Robert Louis Ridarelli[1] (April 26, 1942 April 5, 2022), known by the stage name Bobby Rydell /radl/, was an American singer and actor who mainly performed rock and roll and traditional pop music. Rydell died of complications from. As news of Bobby's death circulated in the press, fans of. Robert L. Ridarelli, a low- ranking soldier with a crew cut making $85a month. But five months later, he underwent cardiac bypass surgery. Thu 7 Apr 2022 11.14 EDT Last modified on Fri 8 Apr 2022 00.35 EDT One of the classic teen idols of the late 1950s and early 60s, Bobby Rydell, who has died from complications of pneumonia aged. He had a nose like a bloodhound when it came to sniffing outa hit, and luckily for me, he caught a strong scent of Kissin Time and gave it his blessing. Cousin Brucie wasplaying it. But if any of us Italiancrooners wanted to distance ourselvesfrom the image of a mob-backed Italian singer, it became almost impossible after my fellow SouthPhiladelphian, Al Martino, played Johnny Fontane in, . "Wild One" was followed with "Little Bitty Girl" which was his second million-selling single. , The story behind 60s teen heart-throb Bobby Rydell. It probably cost more than the combined value of all the other furniture. He praised Red Skelton and other show-business veterans for helping him along, recalled that in 1985 the touring trio didnt think their act would last more than two years, and joked that the G sometimes fell off marquees where they performed, making their name the Olden Boys., He said he felt odd that he was one of the first 10 people inducted into the Philadelphia Music Foundations Hall of Fame. The death of his wife, Camille Quattrone, in 2003, after 35 years of marriage, tipped him into life-threatening alcoholism. Gifts. Critically Missing Child Alert . 6 How Lovely To Love a Woman - Bobby Rydell. Rydell, a Philadelphia native, died on Tuesday, TMZ reported. An Angel Is Missing. SonicHits. Unlike some of the other pretty faces of his era, he was a real musician. "Popular Singer Now Training at Indiantown Gap", Abington Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, History of Italian Americans in Philadelphia, List of acts who appeared on American Bandstand, "Bobby Rydell Wall Mural Wildwood Boardwalk", "Bobby Rydell, 1960s Pop Idol and Star of 'Bye Bye Birdie,' Dies at 79", "Academy Premiering Digital Restoration of Bye Bye Birdie; Ann-Margret and Bobby Rydell to Attend", "Bobby Rydell, Teenage Idol With Enduring Appeal, Dies at 79", "Bobby Rydell Comes Clean in His New Autobiography", "60s singer Rydell gets 2 organ transplants in Pa", "Bobby Rydell, singer and Philly native known for 'Wildwood Days' dies at 79", "Local singer is in national movie 'Green Book', "Bobby Rydell Charts & Awards Billboard Singles", "The Man Who Knew It Wasn't Only Rock 'n' Roll", Bobby Rydell obituary on Best Classic Bands, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bobby_Rydell&oldid=1138024217, "Everything Seemed Better (When I Was Younger)", This page was last edited on 7 February 2023, at 16:37. [13] By that point, the British Invasion had arrived and acts such as Rydell suffered a dramatic decline in popularity. Meanwhile, Rydell keeps working. It was a miracle the way things happened. Bobby Rydell net worth was estimated at around $10 million. Bobby Rydell came on the Pop / Rock scene with the release of the album 'The Best Of Bobby Rydell' published on October 18, 2005. Per an announcement made on his official Facebook page, Rydell's death has been attributed to pneumonia. His last major chart success was "Forget Him", which reached number 4 on the Hot 100 in January 1964. The music was fun, no hating, and the dancing was simply the best! (And why not? Bobby Rydell, Bye Bye Birdie actor and teen pop star, died at age 79 from pneumonia, according to Variety. His son had passed away, and Bobby always felt he was looked upon by Mr. Skelton as a son.. He was born Robert Ridarelli in Philadelphia, the son of Jennie (nee Sapienza) and Adrio Al Ridarelli. document.addEventListener( 'DOMContentLoaded', function() { In addition, Cameo had a secret weapon in its corner that became the most important factor in breaking not only Kissin Time, but my career, aswell. (AP) - Bobby Rydell, a pompadoured heartthrob of early rock 'n roll who was a star of radio, television and the movie musical "Bye Bye Birdie," died Tuesday. Paris Jackson speaks out, says how Michael Jackson actually was as a father, 'Today' co-hosts reveal Hoda Kotb on leave due to 'family health matter', Tom Sizemore's family deliver tragic update as he remains in critical condition after stroke, Simon Cowell made a fortune on American Idol meet his only child, Bruce Willis' wife Emma Heming shares heartbreaking video of him after his dementia diagnosis, This new mother plans to leave her baby unwashed and unbathed for at least a month, Tom Sizemore, 'Saving Private Ryan' star, dead at 61, 31-year-old woman who admitted having sex with 13-year-old won't receive jail time, Pastor declared 'clinically deceased' returns home to finish miraculous recovery. Mr. Rydell was born Robert Louis Ridarelli on April 26, 1942, to Adrio and Jennie (Sapienza) Ridarelli. 