Billed as the Golden Boys, they had toured together since 1985. At age 6, he told his father he wanted to play the drums, like Gene Krupa; a year or two later Bobby was singing in local nightclubs. Uncle Julieas he asked me to call himwas the guy who ran the Copa. In 2012, he told CBS Phillythat, prior to undergoing a liver-kidney transplant, his doctor had predicted he had "maybe a month" to live. Rydell was born in April 1942 and was the son of Jennie Ridarelli (nee Sapienza) and Adrio "Al" Ridarelli. 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, according to a statement released by his. In 1985 he joined Avalon and another former teen pop star, Fabian, to form a touring act, the Golden Boys. navigator.sendBeacon('https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', payload); 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. Full track listing and details of the 7" vinyl record Bobby Rydell - The Woodpecker Song / Little Queenie - Cameo Parkway - Netherlands (1963), on 45cat. His 1963 song Wildwood Days paid homage to Wildwood, the New Jersey beach town where his grandmother had a boardinghouse and where he spent his early summers; like Philadelphia, Wildwood later held an honorary street-naming for Mr. Rydell. His main source of income is from his career as an actor and singer. Vodka became a very, very dear friend, he said, to the point where, a few years later, it led to a double transplant. He is survived by Linda and by two children, Robert and Jennifer, from his first marriage. He was a regular guest on numerous TV shows, including those hosted by Red Skelton, Jack Benny, Joey Bishop, Perry Como and George Burns. [19] His autobiography was published in 2016. The very first '60s-era teen idol left behind a "tremendous" legacy now being mourned by heartbroken fans. Rydell and Ann-Margret were in attendance at the restoration premiere in Beverly Hills, hosted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Throughout his stardom in the 1960s, Bobby released the hit songs Kissin' Time, We Got Love, Wild One, and Swingin' School. Throughout the early 60s, I appeared on almost all of them. Those included shows hosted by Ed Sullivan, Johnny Carson, Perry Como, Jack Benny, Milton Berle and Red Skelton. Mr. Rydell was born Robert Louis Ridarelli on April 26, 1942, to Adrio and Jennie (Sapienza) Ridarelli. He had great success on the oldies circuit into his last years. Welcome Guest! Bobby Rydell in an undated photo. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. This set wasnt relegated to the basement like my red Revere drums. 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. 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. His career had had its ups and downs, its peaks and valleys, he said, but Ive survived through all of that, and I continue to do what I really enjoy doing. He enjoyed a further glimmer of chart success with a disco version of his song Sway in 1976. [19], Rydell served in the U.S. National Guard, and began his service in 1964 with two months of basic training at Fort Dix. It didnt hurt that Dick Clarks American Bandstand was broadcast in those years from Philadelphia, the home of Mr. Rydells label, Cameo Records. It was Rydell's first dramatic acting role. 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 . 6 How Lovely To Love a Woman - Bobby Rydell. 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. Bobby first found success as a teen idol, selling over 25 million records. Louie pounded his fist on the table and walked away, leaving me with his twoassociates. It was scary, but all in all it was absolutely tremendous. (Mr. Rydell went on to tour in Australia more than 20 times. Unfortunately for Bobby, he suffered a drastic decline in popularity. I nursed a Coke for the next hour and took it all in. and Cameo soon developed. 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. Surprisingly, those first three duds I cut for Cameo didnt faze Bernie and Kal in the least. His father was the foreman in a machine shop. [16], In January 1968, it was announced in the UK music magazine NME that Rydell had signed a long term recording contract with Reprise Records. Bobby Rydell is survived by his wife Linda Hoffman, his son Robert Ridarelli, daughter Jennifer Dulin, and five grandchildren. Detroit, Boston, New York, Pittsburgh, and othercities followed suit. By that October he was back, singing on a cruise ship with Mr. Avalon. if( navigator.sendBeacon ) { 7" Single on 45cat: Bobby Rydell - The Woodpecker Song / Little Queenie - Cameo Parkway - Netherlands - CP 26.398 : 45worlds 45cat 45spaces. His first three songs on the Cameo label were flops, but he scored in 1959 with Kissin Time, which Dick Clark, whose show had succeeded Paul Whitemans, immediately liked. Bobby Rydell - Singles & Alben Sammlung 1959-62 [Neue CD] | Music, CDs | eBay! Cameo was started in 1956 by songwriters Bernie Lowe andKal Mann in the basement of Bernies West Oak Lane home. 1 record titled Butterfly with Cameos first artist, singer-guitarist Charlie Gracie. Remembered for hits including "Volare" and "Swinging School", Rydell also appeared in the 1963 movie Bye Bye Birdie with Dick Van Dyke and Ann-Margret. The Philadelphia native saw 34 of his singles land on the Billboard Hot 100, with the most well-known being "Wild One." And I'm very, very pleased with the way the book came out.". Bobby Rydell was a rock and roll singer and actor who was a "teen idol" in the 1960s. 