Bobby Rydell, Bye Bye Birdie actor and teen pop star, died at age 79 from pneumonia, according to Variety. Mr. Rydell was born Robert Louis Ridarelli on April 26, 1942, to Adrio and Jennie (Sapienza) Ridarelli. Entertainment Bobby Rydell, 60s teen idol and 'Bye Bye Birdie' star, dies The star had nearly three dozen Top 40 singles, starred in various TV shows, and had the high school in "Grease" named . Instead of the short walk around the corner to see Camille, the new lifeline of our relationship was a 10-milecar ride on the Schuylkill Expressway. "Icon Fetch" 273a - Bobby Rydell - Teen Idol and Golden Boys (Podcast Episode) - Movies, TV, Celebs, and more. You had your chance and you blew it. I was morose. I moved my parents, grandparents, and myself out of South Philly and into a newhome in suburban Penn Valley. Hes still on a high from a show two days earlier in a packed ballroom at the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City. Published Full track listing and details of the 7" vinyl record Bobby Rydell - The Woodpecker Song / Little Queenie - Cameo Parkway - Netherlands (1963), on 45cat. Rydell married his second wife, Linda Hoffman, in 2009. They had two children. Dont worry, thats outgoing, not incoming, one Marine told me. Mr. Rydell did not just have staying power; he also made a comeback after years of alcohol abuse, which he chronicled in his autobiography, Bobby Rydell: Teen Idol on the Rocks (2016), written with the guitarist and producer Allan Slutsky. His alcohol-induced illness forced him to cancel an Australian tour in 2012. "A Philly Music Legend has passed on. Bobby Rydell passed away on April 5, 2022, at the age of 79. He is survived by Linda and by two children, Robert and Jennifer, from his first marriage. [Laughs] Every once in a while when it's on, I'll give it a glimpse.". Anyone can read what you share. [20], The street on which he was born in Philadelphia was renamed Bobby Rydell Boulevard, in his honor. He and Kal had gotten off to aflying start penning Teddy Bear for ElvisPresley, and then landing a No. [4], Rydell played in several bands in the Philadelphia area, including Rocco and the Saints, in which he sang and played drums. When Kissin Time hit the airwaves in June of 1959, it triggered a seismic event that rippled through the company. ), He also recalled that in 1963, in England, the Beatles climbed onto his tour bus to meet him. Over the course of his recording career he placed 19 singles in the Billboard Top 40 and 34 in the Hot 100. [19] His autobiography was published in 2016. Six decades later, teamed with his fellow singers Frankie Avalon and Fabian, he was still drawing crowds. [19], Rydell served in the U.S. National Guard, and began his service in 1964 with two months of basic training at Fort Dix. [9] A mural on the Wildwood, New Jersey, boardwalk, painted in 2014, honors Rydell, whose song placed the community in the national spotlight. At age 6, he told his father he wanted to play the drums, like Gene Krupa; a year or two later Bobby was singing in local nightclubs. On October 6, 1964, he made a guest appearance on the episode "Duel" of the television series Combat!. Get personalized recommendations, and learn where to watch across hundreds of streaming providers. Meanwhile, Tommy James of Tommy James and the Shondells shared via Twitter that he was "deeply saddened by the loss of Bobby Rydell, a good friend and one of my idols. He was 79. It was scary, but all in all it was absolutely tremendous. (Mr. Rydell went on to tour in Australia more than 20 times. Rydell died Tuesday at Thomas . He was 79. The couple stayed together until her death in 2003. In 2012, Rydell received a liver and kidney transplant that was necessary because of his alcoholism. Sales. In fact, the former teen idol is still singing live to this day and tours with some other big names of the '60s. I think itwas an Italian thing. Their refusal to reissue Rydells music made his entire catalog unavailable until 2005. In 1963 he was cast as Hugo Peabody in the film version of the musical Bye Bye Birdie, alongside Ann-Margret and Dick Van Dyke. Mr. Rydell performing with the City Rhythm Orchestra in Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center in Manhattan in 2016. One night, they were booked as the opening act at a very popular club in Somers Point, N.J., called Bayshores. It didnt hurt that Dick Clarks American Bandstand was broadcast in those years from Philadelphia, the home of Mr. Rydells label, Cameo Records. And not only did she save my life, but she saved seven other people, as well. His father was the foreman in a machine shop. The drinking got bad and then my health got even worse and I needed the double transplant, liver and kidney, or I would die, Bobby says. Mr. Rydells repertoire included plaintive love ballads; slow, danceable tunes; occasional frenetic rockers like Wild One and Swingin School; and ageless songs like Domenico Modugnos 1958 hit