8:06 PM EDT, Tue April 5, 2022. Sending prayers of comfort, strength and love to the family and fans of Bobby Rydell,Ukee Washington of CBS3 in Phillywroteon Twitter. His main source of income is from his career as an actor and singer. But, just because he was no longer at the height of his popularity, Rydell didn't stopped performing. I still get antsy when I havent hit a stage for a while. It's amazing.". The track 'Wild One' immediately became a success and made Bobby Rydell one of the newest emerging acts at that time. He went on to star on television, stage, and film and became the author of a best-selling autobiography, BOBBY RYDELL: TEEN IDOL ON THE ROCKS - A Tale of Second Chances. During an interview withThe Morning Call in 2016, Rydell said that for years people had encouraged him to share stories from his life, but he didn't think anyone would be interested. Fifties teen idol Bobby Rydell died from non-Covid related pneumonia complications on Tuesday (5 April) at Philadelphia's Jefferson Hospital, his spokesperson confirmed. Bobby Rydell's death was attributed to pneumonia complications. Youd have never known I was a star. 2022 Galvanized Media. Rydell is survived by his wife, Linda J. Hoffman, son Robert Ridarelli, daughter Jennifer Dulin, and his five grandchildren, according to the statement. In a radio interview in 2013 in Hamilton, Ontario, Mr. Rydell explained why he hadnt stayed in Hollywood to make more movies: I couldnt. Skelton fell in love with Bobby, Mr. Rydells personal assistant, Linda F. Hoffman, said in 2013. I have noticed a number of comments about postings on this page. The Philadelphia native saw 34 of his singles land on the Billboard Hot 100, with the most well-known being "Wild One." In the early 1960s, with giant hits like Wild One, Volare and We Got Love, Bobby became an instant teen idol with his chart-topping songs. We were having a great time talking about the usual stufffood, music, womenand he also asked me a few questions about my career. The famous rock musical Grease was set in the fictional Rydell High . Our content is fact checked by our senior editorial staff to reflect accuracy and ensure our readers get British rock and pop music swept in and became very popular in the United States. At outposts surrounded by sandbags and soldiers with M60s, I slept on cots with loaded guns and hand grenades less than an arms-lengthaway. "We started that show in 1985, and it was a tremendous success," Rydell told From the Mixed Up Files in 2020. He managed to get a recording contract, but his first few songs flopped. In return, Dick would expose Cameos recordings to his national audience. He also appeared on The Danny Thomas Show, Jack Benny, Joey Bishop, and The George Burns Show. Mr. Rydells repertoire included plaintive love ballads; slow, danceable tunes; occasional frenetic rockers like Wild One and Swingin School; and ageless songs like Domenico Modugnos 1958 hit Volare, which became Mr. Rydells signature song in his later touring years. We just go out there and have fun and the audience can see that.. Philly was all in. Bobby Rydell and Ann-Margret in Bye Bye Birdie (1963). From Bobby Rydell Follow Fans Also Viewed Ed Sheeran See all 31 Events blink-182 See all 88 Events Turnstile See all 48 Events Monster Jam See all 222 Events Shania Twain See all 83 Events Dead & Company Bobby Rydell, a 1950s teen idol who starred in the hit musical film "Bye Bye Birdie," has died. We decided that was a crummy idea but at least we then had the idea of a song called "She Loves You". Bobby Rydell, a teen idol from the '60s known for . CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Bobby Rydell was a teen idol in the early 1960s known for the hits "Wildwood Days" and "Volare," and who starred with Ann-Margaret in the film "Bye Bye Birdie." We invite you to share. After a brief period as the drummer for a local group, Rocco and the Saints, which included Frankie Avalon on trumpet, Mr. Rydell went solo as a singer. Idwasted the opportunity to meet one of myall-time heroes. He recorded 34 Top-40 hit-records and sold more than 25 million records, including Volare, Wild One, We Got Love, Kissin' Time, Swingin' School, Wildwood Days, and Forget Him. . It was her birthdayandshe was celebrating at a restaurant on the Delaware River with her sister and some friends. He was a regular on The Milton Berle Show and was a panelist on To Tell the Truth in 1964. He continued to perform internationally and returned to tour Australia in 2014. After a number of song hits, including "Wild One" and "Volare", he starred