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, according to a statement released by his . Mr. These regional Christmas traditions might just inspire you to try something new this year. Are we working well together? He says, Oh, yeah.. On October 6, 1964, he made a guest appearance on the episode "Duel" of the television series Combat!. Cowritten with Allan Slutsky, it addresses histempestuous relationship with his motherShe was bipolar, he says nowand the sadlast days of his childhood sweetheart and first wife, Camille, whose 2003 death from cancer sent him into a spiral of alcohol abuse that resulted in transplant surgery. Bobby Rydell started his ultimate singing career in 1958, but before that, he has performed in talent shows and won in 1950 talent show named Paul Whiteman's TV Teen Club. 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. I am not a movie star by any stretch of the imagination, but I was lucky to be in the film. After all, your songs are part of the sound track to our formative years. I had the good fortune to spend my peak years as a recording artist during the golden age of the TV variety show, he wrote in his autobiography, Bobby Rydell: Teen Idol on the Rocks A Tale of Second Chances (2016). In return, Dick would expose Cameos recordings to his national audience. We'd planned an "answering song" where a couple of us would sing "she loves you" and the other ones would answer "yeah yeah". That man you just called aliardo you know who that is?. Rydell was a longtime resident of Penn Valley, Pennsylvania . Over the course of his recording career he placed 19 singles in the Billboard Top 40 and 34 in the Hot 100. From the firstmoment he played the record on his show, the stations switchboard lit up. appreciated. Bobby Rydell and Ann-Margret in Bye Bye Birdie (1963). Now, they tour as The Golden Boys. In the early 1960s he was considered a teen idol. 11 record in the country. During his legendary music . His second success was "We Got Love". In several interviews, he praised the person from whom he got his liver and kidney,a young girl from Reading, Pennsylvania, named Julia. RELATED:See Former Teen Idol Bobby Sherman Now at 78. How could I have any kind of serious relationship with Camille under those conditions? One might say that he was the Justin Bieber of the 60s. he exclaimed. He managed to get a recording contract, but his first few songs flopped. After that, Bobby Rydell published the extremely . Youd have never known I was a star. I told Jules about what had happened downstairsbefore the show and would you believe it? Download the song for offline listening now. By the time he was eight, his reputation led to an appearance on a talent show on the national television series,TV Teen Club. Rydell's. Did you encounter any technical issues? Leopold Stokowski, Dizzy Gillespie and Bobby Rydell, he mused. 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. In New York, I had dinner with Louie and two of his associates in Little Italy. Bobby Rydell and his wife Linda Hoffman married on 17th January 2009, after dating for a year in 2008. In 1957, Frank Sinatra had portrayed him in the film The Joker Is Wild, and unbeknownst to me, he was in the housethat night to see his old friend perform. Rydell first took the stage as a professional drummer at the age of 9. B obby Rydell, a former teenage idol known for hits such as "Volare" and "Wildwood Days," has died at the age of 79. 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. 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. In the Broadway musical Grease, the high school is called Rydell High an elegant but sometimes forgotten tribute to Bobby Rydell. Things started to move fast, and his father resigned from his factory job to become Bobbys road manager. Knowing the inner workings of the companys production line was probably a good thing, but it wasnt going to get me a hit. He continued releasing hit songs with "Swingin' School" backed by "Ding-A-Ling" and "Volare" later in 1960, which also sold over a million copies. Philly was all in. Bobby Rydell's salary per month with other career earnings was over $1 million annually. The Birth Of The Blues. He continued to perform for the rest of his life. Associated Press. Hes an entertainer in the old-fashioned mold. When he was nine, young Robert won a spot on the television show Paul Whitemans TV Teen Club and became a regular cast member. 