’60s teen idol Bobby Rydell dies, age 79

60’s teen pop idol Bobby Rydell, known for his works in Bye Bye Birdie and has passed away at age 79, just days away from his 80th birthday.

According to a report from The Philadelphia Inquirer, the music legend’s cause of death was pneumonia. Rydell passed away on Tuesday afternoon at Thomas Jefferson Hospital. He lived with multiple health problems that were reported in the past, including having to undergo a kidney and liver transplant in 2012.

Rydell rose to fame back in the ’50s when he won a TV talent show. He released multiple singles but it wasn’t until the release of “Kissin’ Time” that his music began to chart in 1959. His next song “We Got Love” was the first song he wrote that reached gold certification, selling over a million copies. His music success continued to grow with the release of “Wild One”, “Swinging School” and “Volare”.

Rydell would eventually make his way to film and television as he starred in the film version of Bye Bye Birdie with Ann-Margret and Dick Van Dyke, playing Hugo Peabody. He also made numerous TV appearances in shows like Red Skeleton Show and starred in an unsold 1963 TV pilot for Swingin’ Together. Rydell was supposed to appear at the Jimmy Kimmel Live! back in January but was unable due to poor health.

Rydell’s legacy was commemorated in other forms of media, such as in the musical, and subsequent film adaptations, Grease, where the high school was named after him. Additionally, The Beatles, their book The Beatles Anthology that the band took inspiration from Rydell’s music.