Peter Foldy
Encyclopedia
| Name: | Peter Foldy |
| Born: | Budapest, Hungary |
| Occupations: | Singer-songwriter |
| Screenwriter, Producer, Director | |
| Years active: | 1973–present |
| Labels: | Kanata (1973–1975) |
| Capitol-EMI (1975–1977) | |
| Free Flight Records (1977–1981) | |
| Pacemaker (2003–present) |
Peter Foldy is a Hungarian born recording artist, film producer, director and screenwriter. He has been nominated for 2 Juno awards
Juno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
and has had multiple top 10 hits across Canada and the US, most notably with his first song "Bondi Junction" which reached number one in the Canadian charts. His 2000 film Silver Man received multiple award nominations including wins at both Planet Indie in Toronto, Canada and the Tambay Film Festival in Tampa Bay, Florida.
Early life
Peter Foldy was born in BudapestBudapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, Hungary but soon fled from the then Communist regime with his parents and sister. The family immigrated to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia where Foldy attended high school and worked as an actor in television commercials. During this time he also forged a friendship with three young brothers who would later find worldwide success as The Bee Gees
Bee Gees
The Bee Gees are a musical group that originally comprised three brothers: Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was successful for most of their 40-plus years of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and as a...
.
After a family move to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Foldy enrolled in film school at York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
, once again landing occasional work in Canadian TV commercials. He also formed a rock band that performed in various bars and lounges throughout the city.
Kanata Records
Foldy soon began writing songs and quickly landed a recording contract as an artist with a small indie label, Kanata Records. His first single, "Bondi Junction" was released in 1973 and the record eventually reached number one on RPM Magazine's Adult Contemporary Chart on July 7, 1973. Peter was also featured on the cover of RPM that same week. The record received two Juno Award nominations, including Canadian Pop Music Single of the Year, Peter was also awarded a 1973 BMI Canada Certificate of Honour" from BMI Canada for Bondi Junction which was a legitimate national hit across Canada.Peter was suddenly appearing on Canadian TV shows, on radio station charts and on the pages of music magazines, including the hugely popular US teen publication, "16 Magazine
16 magazine
16 Magazine was a fan magazine based out of New York City. It was the first magazine marketed to adolescents that focused exclusively on celebrities...
". Bondi Junction was also released in the US on Playboy Records
Playboy Records
Playboy Records was a record label in Los Angeles, California, and a unit of Playboy Enterprises. Artists recording for the label included Barbi Benton, Blue Ash, Bobby Taylor and the Vancouvers, Brenda Patterson, Jeanne French , Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds, Ivory, Wynn Stewart, Mickey Gilley...
, a label started by Hugh Hefner, where it penetrated the US market place. Cash Box reviewed the song as "a super commercial track that will immediately influence the teen set" and the record charted in Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
.
Capitol-EMI and Polydor
In 1975 Foldy was signed by Capitol-EMICapitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
of Canada alongside a deal with Polydor
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
in the US. His follow up recordings "Roxanne" and "Julie-Ann" also reached Top-10 status on many charts across Canada, as well as in the US.
In 1976 Peter again received a "BMI Canada Certificate of Honour" for "Roxanne" and once again made the cover of RPM Weekly on July 3, 1976 (volume 25 #14).
Free Flight Records
On the advice of his manager he left his deal with Capitol with the promise of bigger things in the United States which, unfortunately, failed to materialize. However, a pop label started by RCA RecordsRCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
in Los Angeles called Free Flight Records signed Foldy a couple of years later. The move to Los Angeles allowed Foldy to continue his musical momentum with the self-written singles, "Love City" and "School Of Love", songs he co-produced with legendary music producer, Tony Brown
Tony Brown (record producer)
Tony Brown is an American country music record producer.He was born in Greensboro, North Carolina.Brown played piano for Elvis Presley. He toured with the TCB Band for much of Presley's final two years and was a part of the 1976 "Jungle Room" recording sessions at Graceland...
.
Film
When Free Flight Records abruptly closed its doors in 1981, Foldy turned his attention back to film, quickly selling his first screenplay, Hot MovesHot Moves
Hot Moves is a 1985 comedy film by director Jim Sotos starring Michael Zorek, also known for his work in the 1983 film, Private School for Girls and Gene Wlder's The Woman in Red.-Synopsis:...
, which became a considerable theatrical and video hit in the mid-80's. In more recent pop culture the film has been dubbed as the possible inspiration for the 1999 Hollywood blockbuster American Pie
American Pie (film)
American Pie is a 1999 teen comedy film written by Adam Herz. American Pie was the directorial film debut of brothers Paul and Chris Weitz, and the first film in the American Pie film series...