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. In the early 1960s he was considered a teen idol. It was a miracle the way things happened. His alcohol-induced illness forced him to cancel an Australian tour in 2012. He walks me right over to where Sinatra and his boys were seated. On one of my National Guard weekends in 1967, I was dismissed early from my duties, so I decided to surprise Camille. 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. One night, they were booked as the opening act at a very popular club in Somers Point, N.J., called Bayshores. For the first time, Ihad some doubts. Our content is fact checked by our senior editorial staff to reflect accuracy and ensure our readers get For all I knew, Cameo was considering dropping me after Id struck out three straight times. Bobby Rydell, a 1950s teen idol who starred in the hit musical film "Bye Bye Birdie," has died. 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. I had met Bernie back in 1952, when he was the keyboardist for Paul Whitemans. I moved my parents, grandparents, and myself out of South Philly and into a newhome in suburban Penn Valley. Therapists say it can damage your connection. At age 6, he told his father he wanted to play the drums like Gene Krupa. His most well-known songs include 'Wild One' and 'Volare' ; in 1963 he appeared. Up walks this very dapper-lookinggentleman oozing power and charisma. Mr. Rydell married his high-school sweetheart, Camille Quattrone, in 1968. Mr. Rydell and two other affable performers who became stars in those years, Frankie Avalon and Fabian, grew up within about two blocks of one another in South Philadelphia. [18] He had one more hit after 1965, a disco re-recording of "Sway", which reached the Billboard Easy Listening chart in 1976. Its amazing., There had been some rocky moments along the way. Spend $75 for Free Shipping * Order by Phone 1-800-336-4627 Your . Mr. Rydell was a pop phenomenon but hardly a cutting-edge rock star. And I think the book reveals that. Bobby Rydell, the pop singer and onetime teen idol from Philadelphia who starred opposite Ann-Margret and Dick Van Dyke in Bye Bye Birdie, has died. Hoffman is the president of the fan group, according to reports. 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, 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. Bobby Rydell, a 1950s teen idol who starred in the hit musical film "Bye Bye Birdie," has died. "I said, 'Why me?' His son had passed away, and Bobby always felt he was looked upon by Mr. Skelton as a son.. We decided that was a crummy idea but at least we then had the idea of a song called "She Loves You". 60's Teen Idol Bobby Rydell on Overcoming Alcoholism Steve Adubato 15.4K subscribers Subscribe 230K views 6 years ago #1892 60's teen idol, Bobby Rydell, talks about his iconic role in Bye. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much I was so nervous and intimidated I declined the offer. Mr. Rydells romantic voice, cute face and regular-guy personality had girls screaming, but he also had enough adult appeal to be booked at the Copacabana in New York at 19. A mutually beneficial relationship between. Play & Download We Got Love MP3 Song for FREE by Bobby Rydell from the album Superstars Of The Sixties. 7" Single on 45cat: Bobby Rydell - Good Time Baby / Cherie' - Columbia - Denmark - 45-DD 727 : 45worlds 45cat 45spaces. Rydell reveals how life was in the early days of rock n rolland how he once needed some help fromPhiladelphias mob bossat the time, Angelo Bruno, to secure a role in a movie. If I played Palumbos in South Philly, Nicky Scarfo, Philip Testa, or several of the other local Philly boys might be hanging at the bar. [15] Also during that time, Rydell served in the 103rd Engineer Battalion of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. Some of his later appearances were charity promotions for organ donation. After transplant surgery, he returned to the stage the following year with three sold-out shows in Las Vegas. In 2000, in the book The Beatles Anthology (p. 96), Paul McCartney said: John [Lennon] and I wrote "She Loves You" together. My God, you know, I couldnt run out of my friend, he explained in an interview with The Morning Call. This is Linda-Bobbys wife. There is also a mural of Rydell on the boardwalk of Wildwood, New Jersey, the beach resort that inspired his 1963 hit Wildwood Days. Boosting your levels of vitamin D could prevent your death from coronavirus. Get personalized recommendations, and learn where to watch across hundreds of streaming providers. [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]. 