Q: The role of Conrad Birdie in Bye Bye Birdie is based on Elvis Presley. ... It was Elvis's induction into the army in 1958 that inspired the plot of the 1960 Broadway hit and 1963 film, in which the drafting of rocker Conrad Birdie causes mass hysteria among his teenage fans.

Who was Bye Bye Birdie based on?

The story was inspired by the phenomenon of singer Elvis Presley being drafted into the United States Army in 1957. Jesse Pearson plays the role of teen idol Conrad Birdie, whose character name is a word play on country singer Conway Twitty, who was, at that time, a teen idol pop artist.

Did Ann-Margret actually sing in Bye Bye Birdie?

– The song “Bye Bye Birdie” performed by Ann-Margret at the beginning and end of the film was written for the screen and was not from the original Broadway musical.