Ellen Foley

Last updated
Ellen Foley
Ellen Foley, 2014.JPG
Foley in 2014
Background information
Born1951 (age 72–73)
Origin St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Genres Rock
Occupations
  • Singer
  • actress
InstrumentVocals
Years active1977–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]

Contents

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 Night Out was released in 1979; the album's single "What's a Matter Baby" reached No. 7 in the Dutch charts and No. 92 on the US charts.[ citation needed ] The single "We Belong to the Night" reached No.1 in the Netherlands. [10] The album, which peaked at No. 152, was produced by Ian Hunter and Mick Ronson. Foley recorded a duet with Ian Hunter in 1980, "We Gotta Get Outta Here". Her creative relationship with Hunter led her to singing backing vocals on the Iron City Houserockers' 1980 album Have a Good Time but Get Out Alive! , produced by Hunter, Ronson, and The E Street Band's Steven Van Zandt. [11]

She also sings in the title cut of the 1979 Blue Öyster Cult album Mirrors and on The Clash album Sandinista! (released in 1980) in the songs "Hitsville UK" and "Corner Soul", and on the unreleased track "Blonde Rock 'n' Roll".[ citation needed ] In 1981, all four members of The Clash appeared on her album The Spirit of St. Louis, and Mick Jones and Joe Strummer co-wrote a number of songs for the album. [12] Jones produced the album, which featured members of The Blockheads and peaked at No. 137 on the US charts. [12] In 1982, she provided backing vocals on The Clash's song "Car Jamming" from the album Combat Rock . [13] The Clash's hit song "Should I Stay or Should I Go", written and sung by Jones, was about the turbulent relationship he shared with Foley at the time. [6] [14]

She released her third solo album Another Breath in 1983; it failed to chart. [15] In 1984, she sang backing vocals on Joe Jackson's album Body & Soul and had a large role in the music video for Utopia's "Crybaby".

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 HB Studio [18] in New York City. She has appeared on Broadway in such shows as Me and My Girl and the revival of Hair , and off-Broadway in Beehive . [1] Foley originated the role of The Witch in Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods at the Old Globe Theater in San Diego, [1] but was replaced by Bernadette Peters before the musical opened on Broadway. [19] Foley eventually played the role on Broadway from August 1, 1989 until the show's closing on September 3, 1989. [19]

Her best known television acting role is that of Billie Young on Night Court for season two (1984–85), [1] after which she was succeeded by Markie Post as Christine Sullivan, who had been Reinhold Weege's first choice for the public defender part, but Post had been unavailable while under contract on the television series The Fall Guy on ABC. [20] Foley was reportedly[ weasel words ] let go from the series because producers felt her relationship with star Harry Anderson was more like that of a brother and sister than as potential paramours. [21] She had roles in Miloš Forman's film adaptation of the stage musical Hair (1979), as well as in the movies Fatal Attraction (1987), Married to the Mob (1988) and Cocktail (1988). Foley was in the short-lived 1977 series 3 Girls 3 , co-starring with Debbie Allen and Mimi Kennedy. [1]

Other pursuits

In the mid-2000s, she taught 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] They have two children, Henry and Timothy. [23]

Performances

Stage appearances
YearTitleRoleTheatre
1977 Hair SheilaBiltmore Theatre, New
1983Eve Is InnocentKim DolphinActors and Directors Theatre, New York City
1986 Into the Woods The WitchOld Globe Theatre, San Diego, California
1987Beautiful BodiesLisbethWhole Theatre Company, Montclair, New Jersey
1988Me and My GirlSallyMarquis Theatre, New York City
1989 Into the Woods The WitchMartin Beck Theater, New York City
Film
YearFilmRoleNotes
1979 Hair Black Boys SingerDirected by Miloš Forman
1982 Tootsie JacquiDirected by Sydney Pollack
The King of Comedy Street ScumDirected by Martin Scorsese
1987 Fatal Attraction HildyDirected by Adrian Lyne
1988 Cocktail EleanorDirected by Roger Donaldson
Married to the Mob TheresaDirected by Jonathan Demme
2015Lies I Told My Little SisterLaura LucienDirected by William J. Stribling
2016 No Pay, Nudity Tani MarshallDirected by Lee Wilkof
Television
YearTitleRoleNotes
1977 3 Girls 3 SelfRegular
1980 The Kenny Everett Video Show SelfPerforming "Stupid Girl"
1984–1985 Night Court Billie YoungRegular on Season 2
1987 Spenser: For Hire RuthEpisode: "Consilum Abditum"
1992–1993 Ghostwriter Principal Kelly4 episodes
2000 Law & Order Annette TobinEpisode: "Black, White and Blue"
2011 Body of Proof Evelyn BryanEpisode: "Second Chances"

Discography

Studio albums

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

Singles

With Pandora's Box

Guest appearances

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meat Loaf</span> American singer and actor (1947–2022)

Michael Lee Aday, better known by his stage name Meat Loaf, was an American singer and actor. He was known for his powerful, wide-ranging voice and theatrical live shows. His Bat Out of Hell album trilogy—Bat Out of Hell (1977), Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell (1993), and Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose (2006)—has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. The first album stayed on the charts for over nine years and is one of the best-selling albums in history, still selling an estimated 200,000 copies annually as of 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Steinman</span> American composer, lyricist and record producer (1947–2021)

James Richard Steinman was an American composer, lyricist and record producer. He also worked as an arranger, pianist, and singer. His work included songs in the adult contemporary, rock, dance, pop, musical theater, and film score genres. He wrote songs for Bonnie Tyler and Meat Loaf, including Bat Out of Hell, and also wrote and produced Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell and Tyler's Faster Than the Speed of Night.

