Frankie Avalon

Fact Sheet

Occupation	Singer
Birthday	18 September 1940 (68)
Sign	Virgo
Birthplace	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Frankie Avalon was born Francis Thomas Avallone on September 18, 1940. By the time he was 12, Avalon began making appearances on U.S. television for his trumpet prowess, and, seven years later, he had risen to become a teen idol for young female teenagers in the 1950s. His most famous song was "Venus," recorded on the Chancellor label.

Later in the 1960s, Avalon became known for his roles in the beach film genre. Later, he became the U.S. national television spokesperson for Sonic Drive-In.

In 1986, the famous British pop girl group Bananarama released a hit song name Venus, however, it was not a cover of Avalon's hit -- rather, it was written by Robby VanLeeuwen and performed first by Shocking Blue. Still, that was the year also that Avalon and Annette Funicello returned to the movies, with the aptly titled Back to the Beach.

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