{"id":8124,"date":"2020-01-08T16:22:56","date_gmt":"2020-01-08T21:22:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/?p=8124"},"modified":"2020-01-27T23:43:06","modified_gmt":"2020-01-28T04:43:06","slug":"edd-byrnes-kookie-of-77-sunset-strip-dies-at-87","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/08\/edd-byrnes-kookie-of-77-sunset-strip-dies-at-87\/","title":{"rendered":"Edd Byrnes, Kookie of &#8217;77 Sunset Strip,&#8217; Dies at 87"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-8101\" src=\"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-feat.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"430\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-feat.jpg 600w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-feat-300x215.jpg 300w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-feat-560x401.jpg 560w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-feat-260x186.jpg 260w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-feat-160x115.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Edd Byrnes died of natural causes on January 8, 2020, at his Santa Monica home. Byrnes is best known for his starring role in the television series <em>77 Sunset Strip<\/em>. He also was featured in the 1978 film <em>Grease<\/em> as television teen-dance show host Vince Fontaine, and was a charting recording artist with &#8220;Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb)&#8221; (with Connie Stevens).<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/MT9QZBGyXjU?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Edd Byrnes was born Edward Byrne Breitenberger on July 30, 1932 in New York City, New York, the son of Mary (Byrne) and Augustus &#8220;Gus&#8221; Breitenberger. He had two siblings, Vincent and Jo-Ann. When he was 13, his father died. He then dropped his last name in favor of &#8220;Byrnes&#8221; based on the name of his maternal grandfather, Edward Byrne, a fireman.<\/p><div id=\"morty-1485493208\" class=\"morty-content\"><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-4937602850188786\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block; text-align:center;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-4937602850188786\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"5227734695\" \ndata-ad-layout=\"in-article\"\ndata-ad-format=\"fluid\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n<p>Byrnes developed the urge to act at high school but did not seriously consider it until after he had tried a number of different jobs, such as driving an ambulance, roofing and selling flowers. At 17, he found work as a photographer&#8217;s model, which led to an introduction to work as a prostitute. In his memoirs, he described this as a &#8220;strange world&#8230; Art, wealth, sadism, limousines, sex for money, theater and fine restaurants.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Early acting career<\/h2>\n<p>In 1956, Byrnes got an unpaid job in a summer stock theatre company in Connecticut, the Litchfield Community Playhouse. He soon began appearing in their plays as an actor. Byrnes tried to get roles in Broadway theatre productions, but had no luck.<\/p>\n<p>In 1956, he was cast in an episode of the Crossroads TV program. Byrnes also appeared in episodes of the late-50s series Wire Service and Navy Log.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-phone.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-8105 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-phone-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-phone-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-phone-560x840.jpg 560w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-phone-260x390.jpg 260w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-phone-160x240.jpg 160w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-phone.jpg 567w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>After a year, Byrnes moved to Hollywood. He appeared in a local stage production of\u00a0<em><span style=\"letter-spacing: 0.05em;\">T<\/span><\/em><span style=\"letter-spacing: 0.05em;\"><em>ea and Sympathy<\/em>. Byrnes also appeared in episodes of <em>The Adventures of Jim Bowie<\/em>, and <em>Telephone Time<\/em> and in the film <em>Fear Strikes Out<\/em> (1957). Byrnes was third-billed in the film <em>Reform School Girl<\/em> (1957) for American International Pictures. He had a support role in the Warner Bros films <em>Johnny Trouble<\/em> (1957).<\/span><\/p><div id=\"morty-368139100\" class=\"morty-content_2\" style=\"margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;text-align: center;\"><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-4937602850188786\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block; text-align:center;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-4937602850188786\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"5227734695\" \ndata-ad-layout=\"in-article\"\ndata-ad-format=\"fluid\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n<p>Also in 1957, Byrnes signed a three-year contract with John Carroll of Clarion Pictures.<\/p>\n<p>Byrnes tested for roles in the films<em> Bernadine<\/em> and <em>Until They Sail<\/em> but did not get them. A contemporary report described him as &#8220;a Tab Hunter type.&#8221; However, he did guest star on an episode of <em>Cheyenne<\/em> made by Warner Bros. The studio liked Byrnes&#8217; work and signed him to a long term contract in May 1957.