Edward Byrnes

Edward Byrne Breitenberger (July 30, 1932 – January 8, 2020), known professionally as Edd Byrnes, was an American actor and singer best known for his starring role as Kookie in the television series 77 Sunset Strip (1958–1964). He also charted a Billboard 100 recording, "Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb)", with Connie Stevens (1958). He was featured in the 1978 film Grease as TV dance show host Vince Fontaine.

Byrnes was born in New York City, the son of Mary (née Byrne) and Augustus "Gus" Breitenberger. He had two siblings, Vincent and Jo-Ann. After his abusive alcoholic father died when Edd was 13, he dropped his last name in favor of Byrnes, based on the name of his maternal grandfather Edward Byrne.

Byrnes developed the urge to act in high school but did not seriously consider pursuing it until after he had tried a number of other jobs, such as driving an ambulance, roofing and selling flowers. At age 17, he found work as a photographer's model.

In 1956, Byrnes got an unpaid job in a summer stock theatre company in Connecticut, the Litchfield Community Playhouse. He soon began appearing in the company's plays as an actor; he also tried to get roles in Broadway theatre productions, but had no luck. Also that year, he was cast in an episode of the Crossroads TV program. Byrnes also appeared in episodes of the late-1950s series Wire Service and Navy Log.

After a year, Byrnes moved to Hollywood. He appeared in a stage production of Tea and Sympathy. Byrnes also appeared in episodes of The Adventures of Jim Bowie, and Telephone Time and in the film Fear Strikes Out (1957). Byrnes was third-billed in the low-budget exploitation film Reform School Girl (1957) for American International Pictures, co-starring Sally Kellerman. That same year, he had a supporting role in the Warner Bros. film Johnny Trouble.

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.