who is still alive from 77 sunset strip who is still alive from 77 sunset strip

When he was 12 the family moved to Nogales, Ariz., where he excelled in the high school acting club and football team. After a debilitating illness ended his days as an actor, he managed his wife's career. As from his biography sites, his father died at the age of 13. You are here: Home / is tatum o'neal still alive is tatum o'neal still alive. No number 77 exists on the Strip, as all Sunset Boulevard addresses in the area have four digits. Official Sites. The show was so popular that rising young actors clamored for guest spots. It still remains plausible, however, that the moment of 'fragmentation' - of the founding of a colony - constituted a defining moment for the self-imagining, and consequently for the emerging character, of these overseas societies. When Byrnes' demands for more money and an expanded role were not met, he left the show for a period in Season 2. On 77 Sunset Strip, Kookie parked cars at Dino's Lodge, a Hollywood nightclub that was owned by Dean Martin and served as a backdrop on the show. Actors Roger Smith, left, Carolyn Komant and Efrem Zimbalist Jr. tune up for their parts in the TV series "77 Sunset Strip," in 1961. It's been a while, but it's been hard for me to get in the booth. Edd chafed, however, at the restrictions in his Warner Brothers contract, which forced him to turn down roles in Ocean's Eleven (1960), North to Alaska (1960) and Rio Bravo (1959).He walked off the "77 Sunset Strip" set and in the ensuing months began to drink heavily and visit a psychiatrist, who administered drugs to him. The hip-talking, hair-combing image clung to him, however, and Edd felt he lost the lead in PT 109 (1963) because President John F. Kennedy didn't want to be played by "Kookie". (AP) Actor Roger Smith, who brought glamour to the TV detective genre as a hip private eye on "77 Sunset Strip," has died. The firm's most frequently seen police contact is Lt. Roy Gilmore (Byron Keith), who is almost never called by his first name. . The episode "The Target" was unusual because key roles were played by the show's primary behind-the-scenes crew, who happened to also be experienced actors. 'Since we last spoke, I've become a father of two, trying to live life with a . Being a famous actor is not nearly as satisfying as people think. Asa is still alive today at age 84. You carry their spirit with you.. He sporadically returned to Hollywood to capitalize on his Kookie notoriety. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Private detective and former World War II Office of Strategic Services secret agent and foreign languages professor Stuart ("Stu") Bailey (Zimbalist) and former government agent and nonpracticing attorney Jeff Spencer (Smith) form a duo who work from stylish offices at 77 Sunset Boulevard in Suites 101 and 102. 77 Sunset Strip debuted in 1958 with Efrem Zimbalist Jr. as his partner in a Hollywood detective agency. Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb), a novelty record he recorded with Connie Stevens, sold more than 1 million copies and rose to No. The show ran from 1958 to 1964. Its perfect for me. Connie recently recorded a beautiful Christmas Album, "Tradition". 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in May 1959. Your email address will not be published. In a March 1960 story on the incident, Look magazine blamed medical mistakes for the delay in diagnosis and quoted a doctor as saying, This boy came too close to being buried needlessly.. I thought, This is a cinch business. But it isnt. Edd Byrnes, an actor best known for his roles in 1978's "Grease" and the 1950s series "77 Sunset Strip," died Wednesday at his home in Santa Monica. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain a courteous and useful public environment! Still yearning for larger parts, he bought out his Warner Bros. contract in 1963. Roger Smith Art Zelin/Getty Images. 2023 TV GUIDE, A FANDOM COMPANY. Bourbon Street Beat saw a similar detective agency located in New Orleans. COMMENT POLICY: We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, vulgarity, profanity, all caps, or discourteous behavior. Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb), a novelty record he recorded with Connie Stevens, sold more than 1 million copies and rose to No. He managed to get a few minor parts in films and then won a role in a new TV series, 77 Sunset Strip (1958), which premiered in September 1958. Smith served 2 years in the Navy Reserve, and in Hawaii he sang at social events. He was 84. Watch 77 Sunset Strip season 1 episode 4 online. He was a fireman. Early mentions of the show were made in the network's fall affiliate presentation promotion, with the 77 Sunset Strip logo visible in the movie backlot motif. Smith passed away on Sunday morning at a hospital in Sherman Oaks,. 