<i>Bat Out of Hell</i> 1977 studio album by Meat Loaf

Bat Out of Hell is the debut studio album by American rock singer Meat Loaf and composer Jim Steinman. The album was developed from the musical Neverland. Neverland is a futuristic rock version of Peter Pan which Steinman wrote for a workshop in 1974. It was recorded during 1975–1976 at various studios, including Bearsville Studios in Woodstock, New York. The album was produced by Todd Rundgren, and released in October 1977 by Cleveland International/Epic Records. Bat Out of Hell spawned two Meat Loaf sequel albums: Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell (1993) and Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose (2006).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paradise by the Dashboard Light</span> 1977 single by Meat Loaf and Ellen Foley

"Paradise by the Dashboard Light" is a song written by Jim Steinman. It was released in 1977 on the album Bat Out of Hell, with vocals by American musicians Meat Loaf and Ellen Foley. An uncommonly long song for a single, it has become a staple of classic rock radio and has been described as the "greatest rock duet".

<i>Bad for Good</i> 1981 studio album by Jim Steinman

Bad for Good is the only studio album by American songwriter Jim Steinman. Steinman wrote all of the songs and performed on most, although Rory Dodd contributed lead vocals on some tracks.

<i>Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell</i> 1993 studio album by Meat Loaf

Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell is the sixth studio album by American rock singer Meat Loaf and the second one in the Bat Out of Hell trilogy, which was written and produced by Jim Steinman. It was released on September 14, 1993, sixteen years after Meat Loaf's first solo album Bat Out of Hell. The album reached number 1 in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada. Three tracks were released as singles, including "I'd Do Anything for Love ", which reached number 1 in 28 countries.

Rory Dodd is a Canadian rock vocalist who has performed many songs written by Jim Steinman. He is probably best known for singing as the duet voice on Bonnie Tyler's version of "Total Eclipse of the Heart", a number 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

<i>Live at Wembley</i> (Meat Loaf album) 1987 live album by Meat Loaf

Live at Wembley is a 1987 live album by Meat Loaf. It was recorded live at Wembley Arena in London March 1–2, 1987. Meat Loaf's brother-in-law Tom Edmonds co-produced and mixed the album, which featured arrangements by Meat Loaf, Steve Buslowe, and Bob Kulick. The touring continued mainly as a ploy to keep Meat Loaf in the public eye and out of bankruptcy.

<i>Bat Out of Hell: Live with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra</i>

Bat out of Hell: Live with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is a live album released by singer Meat Loaf in 2004 on the Mercury and Sanctuary labels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karla DeVito</span> American singer and actress (born 1953)

Karla DeVito is an American singer and actress.

<i>Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose</i> 2006 studio album by Meat Loaf

Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose is the ninth studio album by Meat Loaf, and the third and final album in the Bat Out of Hell trilogy. It was released in Ireland on October 20, 2006, 29 years after Bat Out of Hell (1977), and 13 years after Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell (1993). It was released in the UK on October 23, 2006, and in the US on October 31, 2006.

<i>Hits Out of Hell</i>

Hits Out of Hell is a 1985 compilation album by Meat Loaf. It comprises seven Jim Steinman songs. The original release also contained the hit "Modern Girl" from Bad Attitude, which came out at about the same time.

<i>VH1: Storytellers</i> (Meat Loaf album) 1999 live album by Meat Loaf

VH1: Storytellers is a live album by Meat Loaf, released in 1999. Meat Loaf told humorous stories of his career as a singer and how he unfolded into rock stardom. The DVD version has two additional songs. Some songs on the CD are taken from Meat Loaf's Hard Rock Live performance. Others were taken from the pre-show soundcheck. The album peaked at No. 129 on the Billboard 200, making it his lowest charting album in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bat Out of Hell (song)</span> 1979 single by Meat Loaf

"Bat Out of Hell" is a song written by Jim Steinman for the 1977 album Bat Out of Hell and performed by Meat Loaf. In Australia, the song was picked as the second single from the album in May 1978, accompanied by a music video. In January 1979, the song was released as a single in the UK and other European countries, and re-released in 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Objects in the Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are</span> 1993 song by Meat Loaf

"Objects in the Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are" is a song composed and written by Jim Steinman, and recorded by Meat Loaf. The song was released in 1994 as the third single from the album Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell and it reached number 38 on US's Billboard Hot 100, and number 26 in the UK Top 40. With its chart success, this song became the hit with the longest un-bracketed title at fifty-two characters as of 2007. The title is derived from the safety warning on car side mirrors in the US, "Objects in mirror are closer than they appear".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth</span> 1977 single by Meat Loaf

"You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth" (also known as "You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)") is the first solo single by the American singer Meat Loaf, released in 1977. It is a track from his album Bat Out of Hell, written by Jim Steinman.

