|
Let's
dance, with Pia!
Pia's
acting career never recovered in the US. People couldn't
seem to get over the sheer horror of The Lonely Lady. So Pia went to Europe with her next movie Voyage
Of The Rock Aliens in 1985. The movie was a hit and so was
the soundtrack. Pia's duet from the soundtrack with
Jermaine Jackson 'When The Rain Begins To Fall' was
a #1 hit all across mainland Europe and in particular
Germany where it spent 5 weeks at #1. Pia's album 'Let's
Dance Tonight' was soon released and she was soon enjoying
success with its singles 'Let's Dance Tonight' and
'Little Bit Of Heaven'. The movie was released
straight to video in the US in 1988 after lying on the
shelf without a distributor for a few years. Pia &
Jermaine's duet didn't cross over into the UK & US Top
40's. However, Pia had already made her mark on the
Billboard Top 30 with a version on The Clapping Song and she received a Grammy nomination for a track
from her 'Let's Dance Tonight' album - Rock It Out.
Dance
music and showtunes, no wonder she's on this site!
In
1985 Pia gave birth to her first child Kady and recorded
her album 'Pia & Phil' - a collaboration with the
London Philharmonic Orchestra. The collection of standards shifted
over 100,000 copies in the US and finally gave Pia some
credibility. A follow up, I Am What I Am, was a
similar success. But Pia was a young woman and she was
also into pop music. She teamed up with Jam & Lewis
for the ill fated album 'When The Lights Go Out' in
1988
which bombed across Europe and was subsequently never
released in the US. Never one to give up, or run out of
cash, Pia soon put out 'Pia Z.' - a collaboration
with R&B producer Narada Michael Walden. The smooth
and funky collection did nothing and Pia bowed out of the
pop music world whic was a shame as both albums were very
commercial, perhaps too commercial. Pia's showy vocals
were filtered and drowned out by the slick production on
both albums. That's not to say they aren't good albums,
and the singles were excellent, particularly the C&C
remixes of Heartbeat Of Love from 'Pia Z.' which were
released to clubs in 1989.
Beatnik!
John
Waters was a long time admirer of Pia's, and as far back
as 1982 had wanted her in his next movie. She put one of
the most memorable cameo roles in Hairspray and took to
comedy like a duck to water. Pia never took a major acting
job again but she did make cameos in Troop Beverley Hills
(1989) and Naked Gun 33 1/3 (1993). By this time Pia had
had her second child, divorced Riklis, and had bought and
demolished the legendary Pickford estate in Hollywood. The
latter caused outrage, although it was full of termites!
Pia spent most of the 90's on Broadway until 1995 when she
suffered a miscarriage and retired from showbiz
altogether.
End
of an era...
Pia
went on to re-marry and have a third child, she now lives
with her 3 children and has no plans to go back to music
or the movies. Amongst Pia's many Golden Raspberry Awards
is the prestigious Worst New Star of the Decade which was
awarded at 1989's Golden Raspberry Awards. The Golden
Globe's Best New Star category was removed from the
ceremony as a result of the controversy - which just goes
to show what a lasting impact Pia's assault on Hollywood
has had! At the height of 'Pia Mania' Mrs. Zadora traveled
on her own private jet that had 'Here Comes Pia...'
printed on it's side.
Of
all the things I like about Pia it has to be her passion
for what she does that is her most appealing quality. Just
look at how much fun she's having in these videos! If you
can't be successful at least enjoy flopping, that's what I
say!
-
Jamie
|
