LOS ANGELES - Actor Roger Smith, who brought glamour to the TV detective genre as a hip private eye on 77 Sunset Strip, has died. Roger Smith, who starred in the series "77 Sunset Strip" and was married to actress Ann-Margret, died Sunday in Sherman Oaks. For the 196061 season, Richard Long (who appeared in different roles in two Season 1 episodes) moved over from the recently canceled detective series Bourbon Street Beat. 77 Sunset Strip by Roy Huggins - goodreads.com She lets herself be sad, but also cherishes the years they had together, said the insider. Producers, directors, writers and aspiring actors call this area home. According to Logan, his father died due to natural causes at his Santa Monica home. The show, which lasted a season, was about a Navy officer on a World War II cargo ship who must contend with a vicious captain and a crew of miscreants. Then, he dropped his last name in favor of Byrnes based on the name of his grandfather, Edward Byrne. 77 Sunset Strip is an hour-length American television private detective series created by Roy Huggins and starring Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Roger Smith, and Edd Byrnes. He supported her at a time she was transitioning away from sheer sexpot roles in films like Kitten With a Whip (1964). Roger Smith dies; Ann-Margret spouse and former heartthrob on TV's '77 When it comes to talking about Handsome persons in the acting industry, Edd Byrness name often emerged. It is with profound sadness and grief that I share with you the passing of my father Edd Byrnes. Youve never proven yourself as a ticket seller., I didnt realize my position because things came so easily for me when I first arrived in Hollywood, he said. Byrnes worked a variety of jobs, but he yearned for an acting career. Still yearning for larger parts, he bought out his Warner Bros. contract in 1963. In addition, Mr. Smith produced several of her high-profile TV specials as well as a feature film he wrote, C.C. When I met Ann-Margret, I felt happy for the first time in my life. The episode "The Target" was unusual because key roles were played by the show's primary behind-the-scenes crew, who happened to also be experienced actors. ACTORS REVIEWED IN THIS VIDEO: Efrem Zimbalist Jr. - Stuart Bailey Edd. Up-and-comers who made guest appearances include: Ellen Burstyn, Roger Moore, DeForest Kelley, William Shatner, Mary Tyler Moore, Shirley MacLaine look-alike Gigi Verone, Robert Conrad, Dyan Cannon, Janet De Gore, Jay North, Connie Stevens, Irish McCalla, Adam West, Tuesday Weld, Sherry Jackson, Marlo Thomas, Max Baer Jr., Carole Mathews, Elizabeth Montgomery, Karen Steele, Randy Stuart, Susan Oliver, Robert Vaughn, Suzanne Storrs, Peter Breck, Donna Douglas, Troy Donahue, Chad Everett, Gena Rowlands, Cloris Leachman, Eve McVeagh, and Diane Ladd. Later, he was cast in Murder, She Wrote, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues and Throb. This list includes all of the 77 Sunset Strip main actors and actresses, so if they. It made stars of both men and a teen heartthrob out of Edd Byrnes, who played a colorful parking lot attendant named Kookie. However, Byrnes chafed under a contract that cost him the chance of several roles in movies such as Oceans Eleven. He walked off the show in the second season, demanding a bigger part and better pay, and he didnt return until 1960, when Kookie had become a partner in the detective agency. He is the only main actor on screen for the entire hour. 0:51 LOS ANGELES - Actor Roger Smith, who brought glamour to the TV detective genre as a hip private eye on "77 Sunset Strip," has died. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. is tatum o'neal still alive - helpfulmechanic.com He was 86. Site of 77 Sunset Strip - Tripadvisor It was to be produced by Clint Eastwood and starred Jim Caviezel, Timothy Olyphant and Maria Bello. 8532 W Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069-2310. With his square jaw, sturdy build and easy manner, Mr. Smith seemed in his prime to embody the all-American male at his most appealing. Television brought Mr. Smith his greatest visibility. Edd Byrnes (born July 30, 1933) is an American actor best known for his starring role in the television series 77 Sunset Strip. Edd Byrnes, star of the 1950s and '60s TV hit "77 Sunset Strip" who went on to co-star in the 1978 smash "Grease," has died, the actor's son, Logan Byrnes, confirmed Thursday via Facebook. Also a good idea to release Hawaian Eye, starring Robert Conrad and Connie Stevens; and Surfside Six, starring Troy Donahue and the Green Hornet himself, Van Williams!!!! Please see the press release attached. Though Ann-Margret never had children of her own, Smiths children from a previous marriage are close