stevearino
01-09-2020, 08:45 PM
More sad news to share tonight, as Edd Byrnes, best known for his role as "Kookie" on the hit '50s TV Cop Show "77 Sunset Strip," has died.
According to his son Logan, a local California newsman, Edd Byrnes died of Natural Causes at age 87 in his Santa Monica, California home on January 8.
Edward Byrne Breitenberger was born on July 30, 1932 in New York City, New York. At age 13, his father, a life-long Alcoholic, died, and he dropped his given surname of Breitenberger and adopted the stage name "Edd Byrnes."
After his initial teen-idol fame on "77 Sunset Strip" died down, Edd Byrnes, himself a recovering Alcoholic, sober for many years, appeared drunk when he was hired by Merv Griffin to host a Pilot for Merv's new proposed game show "Wheel of Fortune" in 1974, eventually being passed over in favor of Chuck Woolery, who in 1973 had hosted the original "Wheel" pilot known as "Shopper's Bazaar" before Chuck was hired back by Merv for series.
Chuck Woolery hosted the original network "Wheel" for 6 years until he left in a contract dispute and was replaced as host by Pat Sajak, still hosting today after all these years, having been with "Wheel" since it entered 1983 Syndication (where it's aired exclusively since the network "Wheel" ended).
In later years, after Asa Maynor, his ex-wife, left him, Byrnes's career, meanwhile, appeared on the decline, with some of his later roles including the movie version of "Grease" in 1978 and later TV appearances on such shows as the hit '80s Disney sitcom "Empty Nest" and Angela Lansbury's "Murder, She Wrote." He is survived by his son, Logan, and ex-wife, Asa Maynor.
According to his son Logan, a local California newsman, Edd Byrnes died of Natural Causes at age 87 in his Santa Monica, California home on January 8.
Edward Byrne Breitenberger was born on July 30, 1932 in New York City, New York. At age 13, his father, a life-long Alcoholic, died, and he dropped his given surname of Breitenberger and adopted the stage name "Edd Byrnes."
After his initial teen-idol fame on "77 Sunset Strip" died down, Edd Byrnes, himself a recovering Alcoholic, sober for many years, appeared drunk when he was hired by Merv Griffin to host a Pilot for Merv's new proposed game show "Wheel of Fortune" in 1974, eventually being passed over in favor of Chuck Woolery, who in 1973 had hosted the original "Wheel" pilot known as "Shopper's Bazaar" before Chuck was hired back by Merv for series.
Chuck Woolery hosted the original network "Wheel" for 6 years until he left in a contract dispute and was replaced as host by Pat Sajak, still hosting today after all these years, having been with "Wheel" since it entered 1983 Syndication (where it's aired exclusively since the network "Wheel" ended).
In later years, after Asa Maynor, his ex-wife, left him, Byrnes's career, meanwhile, appeared on the decline, with some of his later roles including the movie version of "Grease" in 1978 and later TV appearances on such shows as the hit '80s Disney sitcom "Empty Nest" and Angela Lansbury's "Murder, She Wrote." He is survived by his son, Logan, and ex-wife, Asa Maynor.