1959. Los Angeles Edd Byrnes, star of the 1950s and '60s TV hit "77 Sunset Strip" who went on to co-star in the 1978 smash "Grease," has died, the actor's son, Logan Byrnes, confirmed Thursday. (Part 2 of 2) Title: . 273.3M . LOS ANGELES Actor Roger Smith, who brought glamour to the TV detective genre as a hip private eye on "77 Sunset Strip," has died. Edd "Kookie" Byrnes, the 77 Sunset Strip actor whose wavy hair and penchant for combing it made him an early TV teen idol, died Thursday of natural causes at his Santa Monica home, acco He returned in an upgraded role in May 1960, with Kookie now a partner in the agency and sporting a coat and tie. The 1950s show was filmed entirely on the Warner Brothers lot, but the opening 30-second sequence was filmed in front of Dino's Lodge, located at 8524 Sunset Boulevard. Kookie was a hip parking attendant at a Hollywood nightclub who helped out with cases. At one point, Byrnes walked off the show and retreated into a heavy drinking period. Jack Gilardi, who is the agent of Smiths widow, actress Ann-Margret, said the actor died Sunday morning at a Los Angeles hospital after battling a terminal illness. However, his parents information remains private, but he grew up with a brother Vincent and a sister, Jo-Ann. The character of Stuart Bailey was presented as a solo private investigator, with no continuity or reference to his past years with Jeff Spencer, Suzanne, Kookie and Roscoe or to his military OSS background. Byrnes, who years later played the smooth-talking Vince Fontaine, a Dick Clark-like dance contest host, in Grease (1978), diedunexpectedly Wednesday of natural causes at his home in Santa Monica,his son, San Diego TV news anchor Logan Byrnes, said on Twitter. The show ran from 1958 to 1964. mjk funeral home obituaries; san jose state university graduate programs deadlines Men umschalten. After 77 Sunset Strip ended its six-season-run in 1963, Byrnes moved to Europe to star in a string of spaghetti Westerns and spy thrillers. Each episode was one hour long when aired with commercials. Youre not dead when you reach a certain age, she explained. It was the genesis of the same concepts that drive Law & Order, NCIS, CSI and the Chicago PD/Chicago Med/Chicago Fire series as well as 9-1-1. His final roles were Shake, Rattle, and Roll: An American Love Story in 1999. His secretary Hannah, previously known to Season 6 viewers only because Bailey addressed her in his recorded dictations, was seen on screen beginning with the season's 11th episode. Edd Byrnes was born in New York City, New York, in 1932. In addition to his son, he is survived by his partner, Catherine Gross; a sister, Jo-Ann Breitenberger; and a brother, Vincent Breitenberger. He worked steadily but never again achieved the fame of his Kookie years. In 1975, Byrnes was hired to host Wheel of Fortune, then a new game show,and filmed two pilots, but the job eventually went to Chuck Woolery. Critics praised her performance and she was nominated for an Oscar for supporting actress. He was an amazing man and one of my best friends, he wrote. Played Alma Bogart in "77 Sunset Strip" in 1958. When he was 6, his parents enrolled him in a professional school in Hollywood where he learned singing and dancing. At age 22, he set out for Los Angeles, arriving in September 1955, one day after James Dean died in a car crash. At 17, he began to work as a photographers model and was drawn into male hustling with wealthy older men that introduced him to a strange world of art, wealth, sadism, limousines, sex for money, theater and fine restaurants, Byrnes wrote in his 1996 autobiography, Kookie No More.. Neighborhood: West Hollywood. 77 Sunset Strip - S01ep12 - The Court Martial Of Johnny Murdo.mp4 download. She later cared for Mr. Smith as his myasthenia gravis worsened. He was 84. 8532 W Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069-2310. Source: Hot Rod. in January 2023, no trace of the sidewalk engraving remained. Then, he dropped his last name in favor of Byrnes based on the name of his grandfather, Edward Byrne. Als u niet wilt dat wij en onze partners cookies en persoonsgegevens voor deze aanvullende doeleinden gebruiken, klik dan op 'Alles weigeren'. February 27, 2023 By scottish gaelic translator By scottish gaelic translator It was an abrupt, unexplained disconnect. 77 Sunset Strip - S01ep14 - Not An Enemy In The World.mp4 download. His pre-Fonzie, cool-guy persona soon caught on like wildfire. Mr. Smiths marriage to Ann-Margret proved one of Hollywoods most enduring and poignant unions. Several episodes into the season, Bailey's stern personality became lighter, though still different from that of prior seasons. Byrnes was married from 1962-71 to actress Asa Maynor (she played the stewardess in the famous Twilight Zone episode Nightmare at 20,000 Feet, starring William Shatner). He was 87. Roger Smith, a clean-cut and debonair Hollywood actor of the 1950s and 1960s who gained a wide following on the hit detective series "77 Sunset Strip" and was the envy of generations of men. 