to her and look after her. He was 84. In a March 1960 story on the incident, Look magazine blamed medical mistakes for the delay in diagnosis and quoted a doctor as saying, This boy came too close to being buried needlessly.. She sees them, speaks to them and Zooms with them all frequently.. The show was so popular that rising young actors clamored for guest spots. In some cases, "77" scripts were recycled and rewritten to fit the characters of each series. Byrnes, who was born Edward Byrne Breitenberger in New York City, came from a poor family. Mr. Smith, a dynamic figure off-screen who enjoyed motorcycles and piloting aircraft and who also sang in fluent Spanish, never found a movie part that captured his personality. Im going to be the best 85-year-old I can be.. However, his parents information remains private, but he grew up with a brother Vincent and a sister, Jo-Ann. The son of Mary (Byrne) and Augustus "Gus" Breitenberger. Joan Staley. [1], The street address was colloquially known as the Sunset Strip and was between La Cienega Boulevard and Alta Loma Road on the south side of the strip, next door to Dean Martin's real-life lounge, Dino's Lodge. At 17, he began to work as a photographers model and was drawn into male hustling with wealthy older men that introduced him to a strange world of art, wealth, sadism, limousines, sex for money, theater and fine restaurants, Byrnes wrote in his 1996 autobiography, Kookie No More.. As of episode "Alimony League" (the 16th of the season's 20 episodes), the opening and closing background of Bradbury building was gone, replaced by Bailey in silhouette walking past lighted store windows. He was married to actress Asa Maynor from 1962 to 1971. Edd "Kookie" Byrnes Dies: '77 Sunset Strip' Teen - Deadline - IMDb Mini Biography By: Cagney recommended Smith for a role in Man of a Thousand Faces, the 1957 film biography of silent star Lon Chaney. You can fall as fast as you rise.. The 60s hit TV series 77 Sunset Strip and 1978s smash Grease actor, Edd Byrnes died at age 87 on Wednesday. Chris Brown gets spotted walking like he is disabled [VIDEO] 13. Talking about his family, he was raised with two siblings J-Ann and Vincent. Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones are good friends, too, an insider said. Curious Myths of the Middle Ages by Sabine Baring-Gould - Complete text Their reaction to my five years on TV was, So what? Bourbon Street Beat saw a similar detective agency located in New Orleans. The divining rod showed no signs of movement till it approached the blood-stained weapon, when it began to oscillate. [5] In the 1964 summer reruns period, shows from the Bailey and Spencer years were shown, and the Season 6 episodes were abandoned, rarely seen until September 2017 on MeTV. Roger Smith Dead: '77 Sunset Strip' Star Was Married to - Variety By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. He twice worked with Cagney, taking supporting roles in Man of a Thousand Faces (1957), a biopic of silent-film actor Lon Chaney, and Never Steal Anything Small (1959), a musical comedy crime caper. While studying at Haaren High School, Edd developed his interest in acting after working in various jobs like roofing, Ambulance, and selling flowers. He was 84. The character of detective Stuart Bailey was first used by writer Huggins in his 1946 novel The Double Take, later adapted into the 1948 film I Love Trouble. dinky-4 of Minneapolis, Other Works The series and Bailey's personality took on a darker tone, and the familiar office, parking lot and Dino's Lodge were gone. 2023 TV GUIDE, A FANDOM COMPANY. I knew he would protect me, she told Closer Weekly of Smith, adding that she knew she would marry him after their third date. In 1963, as the show's popularity waned, the entire cast was dismissed except for Zimbalist. Jack Gilardi, Ann-Margrets agent, confirmed the death. Their mother worked hard at various jobs to keep the family together because her alcoholic husband was often absent from the scene.When Edd was fifteen, his father was found dead in a basement. in January 2023, no trace of the sidewalk engraving remained. 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Edward Byrne Breitenberger was born in New York City. His contract dispute was eventually settled, though not much to his advantage, and when he returned to "77 Sunset Strip" his role was upgraded from "sidekick" to "partner" and he wore a suit and tie. By most accounts, the jive-talking hipster parking attendant Edd Byrnes stole the show as Kookie. Mr. Smith left the series in 1963, and it continued another year without him. Edd Byrnes. An early teen idol, Edd was known for '77 Sunset Strip' and the dance contest host, Vince Fontaine, in the 1978 film 'Grease'.