Frankie Avalon Bingo
Thursday, October 13th, 2011
I’d have to say that one of the distinct highlights of attending the Hollywood Show on October 8, 2011, was getting the chance to meet Frankie Avalon. When it come to making the popular beach movies of the 1960’s – films such as Beach Party and Beach Blanket Bingo – the names don’t get much more iconic than Frankie and Annette. As a student of Billboard #1 songs too, I have a real appreciate for two of Frankie’s songs that hit the number one spot: Venus and Why – the latter of which became the last number one hit of the 1950’s. Frankie also co-starred in The Alamo, which was directed by and starred John Wayne. And he played himself in the 1952 Christmas sketch of The Honeymooners on The Jackie Gleason Show. Read the rest of this entry »
He’s still out there acting, showing up in modern day TV shows like Community and CSI: Miami, and every now and then making his way into a blockbuster film like The Dark Knight – but to me, Anthony Michael Hall will always be an icon of the 1980’s. In fact he had major roles in three of my top ten favorite 1980’s comedies: National Lampoon’s Vacation, Weird Science, and Sixteen Candles. Add to that a few other starring roles in classics like The Breakfast Club and Edward Scissorhands, and we’ve got someone whom I was thoroughly ecstatic to meet. 
The encounter that Jamie and I had with Eddie Mekka was rather amusing. Eddie had portrayed Carmine Ragusa, the ex-boyfriend and on-again/off-again romance partner of Shirley in the TV sitcom Laverne & Shirley – affectionately referred to as ‘The Big Ragoo’. He had been a regular in the series during its entire run from 1976-83 and appeared in 147 of its 178 episodes. Our encounter came during the Hollywood Celebrities Show in Chicago on Saturday, October 1, 2011. Eddie was there as part of a Laverne & Shirley reunion.