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. bob dylan's achievement 201 i fought the law in bloomberg's new york 211 for patriot dreams . Was a taxi driver in the late 1940s and was fired for doing push-ups during his break. No singer has been as consistent, on a commercial level, as Chris. Efrem Zimbalist Jr. and Roger Smith starred as private eyes but Edd, playing a hip-talking parking-lot attendant named "Kookie", won the most attention. The show made Byrnes a teen idol who, at the height of his popularity, received 15,000 fan letters a week. Publicity Listings But when the time comes, she gets interested in another act or a new film or something that delays it. Read more 58 people found this helpful Top critical review All critical reviews Mr. John Atkinson Pirate DVDs 77 Sunset strip BEWARE! In the summer of 1958,. The main . Talking about his family, he was raised with two siblings J-Ann and Vincent. The handsome leading man retired from acting after. At one time, 43 episodes had been removed from syndication for various legal reasons, but 13 of these can now be seen as reruns. Roger Smith, '77 Sunset Strip' Star and Husband of Ann-Margret, Dies at 84. (Harold Filan/AP), Ann-Margret and Roger Smith cutting the cake on their wedding day in Las Vegas in 1967. The show lingered for only one more year. He was 84. Comic relief is provided by Roscoe the racetrack tout (played by Louis Quinn), who frequently hangs around the offices giving horse-racing tips. I. M. Kookie, see, The controversial sixth season, 19631964, Last edited on 25 February 2023, at 23:02, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "A.B.C.-TV TO DROP '77 SUNSET STRIP' / Also Discontinuing 3 Other Series Before April", "Timothy Olyphant: 'Justified' In Laying Down The Law", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=77_Sunset_Strip&oldid=1141613145, Friday at 9:3010:30pm on ABC: October 10, 1958 May 29, 1959; October 12, 1962 June 14, 1963, Friday at 7:308:30 pm on ABC: September 20, 1963 February 7, 1964, This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 23:02. Edd Byrnes, who played cool kid Kookie on the hit TV show 77 Sunset Strip, scored a gold record with a song about his characters hair-combing obsession and later appeared in the movie Grease, has died. Recorded with actress Connie Stevens, the song (on Warner Bros. Records) made it to No. In some cases, "77" scripts were recycled and rewritten to fit the characters of each series. Once I found Ann-Margret, I couldnt stand to be without her and, surprisingly, she couldnt stand to be without me. Mr. Smith wed Ann-Margret in 1967 and happily put acting behind him. In 1958, he started playingthe handsome, smooth-talkingKookie onthe private-detective series "77 Sunset Strip." For his work on the show, TV Guideranked Byrnes fifth on their list of "TV's 25 Greatest Teen Idols. The fact is, the girl just loves to work.. One of these men acted as Edd's mentor, introducing him to fashion and culture and encouraging his hopes for an acting career.After doing some summer-stock work and a few bit parts on TV, Edd drove to California in 1955, arriving in Los Angeles on the day James Dean died in a car crash. LOS ANGELES (AP) Actor Roger Smith, who brought glamour to the TV detective genre as a hip private eye on "77 Sunset Strip," has died. Moving forward, Ann-Margret is embracing getting older with everything shes got! He and Ann-Margret had no children; in the 1980s, she told interviewers she had tried in vain to get pregnant for over a decade. An engraving in the Sunset Boulevard sidewalk (address number 8524) between La Cienega Boulevard and Alta Loma Road commemorated 77 Sunset Strip, but the area was slated for redevelopment as part of the Sunset Millennium project. For seventeen years straight, Chris Brown has come and dropped hit singles. Cagney, who was there making a film, suggested that Smith might try for a film career. Smith then was cast in Auntie Mame, playing star Rosalind Russells nephew, Patrick, as a young man. It lasted from 1965-66. The office and bar/nightclub sets of 77 Sunset Strip and Hawaiian Eye were on the same WB soundstage, intertwined to save space, with shared room walls and some doors actually going between the sets (not obvious to viewers). 