FRANKIE AVALON BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

Frankie Avalon was born on September 18th, 1939 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with the birth name Francis Thomas Avallone to parents Mary and Nicholas.  As a young boy he was already exposed to the music industry as his father taught him how to play the trumpet and had him performing in local theaters and clubs. 
 
As a teenager Frankie won a local television talent contest and was also performing at private parties.  In 1952 when performing at a private party for the singer, Al Martino, a talent scout took notice of Avalon and got him the opportunity to appear on Jackie Gleason's television show.  This chance lead to a number of other television appearances and soon he landed a recording contract with Philadelphia's Chancellor Records.  He began recording such songs as, "Cupid" and "Teacher's Pet".
 
With a decent amount of musical experience and exposure, the film industry began to show an interest in Avalon and cast him in his first film role, "Jamboree" (1958) featuring stars such as Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, Connie Francis, Carl Perkins, Count Basie, Buddy Knox, Jimmy Bowen and Slim Whitman to name a few.  He also appeared on the television show, "New American Bandstand 1965" (1952) which increased his stardom to a whole new level. 
 
He continued to record a number of hits songs such as the one song he is most known for, "Venus".  As his career progressed to the 1960's, his music recording slowed down but that gave him a chance to focus on the film industry.  He began taking small roles in such features as, "The Alamo" (1960) starring John Wayne, Richard Widmark, Laurence Harvey, Chill Wills, Patrick Wayne, Linda Cristal, Joseph Calleia, Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams, Ruben Padilla, Richard Boone, Ken Curtis, Hank Worden and Denver Pyle, "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" (1961) with Michael Ansara, Barbara Eden, Peter Lorre, Joan Fontaine, Walter Pidgeon, Robert Sterling, Regis Toomey and Howard McNear, "Drums of Africa" (1963) co-starring Mariette Hartley, Lloyd Bochner and Torin Thatcher and a larger role in "Beach Party" (1963) starring with Robert Cummings, Dorothy Malone, Annette Funicello, Morey Amsterdam, Harvey Lembeck, Jody McCrea, John Ashley, Meredith MacRae, Vincent Price with Dick Dale and The Del-Tones and "Grease" (1978) starring John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Stockard Channing, Jeff Conaway, Eve Arden, Joan Blondell, Alice Ghostley, Lorenzo Lamas and Sid Caesar.

Frankie's last film role was in Martin Scorsese's "Casino" (1995) starring alongside Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, Joe Pesci, Don Rickles, James Woods and L. Q. Jones
 
His popularity again increased tenfold amongst teenagers after he took on the roles of these films that combined comedy, dancing, music and beautiful woman.  Along with acting, he did still continue to record with Chancellor Records and a number of other recording labels.
 
Today, Frankie Avalon continues to make occasional public appearances and he remains married to his one and only wife, Kathryn Diebel whom he wed in 1962 and they have a total of eight children together.  Frankie resides in the San Bernadino Mountains in Southern California. 

 
Filmography

2008 Grindhouse Universe
1996 Renegade 
1995 Burke's Law
1987 Back to the Beach
1982 Blood Song
1980 Fantasy Island
1979 $weepstake$
1978 Frankie and Annette: The Second Time Around
1978 Grease
1978 The Love Boat
1974 Police Story 
1974 The Take
1973 Saga of Sonora
1971 Love, American Style
1969 It Takes a Thief 
1969 Horror House
1968 Skidoo 
1967 Off to See the Wizard 
1967 The Lucy Show
1967 The Million Eyes of Sumuru
1966 Fireball 500 
1965 Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine 
1965 Sergeant Dead Head 
1965 How to Stuff a Wild Bikini 
1965 Ski Party 
1965 I'll Take Sweden 
1965 Beach Blanket Bingo 
1965 The Bing Crosby Show 
1965 Combat! 
1963-1965 Burke's Law
1964 Pajama Party 
1964 Bikini Beach 
1964 Muscle Beach Party 
1964 Amigos del martes 
1963 Mr. Novak 
1963 Rawhide 
1963 Beach Party 
1963 Drums of Africa
1963 The Castilian 
1963 Operation Bikini 
1963 The Eleventh Hour 
1962 Panic in Year Zero!
1961 Sail a Crooked Ship
1961 Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea 
1960 The Alamo 
1960 The Magic Land of Alakazam 
1960 Guns of the Timberland