By the time he was 12, Avalon began making appearances on U.S. television for his trumpet prowess, and as a teenager, played with Bobby Rydell in a band known as Rocco and the Saints. In 1959, his songs Venus and Why? both went to No.1 on Billboard magazine's Hot 100.

During the 1960s, Avalon became known for his roles in the beach film genre. Later, he became the U.S. national television spokesperson for Sonic Drive-In.

Frankie Avalon married Kathryn (Kay) Diebel on January 26, 1962. She was a former beauty pageant winner, and Avalon met her while playing cards at a friend's house. He told his friend that Kay was the girl he was going to marry. His agent warned Avalon not to marry as it would spoil his teen idol mystique, but Avalon ignored his advice. Still together, the couple has 8 children--in order of age Frankie Jr., Tony, Dina, Laura, Joseph, Nicolas, Kathryn and Carla. They also have 10 grandchildren. In her autobiography, gossip queen Rona Barrett revealed that Avalon fathered a girl, born in December 1960, by a fan. Barrett was the assistant to Avalon's manager, Robert Marcucci, at the time. Frankie Jr. is a drummer and Tony, the second oldest son, currently plays guitar and and teaches at the Paul Green School of Rock; boh still tour and perform with their father.

In 1987 Avalon and Annette Funicello returned to the movies, with the aptly titled Back to the Beach.

He was mentioned (unflatteringly) in the System of a Down song "Old School Hollywood."

With the fading of his music and acting career, Avalon has turned to marketing and has created Frankie Avalon Products, a successful line of health supplements and cosmetic products.

He regularly guest stars in stage productions of Grease (musical) in the role of Teen Angel (a role he played in the film version starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John) and Tony n' Tina's Wedding as a characterized version of himself.