Fabian

One of several teen singing sensations to emerge from Philadelphia in the late 1950s, Fabian was perhaps the most reluctant of the group, which included Frankie Avalon and Bobby Rydell. Pop stardom was never his dream, but the prospect of financial ruin after his father's illness spurred him to sign with a local record producer, who crafted him into a pinup-worthy crooner with the right mix of vulnerability and swagger. His time on the charts was remarkably short-lived, with just a handful of singles, including 1959's "Turn Me Loose" and "Tiger," achieving top sales. By 1960, he had largely forgone music for acting in features like "North to Alaska" (1960) and "Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation" (1962). His film career waned in the late '60s, but he re-emerged after a turbulent period in the early 1970s as an enthusiastic presence on the oldies touring circuit. Fabian also enjoyed a brief spell as a producer of television miniseries and specials, but his tenure as a pop singer, however brief, kept his fame intact and appreciated by fans for over four decades.