Claim to Fame:
Boy this one was a hard one. I asked around the office and many didn't know
who she was. I went home and asked my mom what she thought Pia Zadora was famous
for and
she didn't miss a beat she said, "for marrying a rich man."
So I'm going to say she's the Paris Hilton of the 80's. She's famous, but for
what no one knows.
Family Life: Kaufer, Jonathan (August 1995 - November 2001) (divorced) 1
child
Riklis, Meshulam (September 1977 - March 1995) (divorced) 2 children
Children: Jordan Maxwell (1997) with 'Jonathan Kaufer' ; Kady (1985) and
Christopher Barzie (1987) with 'Meshulam Riklis' .
Info: Her first film appearance was in 1964's infamous 'Santa Claus Conquers
the Martians' (click
here to order), as Girmar, a young Martian girl. She won a Golden Globe as
1982's "Most Promising New Star," but also won "Worst New Star" in the 1982
Golden Raspberry Awards.
Trivia: Her son's godfather is Don King
Zadora is her mother's maiden name.
Won the now defunct best new star of the year Golden Globe despite the fact that
she actually made her acting debut eighteen years earlier.
Became the first thespian to "win" back-to-back RAZZIE Awards when she was named
Worst Actress of 1982 for 'Butterfly' and Worst Actress of 1983 for 'The Lonely
Lady'.
Appeared in a Penthouse spread in 1983. The picture for her 1984 "Rock It Out"
single was taken from this shoot.
In 1984, her song "Rock It Out" earned a Grammy nomination for Best Female Rock
Vocal Performance. Among her fellow nominees: 'Lita Ford' , 'Bonnie Tyler' ,
'Wendy O. Williams' and eventual winner 'Tina Turner' .
Considered for the role of Evita Peron in Evita which instead went to Madonna.
Played youngest daughter Bielke for two years in "Fiddler on the Roof" on
Broadway (1964-1966).
It was during a 1972 bus-and-truck production of "Applause" that was touring in
Ohio that she met Meshulam "Rik" Riklis, a 49-year old corporate businessman.
She was 17. Four years later they married.
She made her first records in the 1960s, which included "Bye Bye Boy", for which
she was billed as "Little Pia".
In 1990 she toured as an opening act for 'Frank Sinatra' .
Father, Alphonse Schipani, played violin in Broadway pit orchestras, and mother,
Saturnina Zadorowski, was a theater wardrobe supervisor.
Attended the American Academy of Dramatic Art while a child as a means of
overcoming shyness.
In 1961, the six-year-old was selected by noted screen and stage actor
'Burgess
Meredith' to appear in the Broadway production of "Midgie Purvis" starring the
one and only 'Tallulah Bankhead'.
Where
is She Now: After remarrying in 1995, she appeared on Broadway in
"Crazy For You" to favorable reviews, but during this production she suffered a
miscarriage and took a brief retired from show business.
Bought the Pickfair mansion in January 1988, only to have it demolished. The
mansion, former home of early movie stars Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford,
was one of Beverly Hills' most famous privately owned properties. The outside
gate with the letter P is all that remains of the original home.
In 2004 Pia was featured in The Encyclopedia of Guilty Pleasures: 1001 Things
You Hate to Love.
She is now retired from show business.
In other news, Pia and ex-hubby Meshulim Riklis sold their home "Pickfair" for
$20 million.
WRITE TO
Pia: Pia Zadora
1143 Summit Dr
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
CREDITS:
"Frasier" .... Jill (1 episode, 1999)
- Dr. Nora (1999) TV Episode (voice) .... Jill
Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme (1990) (TV) .... Little Miss Muffet
Hairspray (1988) .... Beatnik Chick (special apperances)
Voyage of the Rock Aliens (1988) .... Dee Dee
Pajama Tops (1984) (TV) .... Babette Latouche
The Lonely Lady (1983) .... Jerilee Randall
Butterfly (1982) .... Kady Tyler
Fake-Out (1982) .... Bobbie Warren
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964) .... Girmar
SOUNDTRACKS:
"Beavis and Butt-Head" (1 episode, 1994)
- Safe House (1994) TV Episode ("Rock It Out")
Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994) ("This Could Be The Start Of
Something")
Voyage of the Rock Aliens (1988) ("Let's Dance Tonight", "When The Rain Begins
To Fall")
Formel Eins Film, Der (1985) ("Little Bit Of Heaven")
The Lonely Lady (1983) ("THE CLAPPING SONG")
Butterfly (1982) ("IT'S WRONG FOR ME TO LOVE YOU")
Fake-Out (1982) ("Those Eyes")
DISCOGRAPHY:
PIA (1982)
ADORABLE (1983)
ROCK IT OUT (1983)
I AM WHAT I AM 1986 (CD)
PIA - TODAY! 1988 (CD)
PIA Z. 1989 (CD)
THE PLATINUM COLLECTION 1993 (CD)
PIA ZADORA'S AMERICAN SONGBOOK 1987
BUTTERFLY
FAKE-OUT
THE LONELY LADY
VOYAGE OF THE ROCK ALIENS
HERE COMES PIA (1984)
ONLY FOR ROMANTICS (Promo Only) (CD)
Updated:
5/28/2007
'Burgess
Meredith' to appear in the Broadway production of "Midgie Purvis" starring the
one and only 'Tallulah Bankhead'.
WRITE TO
Pia:
