Ellen Foley
Ellen Foley | |
---|---|
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. | |
Genres | Rock |
Occupation(s) | Singer, actress |
Instrument(s) | Vocals |
Years active | 1977–present |
Labels | Epic |
Ellen Foley (born 1951)[1] is an American singer and actress who has appeared on Broadway and television, where she co-starred in the hit NBC sitcom Night Court during its second season. In music, she has released five solo albums, but she is best known for her collaborations with rock singer Meat Loaf, particularly the 14× Platinum selling 1977 album Bat Out of Hell.[2][3][1][4]
Early life and education
Foley was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the daughter of John and Virginia B. Foley.[5] She attended Webster University.[5]
Career
Vocalist
Foley gained public recognition through singing a duet with Meat Loaf on the hit single "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" from the 1977 album Bat Out of Hell.[6][7] Foley's part was recorded individually and in one take with Meat Loaf present in the room so she could sing in character.[8] Although Karla DeVito (who toured with Meat Loaf in support of the album) is featured in the music video, DeVito is lip synching to Foley's vocals.[9]
Her debut album
She also sings in the title cut of the 1979
She released her third solo album Another Breath in 1983; it failed to chart.
Foley was one of four female vocalists to front the group Pandora's Box, formed by Jim Steinman in the late 1980s. Their album Original Sin, released in 1989, was the first to feature the song "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" (vocals by Elaine Caswell); both Celine Dion and a duet between Meat Loaf and Marion Raven had separate chart successes with that song in some countries, years later.[16][17]
Broadway, film and television
Foley studied acting at
Her best known television acting role is that of Billie Young on
Other pursuits
As of the mid-2000s, she teaches voice at the School of Rock (founded by Paul Green) in Manhattan.[4]
Personal life
In 1990, Foley married writer Doug Bernstein, co-author of the Off-Broadway revue Showing Off.[22]
Performances
Stage appearances | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Title | Role | Theatre |
1977 | Hair | Sheila | Biltmore Theatre, New |
1983 | Eve Is Innocent | Kim Dolphin | Actors and Directors Theatre, New York City |
1986 | Into the Woods | The Witch | Old Globe Theatre, San Diego, California |
1987 | Beautiful Bodies | Lisbeth | Whole Theatre Company, Montclair, New Jersey |
1988 | Me and My Girl | Sally | Marquis Theatre, New York City |
1989 | Into the Woods | The Witch | Martin Beck Theater, New York City |
Film | |||
Year | Film | Role | Notes |
1979 | Hair | Black Boys Singer | Directed by Miloš Forman |
1982 | Tootsie | Jacqui | Directed by Sydney Pollack |
The King of Comedy | Street Scum | Directed by Martin Scorsese | |
1987 | Fatal Attraction | Hildy | Directed by Adrian Lyne |
1988 | Cocktail | Eleanor | Directed by Roger Donaldson |
Married to the Mob | Theresa | Directed by Jonathan Demme | |
2015 | Lies I Told My Little Sister | Laura Lucien | Directed by William J. Stribling |
2016 | No Pay, Nudity | Tani Marshall | Directed by Lee Wilkof |
Television | |||
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
1977 | 3 Girls 3 | Self | Regular |
1980 | The Kenny Everett Video Show | Self | Performing "Stupid Girl" |
1984–1985 | Night Court | Billie Young | Regular on Season 2 |
1987 | Spenser: For Hire | Ruth | Episode: "Consilum Abditum" |
1992–1993 | Ghostwriter | Principal Kelley | 4 episodes |
2000 | Law & Order | Annette Tobin | Episode: "Black, White and Blue" |
2011 | Body of Proof | Evelyn Bryan | Episode: "Second Chances" |
Discography
Studio albums
- Night Out (1979) Epic[10] - [NL #1; UK #68; AU #13; CAN #71]
- Spirit of St. Louis (1981) Epic[10] - [NL #35; UK #57; AU #61]
- Another Breath (1983) Epic[10]
- About Time (2013)