1 marketing tool in popularmusic at the time: Dick Clarks. We just go out there and have fun and the audience can see that.. } else { Every time I leftespecially when I went outside the U.S.I missed Camille more and more. During the last years of his life, he was no longer a teenage idol and no person you read about all the time but Bobby Rydell left a lasting impression on the culture. reclines on a couch in his sports-themed basement in Penn Valley, a lit Winston purring in his right hand. . We were having a great time talking about the usual stufffood, music, womenand he also asked me a few questions about my career. Now, they tour as The Golden Boys. 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. Robert Louis Ridarelli was born into an Italian family in 1942 in South Philadelphia. The three are all from South Philadelphia and knew each other as kids. Frankie must have liked what he saw and heard, because he approached me after our set and said hed like to manage me. One of the tougher periods occurred in February 1966, when I toured South Vietnam for three weeks. Bobby Rydell, the epitome of the early '60s "teen idol," who parlayed that fame into a starring role opposite Ann-Margret in the 1963 film " Bye Bye Birdie ," died today at age 79. A polished performer by the age of 19, he was the youngest person ever to headline the famous Copacabana in New York. Bobby Rydell - I'll never dance again - From the cd "Now and then" It's very truthful, very sincere. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. I didnt see the need for it. A Warner Bros. So, what happened to this American entertainment legend, and why he disappeared for a few years in the 2000s? 7 One Last Kiss - Stereo - Bobby Rydell. Were not trying to fool anybody, Mr. Rydell said in a 2012 interview. From the firstmoment he played the record on his show, the stations switchboard lit up. Per an announcement made on his official Facebook page, Rydell's death has been attributed to pneumonia. An Angel Is Missing. 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. [4], Rydell cancelled a 2012 Australia tour because his health had deteriorated significantly and he was in need of urgent major surgery. Real Name: Robert Louis Ridarelli Profile: American singer and musician Born: 26th April 1942 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA Died: 5th April 2022 Abingdon Township, Pennsylvania, USA A popular teen Rock 'n' Roll idol singer in the 1960's. He began his musical career during his childhood. MUSIC icon Bobby Rydell died at age 79 on Tuesday. It was here that his name was Anglicised to Bobby Rydell. His recording career earned him 34 Top 100 hits, placing him in the top five artists of his era (Billboard). Bernie and Kal would supply the show with a steady streamof acts and would bail out Dick with someone from their lineup whenever an artist from another label cancelled on him at the last moment. It felt safer for everyone and parents didnt worry for their kids. Bobby Rydell was the very definition of talent. Bobby Rydell net worth was estimated at around $10 million. Like Paul Whitemans TV Teen Club, the show was broadcast weekday afternoonson ABC from local affiliate WFILs 46th and Market Street studio. At the same time, Bobby had also developed a serious drinking problem that would almost cost him his life. Cameo was started in 1956 by songwriters Bernie Lowe andKal Mann in the basement of Bernies West Oak Lane home. I became a total alcoholic. 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. Angel Is Missing, An; 25. I think your father fked up your career., My spine instantly tightened up and I saw red. Bobby Rydell, the star of "Bye Bye Birdie," has died. 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. ), My new drums couldnt have arrived at a more perfect time because I was starting to get gigs as a drummer. 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. The movie was the 13th highest-grossing film of 1963. Columbia Pictures signed Mr. Rydell to a contract in 1961. No specific song title is given in The Beatles Anthology, but Bob Spitz writes in The Beatles: The Biography that McCartney originally modeled "She Loves You" on the Rydell "answering song" called "Swingin' School", and not "Forget Him", as is commonly cited. Movies. Rydell's book, Bobby Rydell: Teen Idol on the Rocks: A Tale of Second Chances, was published in 2016 and was written with Allan Slutsky. Dubbed by Variety as one of the world's original teen idols, Rydell's icon status was cemented in "Grease," with the film's characters as students at Rydell High School. Accompanied by Philly DJ Georgie Woods (the guy with the goods), a few dancing girls, and a trio that