in Bye Bye Birdie (1963) before hitting the nightclub circuit. Lia Beck is a writer living in Richmond, Virginia. On October 6, 1964, he made a guest appearance on the episode "Duel" of the television series Combat!. [8], In 1963, Rydell released the song "Wildwood Days," which reached Number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and remained there for nine weeks. if( navigator.sendBeacon ) { Meanwhile, Tommy James of Tommy James and the Shondells shared via Twitter that he was "deeply saddened by the loss of Bobby Rydell, a good friend and one of my idols. Knowing the inner workings of the companys production line was probably a good thing, but it wasnt going to get me a hit. Bobby Rydell, US pop idol of the early 1960s, dies aged 79 Singer, drummer and actor had five US Top 10 hits, and inspired the Beatles to write She Loves You Bobby Rydell in his heyday.. One might say that he was the Justin Bieber of the 60s. Also, great news for all rock 'n' roll fans, there's a Malt Shop Memories Cruise originating in Fort Lauderdale from Oct. 27 through Nov. 3, 2012 featuring 19 artists including Dion, Frankie Avalon, Bobby Rydell, Ronnie Spector, Darlene Love, The Original Drifters, and The Marvelettes. Full track listing and details of the 7" vinyl record Bobby Rydell - The Woodpecker Song / Little Queenie - Cameo Parkway - Netherlands (1963), on 45cat. I sang the hell out of that tune, but the records success wasnt all because of me. [2][3], As a child, he mimicked the singers he saw on television, and at the age of seven his father took him around the clubs of Philadelphia, asking if he could sing and do some impersonations. A person close to Bobby tells us . On April 5, 2022, TMZ revealed that Bobby passed away at the age of 79. , and unbeknownst to me, he was in the housethat night to see his old friend perform. There was a Bobby Rydell song out at the time and, as often happens, you think of one song when you write another. The Birth of the Blues; Wildwood Days (CD) Rydell was also immortalized in the 2018 film"Green Book," which depicted his legendary performance at Copacabana at the age of 19. Spend $75 for Free Shipping * Order by Phone 1-800-336-4627 Your . From the firstmoment he played the record on his show, the stations switchboard lit up. The song was released in mid-June. (Some sources say the song was Forget Him, which is somewhat similar lyrically to She Loves You.). Outside the church, 1,000 adoring fans waited out front, according to Camilles obituary. Rydell's. Yes Bobby is gone-I am, Thank you, Bobby for all the fantastic songs. I think your father fked up your career., My spine instantly tightened up and I saw red. My God, you know, I couldnt run out of my friend, he explained in an interview with The Morning Call. The couple tied the knot at Stella Maris Catholic Church in South Philadelphia in the same area where both grew up. He was 79. Cameo was started in 1956 by songwriters Bernie Lowe andKal Mann in the basement of Bernies West Oak Lane home. The three are all from South Philadelphia and knew each other as kids. He enjoyed a further glimmer of chart success with a disco version of his song Sway in 1976. In 2012, he told CBS Phillythat, prior to undergoing a liver-kidney transplant, his doctor had predicted he had "maybe a month" to live. His entourage for the night included Joe DiMaggio, songwriters Sammy Cahn andJimmy Van Heusen, and actor Richard Conti. In a 2011 interview, he recalled the reaction in Australia: They stormed the stage, thousands and thousands of kids. Up walks this very dapper-lookinggentleman oozing power and charisma. [7], Rydell's success and prospects led his father, Adrio, a foreman at the Electro-Nite Carbon Company in Philadelphia, to resign in 1961 after 22 years to become his son's road manager. It was great, he says. Rydell died Tuesday at Thomas . When I say drinking, I used to hide bottles of vodka in my golf bag in the back of the trunk of my car, and God forbid half of a bottle was gone, Id have to go to a liquor store and get a new one. Cameo was started in 1956 by songwriters Bernie Lowe andKal Mann in the basement of Bernies West Oak Lane home. MUSIC icon Bobby Rydell died at age 79 on Tuesday. He could have done a lot of good things with the $3,000settlement he received from his employer. My first experience recording for a big labelmight have overwhelmed me, but the three songs we cutPlease Dont Be Mad, All I Want Is You, and a tune penned by Paul Ankawerent particularly exciting. Im pretty sure they were his bodyguards. He continued to tour up until his death in 2022. It was Rydell's first dramatic acting role. There is also a mural of Rydell on the boardwalk of Wildwood, New Jersey, the beach resort that inspired his 1963 hit Wildwood Days. Detroit, Boston, New York, Pittsburgh, and othercities followed suit. reclines on a couch in his sports-themed