Edd Byrnes Gets Kookie

Schadenfreudian Therapy posted selections from the soundtrack to the television series "77 Sunset Strip" which makes me want to be part of the action. One of the cast members of "77 S.S." was a fellow by the name of Edd Byrnes. Fans of "Grease" know him as Vince Fontaine. Fans of the Love Boat know him as many different characters. And fans of Sunset Strip know him as Gerald Lloyd "Kookie" Kookson III. Kookie was famous for his duck tail hair-do and his constant combing of it. It became such a phenomenon that Edd Brynes and Connie Stevens recorded a novelty number entitled "Kookie, Kookie Lend Me Your Comb." The song was such a big hit, a complete album of "Kookie" related songs was released by Warner Brothers. Incidentally, singing the female parts on all but the "Lend Me Your Comb" track is none other than Joanie Summers, who would have a hit of her own with "Johnny Get Angry". One final note: the character of Gerald Lloyd "Kookie" Kookson III was not originally a part of the series regulars. Edd Byrnes starred in the pilot in the role of a continuously hair-combing serial killer in the pilot, Girl on the Run, and was so popular as a result that he was brought back the following week as a regular cast member in a different role! At the beginning of the episode which followed Girl, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. broke the fourth wall with the announcement:"We previewed this show, and because Edd Byrnes was such a hit we decided that Kookie and his comb had to be in our series. So this week, we'll just forget that in the pilot he went off to prison to be executed." Here's Edd Byrnes, Connie Stevens and Joanie Summers having a ball with the full length "Kookie" album! Enjoy!

Edd Byrnes - Kookie