Jesse Pearson was born on August 18, 1930 in Seminole, Oklahoma, USA as Bobby Wayne Pearson. He was an actor, known for Bye Bye Birdie (1963), Advance to the Rear (1964) and Death Valley Days (1952). He died on December 5, 1979 in Monroe, Louisiana, USA.
Unknown to the public he won the title role as Presley-like singing idol Conrad Birdie in the popular musical film Bye Bye Birdie (1963). He was quite familiar with the role having taken over the part of Birdie from Broadway's Richard Gautier in the national road company. The reviews on him as the movie Birdie were decidedly mixed; as such, his film career ended almost as quickly as it began.
2
Wrote and directed the adult movies The Legend of Lady Blue (1978) and _Pro-Ball Cheerleader (1979)_.
3
Jesse Pearson was the narrator of Rod McKuen's The Sea LP as recorded by the San Sebastian Strings in 1966.
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Norseman
1978
Narrator (voice, as Jess Pearson)
Death Valley Days
1964-1970
TV Series
Jess Ivy / Frank Ball / Jack Byrd / ...
Bonanza
1969
TV Series
Ed
The Guns of Will Sonnett
1969
TV Series
Lieutenant Elder
The Road West
1966
TV Series
Neil Brubaker
The Andy Griffith Show
1966
TV Series
Keevy Hazelton
12 O'Clock High
1965
TV Series
Sergeant Coleridge
The Beverly Hillbillies
1964
TV Series
Johnny Poke
Advance to the Rear
1964
Cpl. Silas Geary
McHale's Navy
1964
TV Series
Harley Hatfield
The Great Adventure
1964
TV Series
Tom Jethro
Bye Bye Birdie
1963
Conrad Birdie
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
McHale's Navy
1964
TV Series performer - 1 episode
Bye Bye Birdie
1963
"One Last Kiss" / performer: "Honestly Sincere", "One Last Kiss", "A Lot of Living to Do"
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Pro-Ball Cheerleaders
1979
screenplay - as A. Fabritzi
The Legend of Lady Blue
1978
written by - as A. Fabritzi
Director
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Legend of Lady Blue
1978
as A. Fabritzi
Assistant Director
Title
Year
Status
Character
Pro-Ball Cheerleaders
1979
assistant director - as Jess E. Peer
Music Department
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Legend of Lady Blue
1978
music adaptor - uncredited
Production Designer
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Legend of Lady Blue
1978
uncredited
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Manson
1973
Documentary
Narrator (voice, as Jess Pearson)
The Mike Douglas Show
1964
TV Series
Himself - Actor
The Ed Sullivan Show
1963
TV Series
Singer / Himself - Audience Bow
Won Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
1979
AFAA Award
Adult Film Association of America
Best Screenplay
The Legend of Lady Blue (1978)
Known for movies
Bye Bye Birdie (1963) as Conrad Birdie
Advance to the Rear (1964) as Cpl. Silas Geary
Death Valley Days (1964-1970) as Frank Ball / Henry Windsor / Jack Byrd / Jess Ivy / Jim Barnes / Joe Boot
$13 Million
