Biography

Often derided by critics in the early '80s for her starring roles in bad movies, Pia Zadora found more respect as a singer. A former child actress, Zadora became a favorite target for film reviewers who argued that her acting career was the result of being married to multimillionaire Meshulam Riklis. (Her Golden Globe award in 1982 was even investigated.) Although Zadora didn't release her first LP, Pia, until 1982, her first recording actually appeared nearly two decades earlier. In 1964, a prepubescent Zadora sang "Hooray for Santa Claus" on the soundtrack to Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. Later, in 1983, "The Clapping Song" from Pia hit number 36 on the Billboard charts. Much of Zadora's best adult music work involved covering big band and pop standards. After Zadora toured with crooner Frank Sinatra in the early '80s, he began to heavily influence the material she was performing. For 1985's Pia & Phil, she was even backed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Zadora collaborated with Jermaine Jackson for a modern sound; moreover, in 1988, R&B hitmakers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis produced her album When the Lights Go Out, but it was only distributed in the U.K. When the Lights Go Out was followed by Pia Z. in 1989, which marked Zadora's return to the U.S. market. ~ Michael Sutton, Rovi