Edd Byrnes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids 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.
Died	January 8, 2020(2020-01-08) (aged 87) Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1956–1999
Spouse(s)	Asa Maynor ​ ​ (m. 1962; div. 1971)​
Children	1

Edward Byrne Breitenberger (born July 30, 1932 – died January 8, 2020), known as Edd Byrnes, was an American actor. He was most famous for his role in the TV show 77 Sunset Strip. He also played Vince Fontaine in the 1978 movie Grease. Byrnes was also a singer, with a popular song called "Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb)".

Who Was Edd Byrnes?

Early Life and Dreams

Edd Byrnes was born in New York City. His parents were Mary and Augustus Breitenberger. He had two siblings, Vincent and Jo-Ann. When Edd was 13, his father passed away. After this, he changed his last name to Byrnes. This name came from his grandfather, Edward Byrne.

Edd became interested in acting during high school. However, he tried many other jobs first. He worked as an ambulance driver, a roofer, and a flower seller. At age 17, he started working as a model for photographers.

Starting His Acting Journey

In 1956, Byrnes got his first acting job. It was an unpaid role in a summer theater group in Connecticut. He soon began acting in their plays. He also tried to get roles in Broadway theatre shows. But he did not have any luck there.

That same year, he appeared on a TV show called Crossroads. Byrnes also had roles in other TV shows like Wire Service and Navy Log.

First Steps in Hollywood

After a year, Byrnes moved to Hollywood. He acted in a play called Tea and Sympathy. He also appeared in TV shows like The Adventures of Jim Bowie and Telephone Time. His first movie role was in Fear Strikes Out (1957).

He also had a role in a low-budget movie called Reform School Girl (1957). In 1957, Byrnes signed a contract with Clarion Pictures.

Byrnes tried out for roles in bigger movies. These included Bernardine and Until They Sail. He did not get those parts. However, he guest-starred on a Warner Bros. TV show called Cheyenne. Warner Bros. liked his acting and signed him to a long-term contract in May 1957.

Joining Warner Bros.

Warner Bros. gave Byrnes a funny role in the war movie The Deep Six (1958). He also appeared in more episodes of Cheyenne. Other TV shows he was on included The Gale Storm Show: Oh! Susanna and Colt .45.

When actor Tab Hunter turned down a role in Darby's Rangers (1958), Byrnes took the part. He also appeared in the romantic movie Marjorie Morningstar (1958). Another film was Life Begins at 17 (1958). He continued to guest star on TV shows like Maverick and The Deputy. He was also in another war film, Up Periscope (1959).

Becoming "Kookie" on 77 Sunset Strip

Byrnes was cast in a TV pilot called Girl on the Run. This show was about a detective. Byrnes played a character named Kenneth ("Kookie") Smiley. Kookie was always combing his hair. Byrnes said this was his own idea that the director liked. Around this time, Byrnes changed his acting name to "Edd". He felt "Edward" was too formal.

The pilot aired in October 1958. It was very popular. Warner Bros. decided to make it into a TV series called 77 Sunset Strip. Byrnes' character, Kookie, became a huge hit with teenagers. The show producers made him a regular cast member. Kookie changed from a hitman to a parking valet at Dino's Lodge. He also helped the private eyes solve cases.

Kookie had a cool, unique look that teens loved. He was a valet who constantly combed his hair. He often wore a windbreaker jacket. He worked part-time at Dino's Lodge restaurant. This restaurant was next to the private investigator agency. Kookie often helped the detectives. He used information he heard from his street contacts. Kookie called everyone "Dad". He was like the cool, trendy "hipster" of the late 1950s.

Byrnes as Kookie with Sue Randall (c. 1963)

The Kookie Craze

77 Sunset Strip became one of the most popular shows in the country. Kookie spoke in a special "jive-talk" code. Teen viewers loved it. He seemed to know "the word on the street." Kookie was seen as a very cool character. He even inspired Henry Winkler's character, The Fonz, on Happy Days. By April 1959, Byrnes was one of the most popular young actors.

Byrnes said, "I was a nobody. Now I'm dragging in over 400 letters a week." His constant hair combing led to a famous song. In 1959, he recorded "Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb)" with singer Connie Stevens. The song reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 music chart. It sold over one million copies. This earned it a gold disc. Byrnes also released an album called Kookie. During the show's run, Byrnes received up to 15,000 fan letters a week. This was as much as many rock stars of that time.