<\/p>\n<h2>Warner Bros.<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-color.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-8104 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-color-241x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"241\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-color-241x300.jpg 241w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-color-560x698.jpg 560w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-color-260x324.jpg 260w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-color-160x199.jpg 160w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-color.jpg 682w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 241px) 100vw, 241px\" \/><\/a>Warners started off Byrnes&#8217; contract by assigning him to a comic role in <em>The Deep Six<\/em> (1958). He also appeared in episodes of <em>Cheyenne<\/em>, <em>The Gale Storm Show: Oh! Susanna<\/em> and <em>Colt .45<\/em>. In 1958 he appeared (credited as Edward Byrnes) as Benji Danton on <em>Cheyenne<\/em> in the episode titled &#8220;The Last Comanchero.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>When Tab Hunter refused a role in the film <em>Darby&#8217;s Rangers<\/em> (1958), Byrnes stepped in instead. He was wanted for <em>Baby Face Nelson<\/em> (1957), but Warners would not loan him out.<\/p>\n<p>Byrnes also appeared in <em>Marjorie Morningstar<\/em> (1958) and <em>Life Begins at 17<\/em> (1958). He appeared as a guest star in <em>Maverick<\/em>, <em>The Deputy<\/em>, and <em>Sugarfoot<\/em>, in the latter with John Russell, Rodolfo Hoyos, Jr., and Will Wright in the 1958 season-premiere episode &#8220;Ring of Sand.&#8221; He was in another war film titled <em>Up Periscope<\/em> (1959).<\/p>\n<h2>77 Sunset Strip<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/77_ed_byrnes.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-8125 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/77_ed_byrnes-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/77_ed_byrnes-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/77_ed_byrnes-682x1024.jpg 682w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/77_ed_byrnes-768x1153.jpg 768w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/77_ed_byrnes-560x841.jpg 560w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/77_ed_byrnes-260x390.jpg 260w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/77_ed_byrnes-160x240.jpg 160w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/77_ed_byrnes.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>Byrnes was cast in <em>Girl on the Run<\/em>, a pilot for a detective show starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr. Byrnes played contract killer Kenneth Smiley who continually combed his hair \u2013 Byrnes said this was an idea of his which the director liked and kept in. Around this time Byrnes decided to change his acting name from &#8220;Edward&#8221; to &#8220;Edd&#8221;. &#8220;I just dreamed it up one day,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Edward is too formal and there are lots of Eddies.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The show aired in October 1958 and was so popular Warners decided to turn it into a TV series <em>77 Sunset Strip<\/em>. Byrnes&#8217; character became an immediate national teen sensation, prompting the producers to make Byrnes a regular cast member. They transformed Kookie from a hitman into a parking valet at Dino&#8217;s Lodge who helped as a private investigator. Zimbalist Jr. explained the situation to the audience:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>We previewed this show, and because Edd Byrnes was such a hit, we decided that Kookie and his comb had to be in our series. So this week, we&#8217;ll just forget that in the pilot he went off to prison to be executed.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014?From the pre-credit sequence for the episode &#8220;Lovely Lady, Pity Me&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-8102 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-234x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"234\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-234x300.jpg 234w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-798x1024.jpg 798w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-768x985.jpg 768w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-560x718.jpg 560w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-260x333.jpg 260w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-160x205.jpg 160w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes.jpg 1140w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 234px) 100vw, 234px\" \/><\/a>Kookie&#8217;s recurring character\u2014a different, exciting look that teens of the day related to\u2014was the valet-parking attendant who constantly combed his piled-high, greasy-styled teen hair, often in a windbreaker jacket, who worked part-time at the so-called Dean Martin&#8217;s Dino&#8217;s Lodge restaurant, next door to a private-investigator agency at <em>77 Sunset Strip<\/em> in West Hollywood. Kookie frequently acted as an unlicensed, prot\u00e9g\u00e9 detective who helped the private eyes (Zimbalist and Roger Smith) on their cases, based upon &#8220;the word&#8221; heard from Kookie&#8217;s street informants. Kookie called everybody &#8220;Dad&#8221; (as in &#8220;Sure thing . . . Dad&#8221;) and was television&#8217;s homage to the &#8220;Jack Kerouac&#8221; style of cult-hipster of the late 1950s.