Volare, which became Mr. Rydells signature song in his later touring years. Mr. Rydell was characteristically modest in the 2011 interview. Long after their days on the pop chart were past them, they enjoyed great success on the oldies circuit. "Wild One" was followed with "Little Bitty Girl" which was his second million-selling single. In addition to Best Life, she has written for Refinery29, Bustle, Hello Giggles, InStyle, and more. [emailprotected]. Since news broke of Rydell's death, countless celebrities have voiced their admiration of him. But if any of us Italiancrooners wanted to distance ourselvesfrom the image of a mob-backed Italian singer, it became almost impossible after my fellow SouthPhiladelphian, Al Martino, played Johnny Fontane in, . So Rare; 30. I started a stint in the National Guard in 1964 that began with two months of basic training at Fort Dix. But, like many other alcoholics, Bobby was very good at hiding his addiction few people knew how much he could drink and how bad it was. Thankfully, Bobby managed to come back, and he even started touring as part of The Golden Boys stage production. He notched up 19 singles in the Billboard Top 40, among the most successful of them We Got Love, Wild One and Volare. I Cried for You; 26. It was a miracle the way things happened. We might have a drink together, tell a few jokes or talk sports, but thats as far as it ever went. Born Robert Ridarelli on April 26, 1942, the star died on April 5, just weeks shy of what would . The three are all from South Philadelphia and knew each other as kids. My God, you know, I couldnt run out of my friend, he explained in an interview with The Morning Call. Rydell, who opened up about receiving a double organ transplant in 2012 in his 2016 biography Teen Idol on the Rocks: A Tale of Second Chances, was an advocate for organ donation and supporter of The Gift of Life, a nonprofit that helps families impacted by organ transplants. When he was nine, young Robert won a spot on the television show Paul Whitemans TV Teen Club and became a regular cast member. It really was, Bobby told The Morning Call. Im the kind of guy wholl sing and perform until I die. I was so nervous and intimidated I declined the offer. The movie was the 13th highest-grossing film of 1963. Yeah, when I first hit, I bought myself a few trinkets that were out of reach for the average Joe. There was a Bobby Rydell song out at the time and, as often happens, you think of one song when you write another. Now, they tour as The Golden Boys. RELATED: For more celebrity news delivered right to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. 7" Single on 45cat: Bobby Rydell - The Woodpecker Song / Little Queenie - Cameo Parkway - Netherlands - CP 26.398 : 45worlds 45cat 45spaces. It's very, veryit's brutally honest. He really went out of his way to make me feela part of his entourage, and then posed for a picture with me and signed a copy of my Live at the Copa album. After that, Bobby Rydell published the extremely . In his interview with From the Mixed Up Files, he shared a story about his wife discovering some of his old work. But, as the '60s continued on, Rydell's career slowed down thanks to new rock and roll bands like the Beatles. Rydell is survived by his wife, Linda J. Hoffman, son Robert Ridarelli, daughter Jennifer Dulin, and his five grandchildren, according to the statement. We were having a great time talking about the usual stufffood, music, womenand he also asked me a few questions about my career. Were not trying to fool anybody, Mr. Rydell said in a 2012 interview. Gifts. Join Songkick to track Bobby Rydell and get concert alerts when they play near you. From left, Fabian, Frankie Avalon and Mr. Rydell in performance in Atlantic City, N.J., in 2006. Mr. A new liver and a new kidney, because of all of the drinking." A mutually beneficial relationship between. I was impressed at first sight. (And why not? [4], During that time, he performed on many television programs, including The Red Skelton Show, where a recurring role as Zeke Kadiddlehopper, Clem Kadiddlehopper's younger cousin, was written for him by Skelton. Its all Ive ever known. scientific studies and medical journals. From the firstmoment he played the record on his show, the stations switchboard lit up. I sang the hell out of that tune, but the records success wasnt all because of me. If I played Palumbos in South Philly, Nicky Scarfo, Philip Testa, or several of the other local Philly boys might be hanging at the bar. Ihad no idea what that even meant, so I just said, Talk to my dad.. He performs Tuesday and Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center - and autographed copies of his book will be available. In 1961, aged 19 and now a confirmed teen heart-throb, he became the youngest performer to headline at the fabled Copacabana club in New York. Linda helped him stop drinking and also persuaded Bobby to write a very personal autobiography, which