<i>3 Bats Live</i> 2007 video by Meat Loaf

3 Bats Live is a music DVD by rock singer Meat Loaf. Recorded on March 18, 2007 at London, Ontario during his "Seize the Night" tour, it mainly features songs from the Bat Out of Hell trilogy. The DVD was released in the UK on October 15, 2007, and in the UK on November 20, 2007.

<i>Night Out</i> (album) 1979 studio album by Ellen Foley

Night Out is the 1979 debut studio album by Ellen Foley, a long-time backup vocalist for Meat Loaf. Seven of the nine tracks were cover versions of Foley's favorite songs, while two were co-written by Foley, one of which was "We Belong to the Night", which hit #1 in the Netherlands and #31 in Australia around Christmas of 1979. The musicians were mostly from Ian Hunter's touring band for his 1979 album You're Never Alone with a Schizophrenic, with the addition of Australian musician Kerryn Tolhurst on slide guitar.

<i>Braver Than We Are</i> 2016 studio album by Meat Loaf

Braver Than We Are is the twelfth and final studio album by American singer Meat Loaf, released in Europe on September 9, 2016, by Caroline International S&D and released in the United States on September 16, 2016 by 429 Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Should I Stay or Should I Go</span> 1982 single by The Clash

"Should I Stay or Should I Go" is a song by the English punk rock band the Clash from their fifth studio album Combat Rock, written in 1981 and featuring Mick Jones on lead vocals. It was released in 1982 as a double A-sided single alongside "Straight to Hell", performing modestly on global music charts. In the United States, "Should I Stay or Should I Go" charted on the Billboard Hot 100 without reaching the top 40. The song received greater attention nearly a decade later as the result of an early-1990s Levi's jeans commercial, leading to the song's 1991 re-release, which topped the UK Singles Chart and reached the top 10 in New Zealand and many European charts. The song was listed in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2004.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Ellen Foley Biography (1951-)". FilmReference.com. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
  2. ↑ "RIAA Database, Bat Out of Hell". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  3. ↑ Ruhlmann, William. "Ellen Foley > Overview". AllMusic.com. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
  4. 1 2 "School Staff". School of Rock (company). Archived from the original on March 29, 2010. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
  5. 1 2 "Douglas Bernstein Weds Ellen Foley, Fellow Actor". The New York Times. 1990-04-30. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2015-12-02.
  6. 1 2 "The Uncut Crap - Over 56 Things You Never Knew About The Clash". NME. 3. London: IPC Magazines. March 16, 1991. ISSN   0028-6362. 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
  7. ↑ 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.
  8. ↑ Gordon, Jeremy (2022-01-22). "How Meat Loaf Made a Cult Favorite: 'Paradise by the Dashboard Light'". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2022-01-23.
  9. ↑ Murray, Richard. "It's all coming back to me now". Rick's World. Retrieved February 27, 2010– via heyrick.co.uk.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 Stone, Doug. "Night Out > Overview". AllMusic.com. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
  11. ↑ "Biography". IanHunter.com. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
  12. 1 2 "Spirit of St. Louis > Overview". AllMusic.com. Retrieved May 28, 2009.
  13. ↑ Gray, Marcus (2004). The Clash: Return of the Last Gang in Town. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 382. ISBN   9780634082405.
  14. ↑ "The Clash: Biography". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on May 19, 2009. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
  15. 1 2 "Another Breath > Overview". AllMusic.com. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
  16. ↑ "UK Top 40 Chart Archive, British Singles & Album Charts". EveryHit.co.uk.
  17. ↑ "Celine Dion - Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 2015-12-02.
  18. ↑ "Notable Alumni". HB Studio.
  19. 1 2 "'Into the Woods', 1986 Old Globe Production and 1987 Broadway Production", SondheimgGide.com, accessed August 2, 2012.
  20. ↑ "Markie Post Interview: Part 2". North Hollywood Toluca Lake Patch. 2011-01-20. Retrieved 2011-04-06.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  21. ↑ "[unknown]". TV Guide. August 8–15, 1985.{{cite magazine}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
  22. ↑ "Douglas Bernstein Weds Ellen Foley, Fellow Actor". The New York Times. April 30, 1990.(subscription required)
  23. ↑ {{url=https://search.app?link=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.yahoo.com%2Ftopics%2Fellen-foley%2F&utm_campaign=aga&utm_source=agsadl2%2Csh%2Fx%2Fgs%2Fm2%2F4}}
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.