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-film-stars.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-8106 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-film-stars-220x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"220\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-film-stars-220x300.jpg 220w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-film-stars-750x1024.jpg 750w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-film-stars-768x1048.jpg 768w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-film-stars-1125x1536.jpg 1125w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-film-stars-560x765.jpg 560w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-film-stars-260x355.jpg 260w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-film-stars-160x218.jpg 160w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-film-stars.jpg 1172w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 220px) 100vw, 220px\" \/><\/a>The show became the most popular one in the country. To the thrill of teen viewers, Kookie spoke a jive-talk &#8220;code&#8221; to everyone, whether you understood him or not, and Kookie knew, better than others, &#8220;the word on the street.&#8221; Although the Kookie character was at least several years older than Jim Stark, James Dean&#8217;s character in the film Rebel Without a Cause, Byrnes exuded a similar sense of cool. Kookie was also the progenitor of Henry Winkler&#8217;s The Fonz character of the <em>Happy Days<\/em> series (switch hot rod for motorcycle; same hair and comb). By April 1959 Byrnes was among the most popular young actors in the country.<br \/>\n&#8220;I was a nobody,&#8221; said Byrnes. &#8220;Now I&#8217;m dragging in over 400 letters a week and I&#8217;m a name.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/2RvzKPT\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-8100 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-lend-me-your-comb-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-lend-me-your-comb-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-lend-me-your-comb-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-lend-me-your-comb-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-lend-me-your-comb-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-lend-me-your-comb-560x560.jpg 560w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-lend-me-your-comb-260x260.jpg 260w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-lend-me-your-comb-160x160.jpg 160w, https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/edd-byrnes-lend-me-your-comb.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>Kookie&#8217;s constant onscreen tending of his ducktail haircut led to many jokes among comedians of the time, and it resulted in the 1959-charted (13 weeks) &#8216;rap&#8217; style recording, &#8220;Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb)&#8221;, recorded with actress and recording artist Connie Stevens, and which reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. It sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA. The song also appeared on the Edd Byrnes album, entitled (what else) Kookie. He and Stevens appeared together on ABC&#8217;s The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom.<\/p>\n<p>During the run of <em>77 Sunset Strip<\/em>, Byrnes, as the &#8220;Kookie&#8221; character, was a popular celebrity, and Byrnes received fan-mail volume that reached 15,000 letters a week, according to Picture Magazine in 1961, rivaling most early rock-recording stars of the day.<\/p>\n<h2>Clashes with Warners<\/h2>\n<p>Warners put him in the second lead of a Western, Yellowstone Kelly (1959); he supported Clint Walker, star of another Warners show, Cheyenne. It was a minor success at the box office.<br \/>\n&#8220;I&#8217;m not studying,&#8221; said Byrnes at the time. &#8220;Why should I? I get all my experience in front of the camera. You get in front of the camera every day and you&#8217;ve got to learn.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Byrnes walked off the show in the second season, demanding a bigger part and higher pay. In November 1959 Warners put him on suspension. They eventually offered $750 a week but he refused. In April 1960 they came to terms and Byrnes went back to work.<\/p>\n<p>Owing to restrictions in his Warner Brothers television contract, Byrnes was forced to turn down film roles in <em>Ocean&#8217;s Eleven<\/em> (1960), <em>Rio Bravo<\/em> (1959), <em>North to Alaska<\/em> (1960), and <em>The Longest Day<\/em> (1962). He tested for the role of John F. Kennedy in <em>PT 109<\/em>, but President Kennedy preferred Cliff Robertson.<\/p>\n<p>Instead he guest-starred on <em>Lawman<\/em>. Byrnes made a cameo as Kookie in <em>Surfside Six<\/em> and <em>Hawaiian Eye<\/em>, a <em>77 Sunset Strip<\/em> spin-off. He bought a story for Warners, <em>Make Mine Vanilla<\/em>, but it was not made. He threatened to punch a photographer who was trying to take a photo of him getting a marriage license. He did some summer stock in 1962 with his wife.<\/p>\n<p>Although Byrnes was a popular celebrity, the years of unfortunate &#8220;Kookie&#8221; typecasting led him to ultimately buy out his television contract with Warner Brothers to clear his way for films\u2014though it was accomplished too late to allow Byrnes to capitalize on feature-length-cinema projects based upon his established television-series fame.