Pia Zadora

Andy Warhol and Pia Zadora during a photoshoot at the Factory for her silkscreen portrait, 1983.

Voyage of the Rock Aliens (1984)

Director John Waters, Pia Zadora, Ric Ocasek on the set of Hairspray (1988) from Everett Collection Inc. Credit the source if reposting.

Hairspray (1988) by John Walters with Ricki Lake, Divine, Debbie Harry, Colleen Fitzpatrick, Sonny Bono, Pia Zadora

Born on this day 70 years ago: actress, singer, sex kitten, perennial starlet, queen of terrible, terrible movies (like Santa Claus Conquers the Martians and Voyage of the Rock Aliens) and beloved kitsch icon turned credible and resilient jazz chanteuse - Pia Zadora (née Pia Alfreda Schipani, 4 May 1953)! For John Waters aficionados, Zadora will always be “Beatnik Girl” in Hairspray (1988): “I play my bongos, listen to Odetta, and then I iron my hair. Dig?” Every time I attend the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekender I endeavor to make a religious pilgrimage to see Pia’s one-woman cabaret revue in an Italian restaurant called Piero's, where she sings jazz standards in front of a giant Warhol portrait of herself. In April 2019, my friend Kevin and I even got to hang out with her, and she was an adorable, down to earth blast! Pictured: Zadora (wearing Bob Mackie!) in the 1980s.

Pia Zadora

1983

Pia Zadora

Andy Warhol posing with his portraits of Pia Zadora at the Factory, 1983.

Photos by Harry Benson

VOYAGE OF THE ROCK ALIENS 1984 | dir. James Fargo

Pia Zadora

And when the rain begins to fall

I'll be the sunshine in your life

You know that we can have it all

And everything will be alright