Edd Byrnes, 'Grease' and '77 Sunset Strip' star, dead at 87

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Edd Byrnes has died. He was 87.

The "Grease" and "77 Sunset Strip" star died unexpectedly of natural causes on Wednesday at his Santa Monica, Calif., home, a press release, shared by his son, Logan Byrnes, said.

"His is the story of an ambitious young kid who, in his 20s drove out to Hollywood from New York City with a few hundred dollars and a dream of making it big in the entertainment business," read the release.

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It continued: "He soon landed a starring role on the wildly popular TV series '77 Sunset Strip' as the cool-talking 'Kookie.' He went on to star in dozens of motion pictures and television series popular around the world, including playing the suave and debonaire Vince Fontaine in 'Grease.'"

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The late actor's career includes a handful of movie and television credits such as: "The Secret Invasion," "Stardust," "Yellowstone Kelly," "Troop Beverly Hills," "Charlies Angels," "The Love Boat," "Fantasy Island," "Maverick," "Cheyenne," "Surfside 6," "Murder She Wrote," and "Married With Children."

Edd Byrnes attends Chiller Theatre Expo Spring 2018 at Hilton Parsippany on April 28, 2018 in Parsippany, New Jersey. (Photo by Bobby Bank/Getty Images)

Edd also hosted two pilot episodes of "Wheel of Fortune" in the early to mid-1970s. He earned a gold record for the song “Kookie Kookie Lend Me Your Comb."

As a tribute to his enduring celebrity and his iconic “Kookie” character, he ranked No. 5 in the "TV Guide" list of “TV’s 25 Greatest Teen Idols.”

Edd Byrnes as National Bandstand host Vince Fontaine in the Paramount musical 'Grease', 1978. (Photo by Paramount Pictures/Getty Images)

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Edd leaves behind his son, Logan, a KUSI and former FOX LA anchor; his former wife, Asa Maynor; longtime partner Catherine Gross and their beloved maltipoo, Marlowe.

Fox News' Julius Young contributed to this report