<\/p>\n<h2>Post-Warner Bros.<\/h2>\n<p>In August 1963 Byrnes bought up the remaining ten months of his contract with Warner Bros and left Sunset Strip. &#8220;No more hipster image for me,&#8221; said Byrnes. &#8220;From now on I&#8217;d like to establish myself as a movie star.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Byrnes appeared in episodes of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Burke&#8217;s Law and Kraft Suspense Theatre. He traveled to Yugoslavia where he was one of several names in Roger Corman&#8217;s war film The Secret Invasion (1964). While in Europe he signed to do a TV show in Munich.<\/p>\n<p>Back in the US he made a pilot for a TV series, <em>Kissin Cousins<\/em>, based on the Elvis Presley film <em>Kissin&#8217; Cousins<\/em> (1964) with Byrnes to play the lieutenant played by Presley in the film. It did not go to series. Byrnes starred in a beach party movie financed by Corman, <em>Beach Ball<\/em> (1965). Chris Noel while working on <em>Beach Ball<\/em> with Byrnes, complained about his behavior. He was in episodes of <em>Mister Roberts<\/em>, <em>Honey West<\/em>, and Theatre of Stars and did <em>Picnic<\/em>, <em>Bus Stop<\/em>, <em>Sunday in New York<\/em>, <em>Sweet Bird of Youth<\/em> and <em>Cat on a Hot Tin Roof<\/em> on stage in stock.<\/p>\n<p>The shadow of Kookie hung over him. &#8220;People think that&#8217;s the only role you can play,&#8221; he said in 1966. &#8220;Producers and directors still think of me as the kid I played on the Strip. I&#8217;ve been offered other series but they&#8217;ve still wanted to cast me as the same kid.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Byrnes returned to Europe for several spaghetti westerns, including the 1967 films <em>Renegade Riders<\/em>, <em>Any Gun Can Play<\/em> and <em>Red Blood<\/em>, <em>Yellow Gold<\/em>. In 1969 he said he made more money in the preceding year than in his entire time on Warner Bros.<\/p>\n<p>Back in the US he worked mostly in TV: episodes of <em>Mannix<\/em>, <em>Love, American Style<\/em>, <em>The Virginian<\/em>, <em>Adam-12<\/em>, and <em>The Pathfinders<\/em>. He was also in the TV movies <em>The Silent Gun<\/em> (1969) and <em>The Gift of Terror<\/em>. Byrnes was in the &#8220;Duo-Vision&#8221; horror film <em>Wicked<\/em>, <em>Wicked<\/em> in 1973, and as a TV interviewer in the David Essex film <em>Stardust<\/em> (1974).<\/p>\n<p>In 1974, Byrnes hosted the pilots of <em>Wheel of Fortune<\/em> but NBC chose Chuck Woolery instead.<\/p>\n<p>He was a guest star in <em>Marcus Welby, MD<\/em>, <em>Thriller<\/em>, <em>Police Story<\/em>, <em>Police Woman<\/em>, and <em>Sword of Justice<\/em> and was in the TV movies <em>Mobile Two<\/em> and <em>Telethon<\/em>.<\/p>\n<h2>Grease<\/h2>\n<p>Byrnes played the role of the Dick Clark-like dance-show host Vince Fontaine, host of <em>National Bandstand<\/em>, in the 1978 movie Grease.<\/p>\n<p>The success of the film led to Byrnes being cast in the lead of a TV series <em>$weepstake$<\/em> but it only lasted nine episodes. He went back to guest-starring in shows like <em>CHiPs<\/em>, <em>B.J. and the Bear<\/em>, <em>House Calls<\/em>, <em>Charlie&#8217;s Angels<\/em>, <em>Vega$<\/em>, <em>The Love Boat<\/em>, <em>Fantasy Island<\/em>, <em>Quincy M.E.<\/em>, <em>The Master<\/em>, <em>Simon &amp; Simon<\/em> and <em>Crazy Like a Fox<\/em>. He had a small role in the Erin Moran film <em>Twirl<\/em> (1981) and the lead in <em>Erotic Images<\/em> (1983) with Britt Ekland.<\/p>\n<h2>Later career<\/h2>\n<p>Byrnes also appeared in <em>Mankillers<\/em> (1987), <em>Back to the Beach<\/em> (1987),<em> Party Line<\/em> (1988) and <em>Troop Beverly Hills<\/em> (1989).<\/p>\n<p>Later appearances included <em>Throb<\/em>, <em>Unhappily Ever After<\/em>, <em>Rags to Riches<\/em>, <em>Mr. Belvedere<\/em>, <em>Empty Nest<\/em>, <em>Married&#8230; with Children<\/em>, <em>Burke&#8217;s Law<\/em> (the revival), <em>Kung Fu: The Legend Continues<\/em> and <em>Murder, She Wrote<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>One of his final roles was <em>Shake, Rattle and Roll: An American Love Story<\/em> (1999).<\/p>\n<h2>Personal life and death<\/h2>\n<p>Byrnes&#8217; son by Asa Maynor is Logan Byrnes, a television news anchor for KUSI-TV News in San Diego, California, since 2018, after performing the same duty at KTTV in Los Angeles. Before 2016 he was at Fox Connecticut since 2008.<\/p>\n<p>Byrnes died of natural causes on January 8, 2020, at his Santa Monica home.<\/p>\n<h2>Legacy<\/h2>\n<p>As a tribute to his enduring celebrity and his iconic &#8220;Kookie&#8221; character, Byrnes has ranked #5 in TV Guide&#8217;s list of &#8220;TV&#8217;s 25 Greatest Teen Idols&#8221; (23 January 2005). In 1996, he wrote an autobiography with Marshall Terrill entitled Kookie No More.<\/p>\n<p>Byrnes appeared during the Memphis Film Festival in June 2014, in which he was reunited with his former Yellowstone Kelly co-star Clint Walker.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Edd Byrnes died of natural causes on January 8, 2020, at his Santa Monica home. Byrnes is best known for his starring role in the television series 77 Sunset Strip. 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DAVID BYRNE'S AMERICAN UTOPIA is a unifying musical celebration that inspires audiences to connect to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;TV News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"TV News","link":"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/category\/tv_news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/American_Utopia.