| Avalon was the first of the manufactured teen idols, before Fabian and Bobby Rydell and the myriads of other pretenders to the throne. A string of hits in the late 1950's and early 1960's gave way to a career in movies. His pairing with Annette Funicello for the popular "beach movies" in the early to mid 1960's made him a cultural icon. By 1976 he was relegated to the oldies circuit when he chose to re-record a previous hit. The 12" single of a discotized "Venus" was actually a hit all over again for him. But the momentum he gained from it could not be sustained. His next success was in the 1978 movie "Grease" with the song "Beauty School Dropout." Surprisingly in 1983 he took a bold move and recorded for famed producer Bobby Orlando a pair of songs that catapulted him into club history. The 12" singles of "You're The Miracle" and "Innocent" are still highly sought after collectors items. In the 1990's Frankie became popular appearing in the smash play "Tony & Tina's Wedding." In recent years Avalon has kept a lower profile but still does the occasional concert. |
