Grease and 77 Sunset Strip star Edd Byrnes dies at 87 from natural causes

Actor Edd Byrnes died at 87 on Wednesday of natural causes at his home in Santa Monica, TMZ reported.

‘It is with profound sadness and grief that I share with you the passing of my father Edd Byrnes,’ his son Logan said Thursday on Twitter. ‘He was an amazing man and one of my best friends.’ 

Byrnes appeared in the smash hit Grease and played the role of Vince Fontaine, the host of the National Bandstand dance contest.

The latest: Grease actor Edd Byrnes died at 87 on Wednesday of natural causes at his home in Santa Monica 

In the 1978 film – which he appeared in at the age of 45 – Byrnes’ character Vince Fontaine achieved an impressive feat with a front handspring during a dance sequence with John Travolta and the cast. 

He also caught a microphone and continued performing, all in a snug-fitting suit. 

Byrnes had a long Hollywood career, playing roles such as the heartthrob Kookie on the ABC show 77 Sunset Strip from 1958-1964.

The show, which starred Efrem Zimbalist Jr. and Roger Smith as private eyes, initially featured Byrnes’ character Gerald ‘Kookie’ Lloyd Kookson III as a valet who worked at a neighboring restaurant off the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles, and later as a junior private eye. 

Sad day: Edd’s son Logan shared the announcement on Twitter Thursday 

Showman: In the 1978 film – which Byrnes appeared in at the age of 45 – Byrnes’ character Vince Fontaine achieved an impressive feat with a front handspring during a dance sequence with John Travolta and the cast

Legacy: Byrnes had a long and prosperous Hollywood career, playing roles such as the heartthrob Kookie on the TV show 77 Sunset Strip from 1958-1964

Byrnes became a breakout star on the show and a teen idol, at one point getting 15,000 weekly letters from fans, the New York Times reported.

He also recorded a duet with Connie Stevens inspired by the character called Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb), a reference to the character’s trademark combing of his hair. 

The song hit Billboard’s number four spot in 1959 in a 13-week run on the chart and went gold.  

The highbrow and the hipster: Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Roger Smith, Byrnes and Louis Quinn were seen in this 1959 episode of 77 Sunset Strip

Popular: Byrnes also recorded a duet with Connie Stevens inspired by Kookie called Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb), a reference to the character’s trademark combing of his hair

Focused: Following his turn as Fontaine in 1978’s Grease, he went onto appear on TV shows including The Love Boat, CHiPs, Charlie’s Angels and Fantasy Island 

Byrnes went on to appear on 1960s TV hits including The Alfred Hitchcock Hour and Mannix, and 1970s shows such as Adam-12 and Love, American Style.

Following his turn as Fontaine in 1978’s Grease, he went onto appear on TV shows including The Love Boat, CHiPs, Charlie’s Angels, Mr. Belvedere, Fantasy Island and Married… with Children. 

He is survived by son Logan and partner Cathrine Gross.