basement in Penn Valley, a lit Winston purring in his right hand. Some months after my debut at the Copa, my dad, Frankie Day and I drove up to New York City to see singer-comedian Joe E. Lewis, who wasappearing at the club. =(Track Bobby Rydell! After a short pause, he got allserious on me and said, Bobby, you know Sinatra loves you.. Now 73 and a survivor of a 2012 operation that left him with a new kidney and liver, Rydell is happy and committed to being on stage "as long as the chops are still working." Rydell made the charts in 1959 with "Kissin' Time," earning 11 Top 20 hits over the next five years. Movies. But one mid-60s appearance at the Latin Quarter in New York did give me a more personal look into thesocial culture of what many, rightly or wrongly, perceive to be organized crime. In the Broadway musical Grease, the high school is called Rydell High an elegant but sometimes forgotten tribute to Bobby Rydell. In fact, he's already been immortalized in more ways than many may realize. He really went out of his way to make me feela part of his entourage, and then posed for a picture with me and signed a copy of my. if( 'moc.enilnoefiltseb' !== location.hostname.split('').reverse().join('') ) { Welcome Guest! I headlined the club three orfour more times before it finally closed its doors in 1973. 7" Single on 45cat: Bobby Rydell - Good Time Baby / Cherie' - Columbia - Denmark - 45-DD 727 : 45worlds 45cat 45spaces. From left, Fabian, Frankie Avalon and Mr. Rydell in performance in Atlantic City, N.J., in 2006. But, like many other alcoholics, Bobby was very good at hiding his addiction few people knew how much he could drink and how bad it was. All of You; 29. [14] Bands such as The Beatles became more popular, and Rydell unwittingly contributed to his own downfall by inspiring John Lennon and Paul McCartney to write "She Loves You", a song which catapulted their success way beyond his. Mr. Rydell performing with the City Rhythm Orchestra in Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center in Manhattan in 2016. Born Robert Ridarelli on April 26, 1942, the star died on April 5, just weeks shy of what would have been his 80th birthday. Bobby Rydell Concert Schedule No Events! Mr. Rydell was characteristically modest in the 2011 interview. Carmine, the maitre d, came up to me as I was checking my coat and asked if I wanted to sit withFrank. It's very truthful, very sincere. It wasnt a down-on-my-knees moment, but I proposed and gave her an engagement ring. Bobby Rydell, a pompadoured heartthrob of early rock 'n roll who was a star of radio, television and the movie musical Bye Bye Birdie, died Tuesday. On one of my National Guard weekends in 1967, I was dismissed early from my duties, so I decided to surprise Camille. Bobby Rydell's death Sadly, Bobby would never get the chance to celebrate his 80th birthday. I was basically a South Philadelphia kid, and I was an East Coast guy. (He also played a nightclub singer in the 1975 film That Lady From Peking, which was shot in Australia.). It felt safer for everyone and parents didnt worry for their kids. Uncle Julieas he asked me to call himwas the guy who ran the Copa. Bobby Rydell, a teen idol from the '60s known for songs like "Wild One" and his role as Hugo Peabody in the 1963 film "Bye Bye Birdie," has died. Bobby Rydell, a pompadoured heartthrob of early rock 'n roll who was a star of radio, television, and the movie musical "Bye Bye Birdie," died Tuesday of complications from . Angel Is Missing, An; 25. I headlined the club three orfour more times before it finally closed its doors in 1973. Bobby Rydell, the star of "Bye Bye Birdie," has died. I surmised that he had some serious pull in certain unspecified circles. DVDs Blu-ray VHS. We'd planned an "answering song" where a couple of us would sing "she loves you" and the other ones would answer "yeah yeah". But if any of us Italiancrooners wanted to distance ourselvesfrom the image of a mob-backed Italian singer, it became almost impossible after my fellow SouthPhiladelphian, Al Martino, played Johnny Fontane in The Godfather. We adhere to structured guidelines for sourcing information and linking to other resources, including His father was a machine shop foreman. Nonetheless, by 1964 Rydells hits were drying up, though he reached No 4 that year with Forget Him, and his generation of performers was sidelined by the seismic impact of the Beatles and the British Invasion. } else { One of them came from FrankieAvalon, and would prove to be a turning point for me. 2. In 1961, aged 19 and now a confirmed teen heart-throb, he became the youngest performer to headline at the fabled Copacabana club in New York. "Fans say, 'Bobby, you're so good, why don't you go back to recording.' And I'd tell them, 'Today's music is rap. A new liver and a new kidney, because of all of the drinking." Bobby Rydell at homein Penn Valley, April 