77 Sunset Strip was canceled after 20 episodes, in an era when a full season would likely have been 36 episodes. He was stationed in Hawaii when he sang at a party where Cagney then filming Mister Roberts with Fonda was present. Viewers quoted his dialog, ("Baby, you're the ginchiest! He was 84. Only a few hundred dollars in his pocket and an . Lees ons privacybeleid en cookiebeleid voor meer informatie over hoe we uw persoonsgegevens gebruiken. She broke her sex kitten stereotype in dramatic fashion in 1971 when she appeared in Mike Nichols Carnal Knowledge as the abused mistress of Jack Nicholson. He won a shelf full of talent prizes while attending the University of Arizona in Tucson and was working as a singer when he was called up to Navy duty. Overview: After discovering that Rex Randolph is still alive, the Sunset Strip team head for the Latin-American country where they believe he is being held. Cagney recommended Smith for a role in Man of a Thousand Faces, the 1957 film biography of silent star Lon Chaney. An early teen idol, Edd was known for '77 Sunset Strip' and the dance contest host, Vince Fontaine, in the 1978 film 'Grease'. Now it is time to release 77 Sunset Strip. Surfside Six was set in Miami Beach; Hawaiian Eye's home base was Honolulu. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. His alcoholic father died when he was 13. Today it still maintains the title, but has also become the "it" neighborhood for the entertainment industry's up-and-comers. Jack Gilardi, who is the agent of Smith's widow,. 77 Sunset Strip is an hour-length American television private detective series created by Roy Huggins and starring Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Roger Smith, and Edd Byrnes. He was 84. Before his death, Edd Byrness net worth was estimated at $4 million. When he first gained fame, he had been married to a glamorous Australian actress, Victoria Shaw, with whom he had three children. Byrnes died on January 8, 2020, aged 87, in Santa Monica, California. I knew that I could depend on him.. In its Encyclopedia of Television, the Museum of Broadcast Communications said the show revived the crime drama and became the epicenter of hipness on television, a sun-drenched world of cocktails, cool jazz and convertibles., Then Smith was hospitalized after falling down at home and losing consciousness. He began acting professionally in 1960 at Warner Bros., where he made appearances on television programs such as Maverick, Surfside 6, Hawaiian Eye, Cheyenne, The Roaring 20's, and 77 Sunset Strip. The design launched what car enthusiasts call the T-bucket craze and the Kookie-T has since been hailed by car buffs as the most famous hot rod ever built. Alda isnt the only friend that Ann-Margret has in Hollywood after decades of working in the business. Although not technically an employee of the firm, Suzanne is involved in casework from time to time, especially in Season 2. "Kookie" redirects here. 0:51 LOS ANGELES - Actor Roger Smith, who brought glamour to the TV detective genre as a hip private eye on "77 Sunset Strip," has died. 8532 W Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069-2310. Edd Byrnes, an actor bestknown for his roles in 1978's "Grease" and the1950sseries "77 Sunset Strip," died Wednesday at his home in Santa Monica. In addition, Mr. Smith produced several of her high-profile TV specials as well as a feature film he wrote, C.C. Byrnes died Wednesday at his home in Santa Monica, his son, Logan Byrnes, said in a statement. Audience reaction was not good, ratings dropped, and the show was canceled. For decades Smith guided Ann-Margrets career with great care. Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. Smith later quit to manage her career. The Season 6 show title was not changed; it still was an address, but Bailey's new office is dramatically different from that which he shared with Spencer for the previous five years. The club was next door to the private. Impressed, the veteran star urged Mr. Smith to go into the movies. When he wasnt making wisecracks, Gerald Lloyd Kookie Kookson III was lovingly combing his well-greased hair. While studying at Haaren High School, Edd developed his interest in acting after working in various jobs like roofing, Ambulance, and selling flowers. is tatum o'neal still alive. 77 Sunset Strip is a 1958-1964 American television private detective drama series created by Roy Huggins and starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Roger Smith, Richard Long (from 1960 to 1961) and Edd Byrnes (billed as Edward Byrnes). Jack Gilardi, Ann-Margrets agent, confirmed the death. Mr. Smith, who was unsuccessful in jump-starting a singing career at the peak of his 77 Sunset Strip fame, said he had a rude awakening when he tried to parlay his TV celebrity into high-level film work. Byrnes also played parts on"Charlie's Angels," "Fantasy Island," "Murder, She Wrote" and "The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries." | Kookie often becomes involved in the firm's cases and is eventually made a full partner in the firm, with his own office. His contract prohibited Byrnes from accepting plum roles in such movies as