Edd Byrnes, best known for his roles in "Grease" and "77 Sunset Strip," died from natural causes at his home in California at age 87.
His son Logan Byrnes confirmed the news Thursday in a Facebook post.
"It is with profound sadness and grief to share with you the passing of my father Edd Byrnes," he said.
Edd shot to fame after landing the role of private detective in the ABC drama "77 Sunset Strip," which ran from 1958 to 1964. He also appeared in "Grease" as Vince Fontaine, who hosted the National Bandstand dance in the 1978 film, TMZ reported.
At the height of his career, Edd was receiving up to 15,000 letters a week from fans and was dominating both TV and radio after releasing a hit single with Connie Stevens that hit the charts, according to IMDB.
Edd's career was forged from humble beginnings.
"His is the story of an ambitious young kid who, in his 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," Logan wrote in his post.
Edd came from a broken home. His father was reportedly an absent alcoholic and his mother worked various jobs to keep them afloat, IMDB noted.
Edd was 15 when he found his father dead in their basement. He decided to pursue an acting career and after dabbling in a few bit parts he made the move to California in 1955, where he finally got his lucky break.
Seven years later he married long-term girlfriend Asa Maynor and in 1956 they welcomed Logan into the world. In 1971 the couple decided to split and Edd never remarried.
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