2016//Photo by Gene Smirnov. The track had a lot going for it: an irresistible hook in its ba-daboom kick drum figure, the roster of city names in the lyric that personalized the song to a lot of fans in a lot of different markets, and thenthere was that flamethrower of a solo from future Saturday Night Live saxophonist Georgie Young. Bobby Rydell, a pompadoured heartthrob of early rock 'n roll who was a star of radio, television and the movie musical "Bye Bye Birdie," died Tuesday. navigator.sendBeacon('https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', payload); 7" Single on 45cat: Bobby Rydell - The Woodpecker Song / Little Queenie - Cameo Parkway - Netherlands - CP 26.398 : 45worlds 45cat 45spaces. This set wasnt relegated to the basement like my red Revere drums. His name alone could conjure up an entire era: The 1970s rock musical Grease, in both its Broadway and movie versions, was set in 1959 at the fictional Rydell High School. [19][24], In the Broadway musical drama Grease, its film adaptation, and the film's sequel Grease 2, the high school was named "Rydell High" after Rydell.[25]. These regional Christmas traditions might just inspire you to try something new this year. He told The Morning Call that his drinking became heavier after his lost his wife of 35 years, Camille Quattrone Ridarelli, in 2003. } I would have been more than happy with just a quickhand-shake, but Frank smiled at me and said, How ya doin, Robert. All I Want Is You, for instance, was basically the same song as Stairway to the Stars, with a different melody. [19] His autobiography was published in 2016. Per Billboard, the singer had no less than 29 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 over his career. 9 Put On a Happy Face - Bobby Rydell. Within three weeks, it was the No. He was a regular guest on numerous TV shows, including those hosted by Red Skelton, Jack Benny, Joey Bishop, Perry Como and George Burns. He and Kal had gotten off to aflying start penning Teddy Bear for ElvisPresley, and then landing a No. I had met Bernie back in 1952, when he was the keyboardist for Paul Whitemans TV Teen Club. Rydell could still command enough audience loyalty to tour regularly and appear in nightclubs and Las Vegas venues through the 1970s and 80s, performing the great American songbook of material by the likes of Cole Porter, George Gershwin and Richard Rodgers alongside his repertoire of pop and easy-listening material. Rydell, who opened up about receiving a double organ transplant in 2012 in his 2016 biography Teen Idol on the Rocks: A Tale of Second Chances, was an advocate for organ donation and supporter of The Gift of Life, a nonprofit that helps families impacted by organ transplants. album. Over the following 70 years, he would sing everything from rocknroll and smoochy love songs to disco, Broadway classics and Italian pop tunes. He performs Tuesday and Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center - and autographed copies of his book will be available. Rydellsinging to fans, not long after She died in 2003. Hes still on a high from a show two days earlier in a packed ballroom at the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City. Bobby Rydell (1942-2022) Actor Soundtrack IMDbPro Starmeter See rank Part of the Philadelphia music scene which also spawned Frankie Avalon and Fabian, Rydell was undoubtedly the most talented of the teen idols. Rydell first took the stage as a professional drummer at the age of 9. Bestlifeonline.com is part of the Meredith Health Group. Published His most well-known songs include "Wildwood Days," "Wild One" and "Volare" (cover of an Italian song by Domenico Modugno, "Nel blu, dipinto di blu"); in 1963 he appeared in the musical film Bye Bye Birdie.[2]. It could have been Anka High, Presley High, Everly High and they came up with Rydell High.". Rydell and many of his generation were knocked off their pop pedestals by the dramatic arrival of the Beatles and their British counterparts, but he had the staying power of mainstream performers from a slightly earlier generation. Addeddate. He had great success on the oldies circuit into his last years. RELATED:Maureen McCormick Played Marcia on The Brady Bunch. Legendary singer and Philly native Bobby Rydell died at the age of 79 Tuesday morning at Abington Jefferson Hospital from non-COVID-related pneumonia complications. When he was nine, young Robert won a spot on the television show Paul Whitemans TV Teen Club and became a regular cast member. there are currently no upcoming events. He married Linda Hoffman in 2009. Rydell referred to the transplant as one of the "second chances" mentioned in his book title. They had two children. Bobby Rydell, the Philly-born teen idol of the early 1960s whose hits included "Volare" and "Wild One" and who took part in a scene-stealing dance number with Ann-Margret in the 1963 film Bye.