Moving Beyond Kookie

Warner Bros. gave Byrnes a main role in the Western movie Yellowstone Kelly (1959). He starred alongside Clint Walker. The movie was a small success.

Byrnes wanted a bigger role and more pay on 77 Sunset Strip. He left the show during its second season. In November 1959, Warner Bros. suspended him. They offered him $750 a week, but he refused. In April 1960, they reached an agreement. Byrnes went back to work.

Because of his contract, Byrnes had to turn down many movie roles. These included Ocean's Eleven (1960) and Rio Bravo (1959). He tried out for the role of John F. Kennedy in PT 109. But President Kennedy preferred Cliff Robertson for the part.

Byrnes made guest appearances as Kookie on other shows. These included Surfside Six and Hawaiian Eye. Even though he was very popular, he was often offered similar roles. This is called typecasting. He eventually bought out his contract with Warner Bros. He wanted to act in more movies. However, it was hard for him to get big film roles after being so famous as Kookie.

New Roles and Challenges

In August 1963, Byrnes left 77 Sunset Strip. He said he wanted to be known as a movie star. He appeared in episodes of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour and Burke's Law. He traveled to Yugoslavia for the war movie The Secret Invasion (1964).

Back in the U.S., he made a TV pilot for a show called Kissin' Cousins. It was based on an Elvis Presley movie. But the show was not picked up. Byrnes also starred in a beach party movie, Beach Ball (1965). He continued to appear in TV shows like Mister Roberts and Honey West. He also performed in stage plays.

The "Kookie" character stayed with him. He said in 1966, "Producers and directors still think of me as the kid I played on the Strip."

Byrnes went back to Europe to make several Spaghetti Western movies. These included Renegade Riders, Any Gun Can Play, and Red Blood, Yellow Gold (all 1967). He said he earned more money in one year there than his whole time at Warner Bros.

Back in the U.S., he mostly worked on TV. He appeared in shows like Mannix, Love, American Style, and The Virginian. He was also in TV movies like The Silent Gun (1969). In 1973, he was in the horror film Wicked, Wicked. He also played a TV interviewer in the movie Stardust (1974).

In 1974, Byrnes hosted the pilot episode of Wheel of Fortune. But NBC chose Chuck Woolery to host the show instead. He continued to guest star on many popular TV shows. These included Marcus Welby, MD, Police Story, and Police Woman.

Remember Vince Fontaine from Grease?

Byrnes had a small but memorable role in the 1978 movie Grease. He played Vince Fontaine, the host of the "National Bandstand" dance show. This character was similar to real-life TV host Dick Clark.

The success of Grease led Byrnes to a regular role. He joined the NBC comedy-drama $weepstake$ in 1979. However, that show only lasted nine episodes. He then went back to guest starring on TV shows. These included CHiPs, Charlie's Angels, The Love Boat, and Fantasy Island.

Later Acting Roles

Byrnes had a small role in the TV movie Twirl (1981). He also appeared in movies like Mankillers (1987) and Back to the Beach (1987). Other films included Party Line (1988) and Troop Beverly Hills (1989).

Later in his career, he had parts in TV shows like Unhappily Ever After and Empty Nest. In 1992, he played a version of himself on Married... with Children. He was a celebrity promoting a time share. The band Anthrax even sang his famous "Kookie" song in the episode. His appearance was well-liked.

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

His Family and Passing

Edd Byrnes had a son named Logan Byrnes with his wife, Asa Maynor. Logan Byrnes is a television news anchor. He works for KUSI-TV News in San Diego, California. Before that, he worked in Los Angeles and Connecticut.

Edd Byrnes passed away from natural causes on January 8, 2020. He was at his home in Santa Monica. He was 87 years old. His body was cremated after his death.

Edd Byrnes' Lasting Impact

Edd Byrnes' fame and his "Kookie" character left a lasting mark. TV Guide magazine ranked him #5 on their list of "TV's 25 Greatest Teen Idols" in 2005. In 1996, he wrote his autobiography. It was called Kookie No More.

Byrnes appeared at the Memphis Film Festival in June 2014. There, he met up with his former Yellowstone Kelly co-star, Clint Walker.

Film and TV Roles