Bye Bye Birdie Trivia

Thank you to Harlan for sending me this trivia on Bye Bye Birdie.

• The name Conrad Birdie was a play off of the name Conway Twitty, who at the time was more of a rock-and-roller than a country singer.
• The location of “Sweet Apple, Ohio” was inspired by lyricist Lee Adams hometown of Mansfield, Ohio.
• Paul Lynde, who played Harry MacAfee, was born and raised in Mount Vernon, Ohio, just south of Mansfield.
• Famous alumni of Bye Bye Birdie include Tommy Tune, Steve Zahn, Doris Roberts, Rue McClanahan, Gary Sandy, Randy Jones of the Village People, Marc Kudisch, Rachel Bilson, Jeff Trachta, Dick Van Dyke, Chita Rivera, Paul Lynde, Ann-Margret, Bobby Rydell, Jason Alexander, Vanessa L. Williams, Chynna Phillips, George Wendt, and Tyne Daly.
• Gregory Gai played Conrad Birdie in the 2005 Justin-Siena Theater rendition of Bye-Bye Birdie. At 6’3″ (6’6″ in his three-inch heels), he was the tallest Conrad Birdie in the show’s history.
• Bye Bye Birdie is often parodied on cartoons, including a “Telephone Hour” parody in Family Guy episode “Petarded” and a “Kids” parody in The Simpsons.
• Put on a Happy Face was used by Wal-Mart in the 2000s for an advertising campaign with its smiley logo.
• Rose Alvarez, who hails from Allentown, Pennsylvania in the play plot, is not the only Broadway character to hail from Allentown. In the plot of 42nd Street, up-and-coming Broadway star Peggy Sawyer also is from Allentown.