Frankie Avalon was born Francis Thomas Avallone on September 18, 1940. By the time he was 12, Avalon began making appearances on U.S. television for his trumpet prowess, and, seven years later, he had risen to become a teen idol for dozens of young female teenagers in the 1950s. His most famous song was "Venus," recorded on the Chancellor label.
Later in the 1960s, Avalon became known for his roles in the beach film genre. Later, he became the U.S. national television spokesperson for Sonic Drive-In.
In 1986, the famous British pop girl group Bananarama famously covered Avalon's hit, Venus. That was the year also that Avalon and Annette Funicello returned to the movies, with the aptly titled Back to the Beach.