featured Carl Mottola on drums, Frankie Day on bass, and jazz keyboardist JimmyWisner playing accordion, we flew out on a military transport on January 30th and arrived 9,000 miles later at Tan Son Nhut air base. He was 79. He is survived by his wife, Linda J. Hoffman (who is not related to Linda F. Hoffman); two children from his first marriage, Robert Ridarelli and Jennifer Dulin; and five grandchildren. , and unbeknownst to me, he was in the housethat night to see his old friend perform. It was her birthdayandshe was celebrating at a restaurant on the Delaware River with her sister and some friends. He also starred in a number of films, including"Marco Polo Junior" and, of course, "Bye Bye Birdie." "And vodka became a very, very dear friendto the point where, a few years later, it led to a double transplant. I sang the hell out of that tune, but the records success wasnt all because of me. "Wild One" was followed with "Little Bitty Girl" which was his second million-selling single. Still, he sold a lot more records than some of those who were. The stories ofFrank Sinatras alleged connections to guys like Sam Giancana and Vito Genovese dogged him throughout his career. His father shortened the boys name to Rydell for the show. A person close to Bobby tells us . [23], Rydell died from complications of pneumonia at Jefferson Abington Hospital on April 5, 2022, at the age of 79. 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. "I turned to drink," he said. Bobby Rydell reclines on a couch in his sports-themed basement in Penn Valley, a lit Winston purring in his right hand. He could have done a lot of good things with the $3,000settlement he received from his employer. 2023 Cable News Network. 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. Bobby Rydell Format: Audio CD 345 ratings Amazon's Choice for "bobby rydell cd" $1298 Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns See all 9 formats and editions Streaming Unlimited MP3 $10.49 Listen with our Free App Audio CD $12.98 21 Used from $3.74 4 New from $12.95 Includes FREE MP3 version of this album. He sings his own hits and some standards. We finally got married on October 5, 1968, at Stella Maris Church in South Philly. [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. (His real name was FrancescoCocchi.) According to a statement shared on Rydell's verified Facebook page, the crooner 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. I woke the next morning to see afront-page picture in the Philadelphia Inquirer of Camille andme walking down the steps of the church with close to onethousand of my fans in the street throwing rice at us as weentered a Rolls-Royce Silver Phantom limo. His father was a machine shop foreman. As news of Bobby's death circulated in the press, fans of. 10 Rosie - Bobby Rydell. Ill never forget the first time I heardKissin Time on the radio, Rydell says. SonicHits. Mr. Rydell did not just have staying power; he also made a comeback after years of alcohol abuse, which he chronicled in his autobiography, Bobby Rydell: Teen Idol on the Rocks (2016), written with the guitarist and producer Allan Slutsky. Bobby Rydell's brutally honest street corner narrative evolved during an eighteen-month collaboration with Allan Slutsky, the award-winning author and producer of the widely acclaimed book and documentary film, Standing in the Shadows of Motown. (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. 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, according to a statement released by his representatives. On April 5, 2022, TMZ revealed that Bobby passed away at the age of 79. "Icon Fetch" 273a - Bobby Rydell - Teen Idol and Golden Boys (Podcast Episode) - Movies, TV, Celebs, and more. Bobby, whose famous songs include "Volare" and "Wild One," died Tuesday. In Kon Tum, I sang What Kind of Fool Am I? to a large crowd of Marines while howitzers were laying down a barrage a fewmilesaway. He married Linda Hoffman in 2009. [20], The street on which he was born in Philadelphia was renamed Bobby Rydell Boulevard, in his honor. It was great, he says. Mr. Rydell was characteristically modest in the 2011 interview. Read on to learn more about Rydell's life and career at 79 years old. Lia Beck is a writer living in Richmond, Virginia. Dick Van Dyke and Janet Leigh were the films stars, but the parts of Hugo and Kim were considerably beefed up in the transition from stage to screen. He could have paid off some bills, taken a long overdue vacation with my mom, redecorated thehouse, bought a new car but no, not my dad. As reported by Variety, Bobby Rydell, who found fame as both a musician and an actor, has died at the age of 79 -- a mere few weeks away from his 80th birthday -- due to pneumonia. ", While Bobby Rydell has died, his impact will live on forever.