, a pompadoured heartthrob of early rock 鈥榥 roll who was a star of radio, television and the movie musical 鈥淏ye Bye Birdie,鈥� died Tuesday.
Rydell died of complications from pneumonia at a hospital in a suburb of his hometown of Philadelphia, according to a statement posted by his marketing and event coordinator Maria Novey.
Rydell, who credited a 2012 kidney and liver transplant with extending his life, was 79.
Along with James Darren, Fabian and Frankie Avalon, Rydell was among a wave of wholesome teen idols who emerged after Elvis Presley and before the rise of the Beatles.
Between 1959 and 1964, he had nearly three dozen Top 40 singles including 鈥淲ild One,鈥� 鈥淰olare,鈥� 鈥淲ildwood Days,鈥� 鈥淭he Cha-Cha-Cha鈥� and 鈥淔orget Him,鈥� a song of consolation for a bereft girl that helped inspire the Beatles鈥� classic 鈥淪he Loves You.鈥�
He had recurring roles on 鈥淭he Red Skelton Show鈥� and other television programs, and 1963鈥檚 鈥淏ye Bye Birdie鈥� was rewritten to give Rydell a major part as the boyfriend of Ann-Margret. He didn鈥檛 want to move to Hollywood, however, and 鈥淏irdie鈥� became his only significant movie role 鈥� though the high school in the hit 鈥�70s musical 鈥淕rease鈥� was named for him.
BOBBY RYDELL (1942 - 2022) Truly one of my heroes. Had it not been for Rydell, I may never have pursued a career making records. His recordings will never be forgotten. He made me always try to be a better singer.
鈥� Burton Cummings (@burtoncummings)
Rest in peace Ridarelli...
Rydell never strayed far from his Philadelphia roots, living in the area for most of his life. The block of 11th Street where he grew up was christened Bobby Rydell Boulevard by his hometown in 1995.
鈥淚 never thought of myself as a celebrity,鈥� he told The Philadelphia Inquirer in 2003. 鈥淚 was just a guy who went out there and worked.鈥�
He was born Robert Ridarelli in a South Philadelphia neighborhood that would also produce teen idols Darren, Fabian and Avalon. They knew each other as children 鈥� Rydell played drums with Avalon on trumpet in a group called Rocco and the Saints.
Before he graced the covers of teen magazines and movie screens, Rydell made his bones as a youngster in Philadelphia clubs.
He made his performance debut as a 7-year-old drummer, not a singer. His first drum kit was a gift from his father, Al Ridarelli, who inspired his son鈥檚 choice of instrument by taking him to see Gene Krupa perform.
At age 9, he debuted on an amateur television show and became its regular drummer for three years.
Rydell got his big break in 1959 on 鈥淎merican Bandstand,鈥� which originally was broadcast from Philadelphia. His first hit, 鈥淜issing Time,鈥� quickly followed, and the skinny 17-year-old with a pompadour haircut rocketed to stardom. Rydell and his fellow Philadelphia performers were ideal for 鈥淏andstand鈥� host Dick Clark, who sought to make rock n鈥� roll palatable to young and old. He also made live appearances nationwide on a tour organized by Clark.
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Changing musical tastes ushered in by the Beatles and the rest of the British Invasion defused the hit-making careers of Rydell and his compatriots, and he continued performing and recording music with limited success in the late 1960s and 1970s. But in 1985, he joined his old friends Avalon and Fabian for what they thought would be a few appearances. They dubbed themselves 鈥淭he Golden Boys of Bandstand,鈥� and the shows were so successful that the trio ended up touring for three years and performing 300 shows nationwide.
鈥淲e weren鈥檛 out to prove anything. We just said to ourselves, `Here are three Italian kids from South Philadelphia, born and raised within two blocks of each other. Let鈥檚 go out there and have fun,鈥濃�� Rydell told The Atlantic City Weekly in 2006. 鈥淭hat hasn鈥檛 changed. I think people see that attitude coming from the stage. It鈥檚 a fun show to watch 鈥� that鈥檚 what鈥檚 made it so successful. We have a great time doing it.鈥�
Rydell鈥檚 childhood sweetheart and first wife, Camille, died in 2003.
He is survived by his second wife, Linda Hoffman, whom he married in 2009, along with son Robert Ridarelli, daughter Jennifer Dulin, and five grandchildren.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
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