Oceans Eleven, North to Alaska and Rio Bravo, and John F. Kennedy was said to have objected to having someone known as Kookie play him in the 1963 film PT 109. When he wasnt making wisecracks, Gerald Lloyd Kookie Kookson III was lovingly combing his well-greased hairdo. The character of detective Stuart Bailey, portrayed in the series by Zimbalist, was first used by writer Huggins in his 1946 novel The Double Take, later adapted into . And with the car two years away from celebrating a century of hitting the road, the Kookie-T remains the sole active reminder of 77 Sunset Strip. Dead at the age of 87 years old, Edd Byrnes was a teen idol in the '50s when he starred as Kookie on 77 Sunset Strip. Born Edward Byrne Breitenberger in New York City, Byrnes came from a poor family. Suzanne Fabry, the beautiful French switchboard operator played by Jacqueline Beer, handles the phones for Sunset Answering Service, in Suite 103. It was to be produced by Clint Eastwood and starred Jim Caviezel, Timothy Olyphant and Maria Bello. His son is a television news anchor who works for KYSI-TV news in San Diego, California, since 2018. He has also worked with Warner Bros in The Deep Six, Cheyenne; Life Begins at 17 and Up Periscope. Ed raps: 'Yo Jam, this is a letter to you. I signed a two-week contract and it lasted eight years. He twice worked with Cagney, taking supporting roles in Man of a Thousand Faces (1957), a biopic of silent-film actor Lon Chaney, and Never Steal Anything Small (1959), a musical comedy crime caper. However he is sometimes used as an operative and is an ever-informed source for the word on the street. Edd Byrnes, a veteran actor best known for his role as television host Vince. It was a lighthearted and popular series, with Zimbalist as the Ivy League-educated private eye Stuart Bailey and Mr. Smith as onetime federal undercover agent Jeff Spencer. Like when Burke's Law became Amos Burke, Secret Agent. In the 1978 movie Grease, he played the character of Dick Clark. Still yearning for larger parts, he bought out his Warner Bros. contract in 1963. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. He was known for his hipster lingo, including the catch phrase Baby, youre the ginchiest!. I knew he would protect me, she told Closer Weekly of Smith, adding that she knew she would marry him after their third date. He worked steadily but never again achieved the fame of his Kookie years. Huggins intended the show to be a hard-edged drama, but beginning with the 23rd episode, The Pasadena Caper, the tone started to become much lighter, with a strong element of self-deprecating humor and the word "caper" frequently used in episode titles. He was of one-quarter German and three-quarters Irish descent. The actor's son, San Diego. His height and weight remain inside the closet. He also appeared in such films as Reform School Girl (1957), Darbys Rangers (1958), Marjorie Morningstar (1958), Life Begins at 17 (1958), Up Periscope (1959), Yellowstone Kelly (1959), Beach Ball (1965), Michael Apteds Stardust (1974) and Troop Beverly Hills (1989) and on TV shows including Cheyenne, Maverick, Honey West, Mannix, Police Woman, Charlies Angels, Fantasy Island and Murder, She Wrote. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in May 1959. Edd and Asa's marriage ended in divorce in 1971, partially due to his substance abuse. He was 87. [1], The street address was colloquially known as the Sunset Strip and was between La Cienega Boulevard and Alta Loma Road on the south side of the strip, next door to Dean Martin's real-life lounge, Dino's Lodge. Chris Brown, during his peak, was the most talented name in R&B. Swingin' On the Strip. Max Baer started acting with a role in Goldilocks and the Three Bears at the Blackpool Pavilion in England in 1949. At the same time, Robert Logan became the new parking-lot attendant, J.R. Hale, who usually speaks in abbreviations. On every 30th of July, he celebrated his birthday and held the Leo zodiac sign. Edd then dropped his surname (Breitenberger) in favor of "Byrnes", based on the name of his maternal grandfather, Edward Byrne, a New York City fireman. 77 Sunset Strip is the fictional location of the office shared. Sue's final appearance on Leave it to Beaver was in an episode called "Nobody Loves Me" (Season 5, Episode 20, Air Date: February 17, 1962). 