Bobby Rydell, the popular teen heartthrob singer who rose to fame in the 1950s and ’60s, has died at the age of 79.
The singer died Tuesday of pneumonia, Variety reports.
Rydell’s greatest musical success came in 1960 with the release of his singles Volare and Wild One, although he also pursued acting throughout his career.
Final bow: Bobby Rydell, the popular teen heartthrob singer who rose to fame in the 1950s and 1960s, has died aged 79; seen in 2013 in Coconut Grove, Florida
Born Robert Louis Ridarelli in Philadelphia in 1942, the singer had his big break in 1950 when, while still a child, he won a competition held by jazz band leader Paul Whiteman.
He appeared on Whiteman’s TV Teen Club talent show for several years, eventually changing his name to Bobby Rydell.
He attempted to officially launch his singing career in the late 1950s, but failed to catch on until his 1959 single Kissin’ Time reached No. 83 on the pop chart.
Rydell followed with several hits, including We Got Love and Swingin’ School, and the success made him a sensation in Philadelphia.
In total, he accumulated 34 hit singles over the course of his career.
Born in Philadelphia in 1942, Rydell appeared regularly on Paul Whiteman’s TV Teen Club talent show from 1950 before having a string of successful rock ‘n’ roll singles from 1959; Pictured in 1965
Broadening his spectrum: In addition to being a popular singer known for hits like Volare and Wild One, Rydell also branched out into acting. His most famous role was with Ann-Margret in Bye Bye Birdie (1963, pictured)
Following in the footsteps of other well-known rock and roll singers who had gone on to have successful film careers, Rydell appeared in the role of Hugo Peabody in the 1963 musical classic Bye Bye Birdie, in which he starred opposite Ann-Margret the acting on.
The role in the Broadway version contained very few lines, but was specifically expanded and rewritten to accommodate the up-and-coming heartthrob.
I look at the play and I look at Hugo Peabody and he doesn’t sing, there are no lines, there is no dance, he just stood there,” Rydell explained in a 2020 interview for From the Mixed-Up Files… of the middle-class writers .
“But when I go to start filming, Mr. [George] Sidney saw a kind of magic between Ann-Margret and me, and every day that I returned to Columbia Studios, my script got bigger and bigger and bigger,” he continued. “More dialogue, more singing, more dancing. And I’m far from a movie star, but if I had to be in a picture, it’s a classic like Grease. And I’m really lucky to be a part of something so wonderful.”
Star Power: The role in the Broadway version contained very few lines but was specifically expanded and rewritten to accommodate the up-and-coming heartthrob; seen with Ann-Margret in 1963
He also appeared in two made-for-TV movies, Swingin’ Together and Rockabye The Infantry that same year.
He also became a regular guest on numerous popular comedy shows throughout the 1960s, most notably The Red Skelton Hour.
Rydell would serve as an inspiration for future hitmakers, including Paul McCartney and the Beatles.
In the group’s documentary Anthology, McCartney revealed that She Loves You was inspired by a 1963 Rydell song.
“There was a song by Bobby Rydell [Forget Him] out at the time, and as is so often the case, you’re thinking about one song when you’re writing another,” he explained.
McCartney originally planned an “answer song” like “Forget Him” before deciding it was a “stunted idea” in its original incarnation, though the song soon became an immortal classic.
Unfortunately, as the Beatles and other British invasion bands swept across the United States, interest in Rydell’s older style of pop and rock ‘n’ roll quickly waned.
Changing of the Guard: Rydell’s 1963 Forget Him inspired Paul McCartney to write The Beatles’ She Loves You, but Rydell’s career faltered when the British invasion hit; seen with Ann-Margret and Prince Philip in 1963
Years later, the musical Grease paid tribute to Rydell by naming its high school after him.
From 1985 Rydell toured as part of the Golden Boys, a trio with Fabian and Frankie Avalon.
The singer was busy well into his 70s and had concerts scheduled later this year.
The Oscar-winning film Green Book even featured an actor playing Rydell during a performance scene.
Strong to the end: From 1985 Rydell toured as part of the Golden Boys, a trio with Fabian and Frankie Avalon. The singer was busy well into his 70s, and he had concerts scheduled later that year; een 2008 with Fabian (L) and Avalon (C)