- Fighting Words ( 2021 )
Note: all of these were issued by Epic[10] within the U.S. on vinyl LP. They have been reissued on compact disc by Wounded Bird Records.[15]
Compilations
- The Very Best of (1992)
Singles
- "We Belong to the Night"/"Young Lust" (1979) - [AU #15; NL #1; South Africa #7]
- "What's a Matter Baby"/"Hideaway" (1979) [NL #7; US #92]
- "Sad Song"/"Stupid Girl" (1980)
- "Stupid Girl"/"Young Lust" (1980)
- "The Shuttered Palace"/"Beautiful Waste of Time" (1981) - [AU #48]
- "Torchlight"/"Game of a Man" (1981)
- "Torchlight"/"Le palais" (1981)
- "Boys in the Attic"/"Beat of a Broken Heart" (1983)
- "Nightline (Single Version)"/"Beat of a Broken Heart (1983)
- "Nightline (Dance Mix - Long Version)"/"Nightline (Dance Mix - Short Version)" "Nightline (Dub)" [12" Maxi-Single]
- "Heaven Can Wait" (2015)
With Pandora's Box
- Original Sin (1989)
Guest appearances
- "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" (1977) (from Bat Out of Hell by Meat Loaf)
- "Mirrors" (1979) (from Mirrors by Blue Öyster Cult)
- "Hitsville U.K.", "Corner Soul", "Washington Bullets" and "Blonde Rock 'n' Roll" (1980) (from Sandinista! by The Clash)
- "We Gotta Get Out of Here" (1980) (from Welcome to the Club by Ian Hunter)
- "Junior's Bar" (1980) (from Have a Good Time but Get Out Alive! by Iron City Houserockers)
- "Car Jamming" (1982) (from Combat Rock by The Clash)
- Body and Soul (1984) (by Joe Jackson)
References
- ^ a b c d e f "Ellen Foley Biography (1951-)". FillmReference.com. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
- ^ "RIAA Database, Bat Out of Hell". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
- ^ Ruhlmann, William. "Ellen Foley > Overview". AllMusic.com. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
- ^ a b "School Staff". School of Rock (company). Archived from the original on March 29, 2010. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
- ^ ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2015-12-02.
- ^ OCLC 4213418.
'Should I Stay or Should I Go' was written by Mick about American singer Ellen Foley, who sang the backing vocals on Meatloaf's Bat Out Of Hell LP
- ^ Peterson, Tami. "The Uncut Crap - Over 56 Things You Never Knew About The Clash - NME March 16, 1991". LondonsBurning.org. Archived from the original on July 17, 2012. Retrieved December 11, 2007.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-01-23.
- ^ Murray, Richard. "It's all coming back to me now". Rick's World. Retrieved February 27, 2010 – via heyrick.co.uk.
- ^ a b c d e Stone, Doug. "Night Out > Overview". AllMusic.com. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
- ^ "Biography". IanHunter.com. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
- ^ a b "Spirit of St. Louis > Overview". AllMusic.com. Retrieved May 28, 2009.
- ISBN 9780634082405.
- ^ "The Clash: Biography". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on May 19, 2009. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
- ^ a b "Another Breath > Overview". AllMusic.com. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
- ^ "UK Top 40 Chart Archive, British Singles & Album Charts". EveryHit.co.uk.
- ^ "Celine Dion - Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 2015-12-02.
- ^ "Notable Alumni". HB Studio.
- ^ a b "'Into the Woods', 1986 Old Globe Production and 1987 Broadway Production", SondheimgGide.com, accessed August 2, 2012.
- ^ "Markie Post Interview: Part 2". North Hollywood Toluca Lake Patch. 2011-01-20. Retrieved 2011-04-06.
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires|journal=
(help) - ^ "[unknown]". TV Guide. August 8–15, 1985.
{{cite magazine}}
: Cite uses generic title (help) - ^ "Douglas Bernstein Weds Ellen Foley, Fellow Actor". The New York Times. April 30, 1990.(subscription required)
External links
- The Ellen Foley Webzine
- Ellen Foley at IMDb
- Ellen Foley at the Internet Broadway Database
- Information page and discography
- Ellen Foley discography at Discogs