.
More screenplays followed and in the early '90's Foldy started directing.
His feature film credits include:
- 1993 "Midnight Witness" starring Jan-Michael VincentJan-Michael VincentJan-Michael Vincent is an American actor best known for his role as helicopter pilot Stringfellow Hawke on the 1980s U.S. television series Airwolf .-Early life:...
and Maxwell CaulfieldMaxwell CaulfieldMaxwell Caulfield is a British film, stage, and television actor who is based in the United States, known for his roles as Michael Carrington in Grease 2 and as Miles Colby in The Colbys and its parent show Dynasty . He has more than 70 film, stage and television credits. He starred in Ronald F...
; - 1994 "Tryst" with Barbara CarreraBarbara CarreraBarbara Carrera is a Nicaraguan-born American film and television actress as well as a former model. She is best known for her roles as Bond girl Fatima Blush in Never Say Never Again and as Angelica Nero on the soap opera Dallas.-Early life:Barbara Kingsbury was born in San Carlos, Río San Juan,...
, David WarnerDavid Warner (actor)David Warner is an English actor who is known for playing both romantic leads and sinister or villainous characters, both in film and animation...
and Academy Award winner Louise FletcherLouise FletcherLouise Fletcher is an American actress best known for her role as Nurse Ratched in One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress, and as Kai Winn Adami in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. She also guest starred on the science fiction television series Heroes...
; - 1996 "Widow's Kiss" with former Foldy background singer, Beverly D'AngeloBeverly D'AngeloBeverly Heather D'Angelo is an American actress and singer.-Early life:D'Angelo was born in Columbus, Ohio, the daughter of Priscilla , a violinist, and Gene D'Angelo, a bass player and television station manager. She is of part Italian ancestry...
; - 1998 "Seeds Of Doubt" with Peter CoyotePeter CoyotePeter Coyote is an American actor, author, director, screenwriter and narrator of films, theatre, television and audio books. His voice work includes narrating the opening ceremony of the 2002 Winter Olympics and Apple's iPad campaign. He has also served as on-camera co-host of the 2000 Oscar...
. - 2000 "Silver Man" starring Eugene LevyEugene LevyEugene Levy, CM is a Canadian actor, comedian, television director, producer, musician, and writer. He is known for his work in Canadian television series, American movies, and television movies. He is the only actor to have appeared in all eight of the American Pie films, as Noah Levenstein...
, Joe PantolianoJoe PantolianoJoseph Peter "Joe" Pantoliano is an American film and television actor. He played the character of Ralph Cifaretto on The Sopranos, Bob Keane in La Bamba, Cypher in The Matrix, Teddy in Memento, Francis Fratelli in The Goonies, Guido "the Killer Pimp" in Risky Business, and Jennifer Tilly's...
His last feature film, "Silver Man", starred Eugene Levy, Joe Pantoliano, Louise Fletcher and Daniel Baldwin
Daniel Baldwin
Daniel Leroy Baldwin is an American actor, producer and director. He is the second oldest of the four Baldwin brothers, all of whom are actors. Daniel Baldwin is known for his role as Detective Beau Felton in the popular NBC TV series Homicide: Life on the Street...
. It was the winner of numerous awards including "Best Film" and "Best Director" at Planet Indie in Toronto, and the Jury Prize for "Best Feature" at the Tambay Film Festival in Tampa Bay, Florida.
Continued success
Foldy has since had his songs covered by various artists, among them disco diva Samantha SangSamantha Sang
Samantha Sang is a stage name of Australian singer, Cheryl Lau Sang, from Melbourne, who had an earlier career as Cheryl Gray. She had a number eight hit in Australia with "You Made Me What I Am" in 1967. By 1969, she had relocated to United Kingdom and worked with Bee Gees but then returned...
. Foldy also wrote and produced music with the late Dee Murray
Dee Murray
Dee Murray was an English bassist, best known as a member of Elton John's original rock band.-Biography:Murray was born David Murray Oates in Southgate, London in 1946...
, bass player for the Elton John band.
He was the co-producer of the hit US TV series entitled 'My First Time' which aired on Showtime.
A compilation CD entitled “Bondi Junction And Other Hits” was released in Canada through Pacemaker in 2007. It contains Foldy's past hits, some never released tracks as well as two brand new songs he recorded especially for the CD along with Blair Packham
Blair Packham
Blair Packham is a Canadian singer/songwriter. He was a guitar and lead vocalist for The Jitters in the 1980s and has released material as solo singer/songwriter since 2000. He has also written for numerous films and television programs and is a co-host for CFRB 1010's Rock Talk...