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":13254,"url":"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/2020\/09\/23\/hbo-special-event-david-byrnes-american-utopia-directed-by-spike-lee-debuts-october-17-video\/","url_meta":{"origin":8124,"position":2},"title":"HBO Special Event &#8220;David Byrne&#8217;s American Utopia&#8221; Directed by Spike Lee Debuts October 17 [VIDEO]","author":"morty","date":"September 23, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"The filmed version of the critically acclaimed Broadway show, DAVID BYRNE'S AMERICAN UTOPIA debuts SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17 (8:00-9:45PM ET\/PT). Directed by Academy Award(R) and Emmy(R)-winner Spike Lee, this transformative musical experience will be available on HBO and to stream on HBO Max. American Utopia was filmed during its Broadway run\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;TV News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"TV News","link":"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/category\/tv_news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/american-utopia.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/american-utopia.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/american-utopia.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/american-utopia.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10329,"url":"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/2020\/05\/21\/tnt-travels-back-to-new-york-citys-dazzling-gilded-age-with-taut-thriller-the-alienist-angel-of-darkness-premiering-july-26-video\/","url_meta":{"origin":8124,"position":3},"title":"TNT Travels Back to New York City&#8217;s Dazzling Gilded Age with Taut Thriller &#8220;The Alienist: Angel of Darkness&#8221; Premiering July 26 [VIDEO]","author":"morty","date":"May 21, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 TNT Travels Back to New York City's Dazzling Gilded Age with Taut Thriller \"The Alienist: Angel of Darkness\" Premiering July 26 TNT's Emmy Award(R)-winning and Golden Globe(R) Award-nominated psychological thriller The Alienist returns with a new season titled The Alienist: Angel of Darkness premiering Sunday, July 26 at 9PM\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;TV News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"TV News","link":"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/category\/tv_news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/alienist.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":36599,"url":"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/2022\/05\/03\/no-good-deed-from-acclaimed-creator-liz-feldman-gets-netflix-series-order\/","url_meta":{"origin":8124,"position":4},"title":"&#8220;No Good Deed&#8221; from Acclaimed Creator Liz Feldman Gets Netflix Series Order","author":"morty","date":"May 3, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"On the anniversary of the series premiere of Dead to Me (May 3, 2019), Netflix ordered a new series from the show's creator, Liz Feldman, with the greenlight of No Good Deed. No Good Deed is a half hour, dark comedy that follows three very different families vying to buy\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;TV News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"TV News","link":"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/category\/tv_news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Liz-Feldman.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Liz-Feldman.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Liz-Feldman.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":100528,"url":"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/2025\/05\/20\/apple-tv-unveils-first-look-at-sophomore-season-of-acclaimed-comedy-platonic-video\/","url_meta":{"origin":8124,"position":5},"title":"Apple TV+ Unveils First Look at Sophomore Season of Acclaimed Comedy &#8220;Platonic&#8221; [VIDEO]","author":"morty","date":"May 20, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Today, Apple TV+ revealed a first look at the second season of \"Platonic,\" the critically acclaimed half-hour comedy starring and executive produced by Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne. The 10-episode sophomore season will premiere globally on Wednesday, August 6, 2025 with the first two episodes, followed by one episode weekly\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;TV News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"TV News","link":"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/category\/tv_news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Platonic.webp?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Platonic.webp?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Platonic.webp?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8124","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8124"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8124\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8101"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8124"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8124"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mortystv.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8124"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}