Celebrity Nooz: Pia Zadora

Pia Zadora (Actress) as Girmar - Santa Claus Conquers the Martians

Updated: 4/19/2017

Name: Pia Zadora

Birth Name: Pia Alfreda Schipani

Born: May 4, 1954 in Hoboken, New Jersey

Claim To Fame: An American actress and singer who starred in 'Santa Claus Conquers the Martians', 'Butterfly', and 'The Lonely Lady'.

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.

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'.

Attended the American Academy of Dramatic Art while a child as a means of overcoming shyness.

Where Are They Now: She is now retired from show business.

Write To Pia Zadora:
Pia Zadora
1143 Summit Dr
Beverly Hills, CA 90210

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