Vocalist, Actor. A teen pop idol of the late 1950s and early 1960s, he was from the same area of South Philadelphia which also produced singers Frankie Avalon, Fabian, and James Darren. Born Robert Louis Ridarelli to Italian parents, he learned the drums during his early youth because of his admiration for Gene Krupa and at the age of nine, he got his first taste of the entertainment industry when he performed on the "Paul Whiteman Teen Club" amateur TV program. While attending Bishop Neumann High School, he formed a duo with Frankie Avalon and the pair would join the music ensemble "Rocco & the Saints." In 1959, he launched his solo career with the Cameo record label and scored a Top 20 hit with "Kissin' Time" (1959). He followed this with the singles "We Got Love" (1959), "Wild One" (1960, number 2 placing on the US Billboard Charts and gold record status), "Little Bitty Girl" (1960) and "Swingin' School" (1960, number 5 placing on the US Billboard Charts). Rydell will perhaps be remembered for the hit "Volare" (which achieved a number four placing on the American Pop Charts in 1960) and the song "Wildwood Days" (1963, which became a Top 20 hit) synonymous to the Philadelphia/New Jersey Shore-area. During this period, he performed on numerous TV programs which include "The Dick Clark Show," "American Bandstand," "The Tonight Show Starring Jack Paar," "The Merv Griffin Show," and "The Mike Douglas Show." In addition, he found acting roles which include him co-starring (playing "Hugo Peabody") with Ann-Margret in the film "Bye Bye Birdie" (1963). This would be the peak of his career. Like many singers of that period, Rydell's popularity declined due to the arrival of "The Beatles" and other groups of the "British Invasion." Following a stint with the National Guard, he focused on the nightclub circuit and sporadically acted on television in the programs "Combat!" and "The Red Skelton Hour." Over the next four-decades, he continued to perform and tour until his health began to decline during the 2010s which led to his requiring of a kidney and liver transplant in 2012. After his recovery, he resumed his touring which included Australia and Las Vegas. In the musical play and film "Grease" the fictional high school "Rydell High" is named after Rydell.