SANTA MONICA—Actor Edd Byrnes passed away from natural causes at his Santa Monica home on Wednesday, January 8, at the age of 86.
Byrnes, who was born Edward Byrne Breitenberger in New York City, New York on July 30, 1933, became famous for his role in movies like “Grease” and the iconic TV show “77 Sunset Strip.” The series ran from 1958-1964, where he played Kookie.
He played Vince Fontaine in “Grease: the flirtatious and spunky dance contest host. Edd’s career boasts many TV credits including “Charlie’s Angels,” “Fantasy Island,” “Married With Children,” “Murder, She Wrote,” “Maverick,”, and “The Love Boat.”
In a press release via social media, Byrnes son, Logan said:
“His is the story of an ambitious young kid who in his early 20’s, drove out to Hollywood from New York City with a few hundred dollars and a dream of making it big in the entertainment business.”
Byrnes is survived by his son, who works as an evening news anchor in San Diego. He also leaves behind his former wife, Asa Maynor, and his longtime partner, Catherine Gross.
