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Edd "Kookie" Byrnes turns a crazy cat 75


By ED BARK
Born with the un-Hollywood name of Edward Breitenberger, one of TV's first full-blown teen idols makes it three-quarters of a century on Wednesday, July 30th.

Edd "Kookie" Byrnes played a comb-wielding, super-cool car parker on ABC's 77 Sunset Strip, a breezy private eye drama that ran from 1958-'63. His character's full name was Gerald Lloyd Kookson III. But he'd rather get a crewcut than be called that.

Byrnes parlayed his fleeting TV stardom into a hit single, "Kookie, Kookie, Lend Me Your Comb," more or less sung with Connie Stevens.

In this crystal clear clip, he lays down some laughable lingo with Sunset Strip star Efrem Zimbalist Jr., who played suave detective Stuart Bailey. Kookie greets him with, "Hi, Dad."