13 Songs, 32 Minutes. It is with profound sadness and grief that I share with you the passing of my father Edd Byrnes. She was nominated again in 1975 for her portrayal of Roger Daltreys mother in the film version of the Whos rock opera Tommy.. In Auntie Mame (1958), a madcap comedy about a bohemian socialite (Rosalind Russell) caring for her orphaned nephew, he played the nephew as a young adult. Edd Byrnes, star of the 1950s and '60s TV hit "77 Sunset Strip" who went on to co-star in the 1978 smash "Grease," has died, the actor's son, Logan Byrnes, confirmed Thursday via Facebook. Edit Details Gerald `Kookie' Lloyd Kookson III 44 Episodes 2022. In the 1978 John Travolta movie Grease, he played Vince Fontaine, the suave host of the National Bandstand TV dance show. In addition to his son, survivors include his longtime partner, Cathrine. LEGAL INNOVATION | Tu Agente Digitalizador; LEGAL3 | Gestin Definitiva de Despachos; LEGAL GOV | Gestin Avanzada Sector Pblico The show occasionally featured sports stars such as Sandy Koufax in guest roles. Edward Byrne Breitenberger was born in New York City. "I knew he would protect me," she told Closer Weekly of Smith, adding that she knew she would marry him after their third date. Edd Byrnes, who gained fleeting fame as Kookie, the ultra-hip, wisecracking parking attendant on the jazzy 1950s-'60s ABC detective series '77 Sunset Strip,' has died. Edd Byrnes. Inicio; Servicios. After an absence of 16 episodes beginning in January 1960, Byrnes and Warner Bros. settled their differences, and Kookie came back beginning in May. He supported her at a time she was transitioning away from sheer sexpot roles in films like Kitten With a Whip (1964). But he had light brown hair color and blue eye color. The Associated Press is an independent, not-for-profit news cooperative headquartered in New York City. Played by Joan Staley, Hannah worked in Bailey's office, where he developed a romantic interest in herbut she continually stymied and frustrated him by playing hard-to-get. You have to participate., Soon after Smiths death, Ann-Margrets longtime friend Alan Alda invited her to guest star on his series The Kominsky Method., He said, Youve got to get back to work! she recalled. 77 Sunset Strip (TV Series 1958-1964) - Louis Quinn as Pete Roscoe, Roscoe, French Bookie - IMDb. When Kookie helped the detectives on a case by singing a song, Edd Byrnes began a singing career with the novelty single "Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb)", based on his frequent combing of his hair; this featured Connie Stevens on vocals in the chorus and the song, with words and music by Irving Taylor, became the first hit single for the recently established Warner Bros. Records. He made the calculation that Ann-Margret had greater raw talent than he ever did, and he happily took the back seat. Hannah 4 Episodes 2022. Season 6 is still called "77 Sunset Strip" but the only detective left is "Stu Bailey" (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.), and his office is located on the inside of the historic Bradbury Building in downtown L.A. It made stars of both men and a teen heartthrob out of Edd Byrnes, who played a colorful parking lot attendant named Kookie. "), and young males imitated the way he wielded his ever-present comb. When it comes to talking about Handsome persons in the acting industry, Edd Byrness name often emerged. Roger LaVerne Smith was born in 1932, in South Gate, near Los Angeles. In July 2002 he was a guest at the Western Film Fair in Charlotte, NC, along with. ! Mr. Smith, who had given up performing to manage his wifes career, had been diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune neuromuscular disease that causes extreme weakness. From 1958 to 1963, he co-starred with Efrem Zimbalist Jr. on the glossy ABC series. Though she misses Smith every minute of every day, Ann-Margret is determined to not let this stop her from living life. She believes he is still watching out for her., She certainly mourned for Roger but, more than anything, she fondly recalled the life they made together, another friend of Ann-Margets explained. He also was featured in the 1978 film Grease as television teen-dance show host Vince Fontaine, and was a charting recording artist with . In 1982, he succeeded in going "clean and sober" but never remarried. Menu Movies Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight TV Shows Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones are good friends, too, an insider said. Ive often said that I got bored with acting, and I guess I did, but the other thing was that I was very lonely, Mr. Smith said. On 1/23/2005 he was ranked #5 in "TV Guide"'s list of "TV's 25 Greatest Teen Idols". Byrnes landed a number of minor parts, then was cast as a killer who compulsively combed his hair in Girl on the Run (1958), which effectively served as the pilot for 77 Sunset Strip. 2023 Uplifting Today ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 286.4M . lot. His first marriage, to Australian-born actress Victoria Shaw, ended in divorce. He appeared in dozens of movies and on episodes of several TV shows, including Fantasy Island and Murder, She Wrote. In 1975, Byrnes was hired to host a new game show called Wheel of Fortune and filmed two pilots, but the job eventually went to Chuck Woolery.