served as a kind of therapy for him. Throughout his stardom in the 1960s, Bobby released the hit songs Kissin' Time, We Got Love, Wild One, and Swingin' School. The headliner that night wasa prominent local act named Billy Duke and the Dukes, whose bass player was known as Frankie Day. After all, your songs are part of the sound track to our formative years. I was driving to New York, and we pickedit up on WABC-AM. And it didnt get any better when the former star ended up in a dispute with ABKCO Records. Rydell performs with two of his contemporaries, Frankie Avalon and Fabian. I woke the next morning to see afront-page picture in the Philadelphia Inquirer of Camille andme walking down the steps of the church with close to onethousand of my fans in the street throwing rice at us as weentered a Rolls-Royce Silver Phantom limo. Bobby Rydell was a teen idol in the early 1960s known for the hits "Wildwood Days" and "Volare," and who starred with Ann-Margaret in the film "Bye Bye Birdie." We invite you to share. But FrankieDay and my mother still picked out my clothes, and I was still living with my parents in my grandparents tiny row home. 1 record titled Butterfly with Cameos first artist, singer-guitarist Charlie Gracie. Bobby Rydell was the very definition of talent. Now 73 and a survivor of a 2012 operation that left him with a new kidney and liver, Rydell is happy and committed to being on stage "as long as the chops are still working." Rydell made the charts in 1959 with "Kissin' Time," earning 11 Top 20 hits over the next five years. His career took off after he won a talent show at Paul Whitemans TV Teen Club. Bobby Rydell died from complications of pneumonia at Abington Jefferson Hospital on April 5, 2022, at the age of 79. In the early 1960s he was considered a teen idol. , the show was broadcast weekday afternoonson ABC from local affiliate WFILs 46th and Market Street studio. One of the tougher periods occurred in February 1966, when I toured South Vietnam for three weeks. the release of Kissin Time. Bobby first found success as a teen idol, selling over 25 million records. In the early 1960s, with giant hits like Wild One, Volare and We Got Love, Bobby became an instant teen idol with his chart-topping songs. Within three weeks, it was the No. [19], Rydell was married to his first wife, Camille Quattrone Ridarelli, for 35 years, from 1968 until her death in 2003. Youd have never known I was a star. album. We finally got married on October 5, 1968, at Stella Maris Church in South Philly. Eventually, "I said, 'Well, if I'm gonna sit down and talk with anybody, it's gonna be Allan. My first experience recording for a big labelmight have overwhelmed me, but the three songs we cutPlease Dont Be Mad, All I Want Is You, and a tune penned by Paul Ankawerent particularly exciting. Bobby Rydell - The Singles & Albums Collection 1959-62. His recording career earned him 34 Top 100 hits, placing him in the top five artists of his era (Billboard). [19][24], In the Broadway musical drama Grease, its film adaptation, and the film's sequel Grease 2, the high school was named "Rydell High" after Rydell.[25]. All I Want Is You, for instance, was basically the same song as Stairway to the Stars, with a different melody. [2], In 1963, Rydell starred in an unsold television pilot called Swingin' Together produced by Desilu Productions, which featured him as the frontman for a four-piece rock 'n roll band seeking their big break. Rydell was also immortalized in the 2018 film"Green Book," which depicted his legendary performance at Copacabana at the age of 19. He was a regular guest on numerous TV shows, including those hosted by Red Skelton, Jack Benny, Joey Bishop, Perry Como and George Burns. In 1963, he starred with Ann Margaret in the musical film, Bye Bye Birdie. As the Facebook statement pointed out, at the time, "he became the youngest singer to perform" at the famed establishment. He tells a few stories, some jokes. [7], Rydell's success and prospects led his father, Adrio, a foreman at the Electro-Nite Carbon Company in Philadelphia, to resign in 1961 after 22 years to become his son's road manager. Bobby Rydell reclines on a couch in his sports-themed basement in Penn Valley, a lit Winston purring in his right hand. Like Paul Whitemans TV Teen Club, the show was broadcast weekday afternoonson ABC from local affiliate WFILs 46th and Market Street studio. Bobby Rydell, a 1950s teen idol who starred in the hit musical film "Bye Bye Birdie," has died. Unlike some of the other pretty faces of his era, he was a real musician. B obby Rydell, a former teenage idol known for hits such as "Volare" and "Wildwood Days," has died at the age of 79. His father shortened the boys name to Rydell for the show. Jesus, who could ask for a better start to a relationship than that? Bobby Rydell - Singles & Alben Sammlung 1959-62 [Neue CD] | Music, CDs | eBay! And I'm very, very pleased with the way the book came out.".