festival website Archived from the original on 2015 08 28 Retrieved 2015 08 17 Payment in Blood 1967 IMDb com Retrieved August 18 2021 Sources edit Compo Susan A 2009 Warren Oates A Wild Life Screen Classics 1st ed Lexington University Press of Kentucky ISBN 978 0813125367 Eliot Marc 2013 Nicholson A Biography 1st ed New York City Crown Publishing Group pp 22 23 ISBN 978 0307888372 Hopkins Professor Fred 1997 Edd Kookie Byrnes Psychotronic Video No 26 p 59 65 Lisanti Thomas 2005 Hollywood Surf and Beach Movies The First Wave 1959 1969 Reprint ed New York City McFarland amp Company ISBN 978 0786421046 Terrace Vincent 2003 The Television Crime Fighters Factbook Over 9 800 Details from 301 Programs 1937 2003 New York City McFarland amp Company p 148 ISBN 978 0786415335 External links editEdd Byrnes at IMDb Edd Byrnes at AllMovie Edd Byrnes discography at Discogs Roy Huggins Archive of American Television Interview Archived 2008 02 26 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Edd Byrnes amp oldid 1222279224, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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