View source for Pia Zadora

{{creator}}
[[File:Lonley_9869.png|link=The Lonely Lady|frame|The undisputed master of [[Dull Surprise]].]]

'''Pia Zadora''' (born Pia Alfreda Schipani on May 4, 1954) is an American actress and singer whose brief time in the spotlight brought her lasting fame -- not for her skill as a performer but as a subject of derisive humor and endless [[Where Are They Now? Epilogue|"where is she now?"]] speculation.

Zadora's acting career falls mainly into [[The Eighties]], though her career goes back to [[The Sixties]] when she appeared in ''[[Santa Claus Conquers the Martians]]'' at the age of eight. Her fifteen minutes of fame ended after ''[[The Lonely Lady]]'' and she has been fully retired since [[The Nineties]]. Her last acting appearance was in an episode of ''[[Frasier]]''.  Her last TV appearance of any kind (as of this writing) was a 2020 appearance on ''[[The Jimmy Star Show with Ron Russell]]''.

Has to her credit a Golden Globe for best newcomer. She also has no less than four [[Golden Raspberry Award|Razzies]] to her name, including worst new star of the decade and a nomination for worst actress of the ''century'', losing the latter "honor" to [[Madonna]].

She was also a singer and found much more recognition and success in that field. For many years she was retired from that career as well, but in 2011-12 she made an attempt at a comeback with a touring cabaret show and several charity performances.

Tropers of a certain age may remember her from a series of commercials for the ''aperitif'' Dubonnet which were broadcast during the late 1970s and early 1980s.

{{creatortropes}}
* [[As Himself]]:  In nearly half of her (acting) film appearances and a quarter of her TV appearances she appeared "as herself" rather than portraying a character.  (This doesn't count appearances in [[Documentary]] films or on [[Talk Show]]s and [[Reality Show]]s.)
* [[Dull Surprise]]:  As noted in the caption on the page image, this pretty much sums up her entire range as an actress.
* [[Self-Titled Album]]: 1982's ''Pia'', 1985's ''Pia & Phil'', and 1989's ''Pia Z''.
* [[She's Got Legs]]:  Despite being only five feet tall.

{{actorroles}}
=== Film ===
* ''[[Santa Claus Conquers the Martians]]'' (1964), Girmar
* ''[[Butterfly (1982 film)|Butterfly]]'' (1982), Kady Tyler
* ''[[Fake-Out]]'' (AKA ''Nevada Heat'', 1982), Bobbie Warren
* ''[[The Lonely Lady]]'' (1983, [[Golden Raspberry Award]] winner for Worst Picture), Jerilee Randall
* ''[[Voyage of the Rock Aliens]]'' (1984), Dee Dee
* ''[[Feel the Motion]]'' (1985), herself
* ''[[Der Formel Eins]]'' (1985, German film), herself
* ''[[Hairspray]]'' (1988), Beatnik Chick
* ''[[Troop Beverly Hills]]'' (1989), herself
* ''[[The Naked Gun|Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult]]'' (1994), herself

== Television ==
* ''[[Pajama Tops]]'' (1983 [[TV Movie]]), Babette Latouche
* ''[[Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme]] (1990 [[TV Movie]]), Little Miss Muffet
* ''[[Favorite Deadly Sins]]'' (1995 [[TV Movie]]), herself
* ''[[Frasier]]'' (1999 episode "Dr. Nora"), Jill

{{Discography}}
* ''Pia'' (1982)
* ''Let's Dance Tonight'' (1984)
* ''Pia & Phil'' (1985)
* ''I Am What I Am'' (1986)
* ''When the Lights Go Out'' (1988)
* ''Pia Z'' (1989)
* ''Pia Today!'' (1989)
* ''Only for Romantics'' (1983, promo only)
* ''The Platinum Collection'' (1993)
* ''All Or Nothing At All'' (2020)

{{reflist}}
[[Category:Actors]]
[[Category:Pia Zadora]]
[[Category:Creator]]
[[Category:Musicians]]