(Jitters).
Current projects
As of October, 2010, Foldy is currently recording 7 new tracks for an as yet untitled EP at Melrose Recorders in Los Angeles. Tracks are being co-produced alongside David Williams.He is also in early pre-production on several feature films due for production in 2011/2012.
An avid photographer, Foldy has exhibited his black and white photographs many of which can be found at: http://www.foldyphotos.com
Singles
| Year | Single | Record Company | Catalogue Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Bondi Junction/Alice Mary Jane MacPherson | Kanata/Quality | KAN-1015 |
| 1973 | I'll Never Know/Yes, Operator | Kanata/Quality | KAN-1019 |
| 1974 | When I Am So In Love/Remember | Kanata/Quality | KAN-1020 |
| 1974 | Christmas Eve With You/Spanky | Kanata/Quality | KAN-1022 |
| 1975 | Hollywood/Paris Bound | Capitol/EMI | 72755 |
| 1976 | Roxanne/Funny | Capitol/EMI | 72775 |
| 1977 | Julie Ann/Paris Bound | Capitol/EMI | 72783 |
| 1979 | Love City/Turn It Up | Free Flight/RCA - US | PB-11692 |
| 1982 | School Of Love/Love City | Rio | RIO-737 |
| 1982 | My Christmas Wish For You/[Instrumental] | Nightflite | 108 |
| 1988 | Desperately [duet w/Mona Lisa Young]/[Instrumental] | Filmstreet - US | FILM-002 |
| 1988 | Is There Love In Your Heart/Desperately | Southside | 8812 |
| 2003 | All I Want For Christmas Is You | Pacemaker | |
| 2009 | Change Your World [with Robert Gulya] | Pacemaker | PACE-082 |
Albums
| Year | Single | Record Company | Catalogue Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Peter Foldy | Kanata | KAN-12 |
| 2009 | Bondi Junction And Other Hits | Pacemaker/EMI |
Filmography
| Year | Title | Class | Position | Starring | Awards/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Hot Moves | Feature Film | Co-Writer/Associate Producer | Jill Schoelen | RIAA Gold Video Award |
| 1992 | Homeboys | Feature Film | Writer/Co-Producer | Todd Bridges | |
| 1992 | Jamie's Secret | Dramatic Short Subject | Writer/Director | Paul Rudd | Best Director/Best Film -ICVM Awards 1993 |
| Cine Golden Eagle Award Winner 1993 | |||||
| 1992 | Question of Ethics | Dramatic Short Subject | Writer/Director | Paul Rudd | Cine Golden Eagle Award Winner 1993 |
| 1993 | Desperate Measures | Dramatic Short Subject | Writer/Director | Best Youth Film - ICVM Awards | |
| Cine Golden Eagle Award Winner 1994 | |||||
| 1993 | Midnight Witness | Feature Film | Writer/Director/Producer | Maxwell Caulfield and Jan-Michael Vincent | |
| 1994 | Tryst | Feature Film | Writer/Director | Barbara Carrera, David Warner and Louise Fletcher | Aired on Showtime Network USA |
| 1995 | Widow's Kiss | Feature Film | Co-Wrier/Director | Starring Beverly D'Angelo | HBO World Premier 1995 |
| 1996 | US Customs Classified | Television | Segment Director | Aired on FOX | |
| 1996 | Seeds of Doubt | Feature Film | Director | Peter Coyote | |
| 1996 | Irresistible Impulse | Feature Film | Director | Doug Jeffrey and Kathy Shower | |
| 1997 | Oomba Makoomba | Television | Segment Director | Walt Disney Channel | |
| 1998 | Conversations in Limbo | Dramatic Short Subject | Director | Jason Priestley and Costas Mandylor | Toronto Short Film Festival Award Winner 1999 |
| 1999 | More to Love | Misc. | Music Supervisor | Maxwell Caulfield | Winner New York International Film Festival 2000 |
| 2000 | Silver Man | Feature Film | Director | Eugene Levy, Joey Pantoliano, Daniel Baldwin and Louise Fletcher | Winner Best Film, Best Director Planet Indie 2000 (Toronto) |
| Winner Jury Prize, Best Feature - Tambay Film Festival (Florida) | |||||
| 2003 | My First Time | Television | Co-Creator/Co-Producer | Reality series | |
| 2003 | Incredible Mrs. Ritchie | Feature Film | Associate Producer | Gena Rowlands and James Caan | Multiple Emmy Award Winner |
| 2006 | Out of Omaha | Misc. | Music Supervisor | Dave Foley and Lea Thompson | |
| 2007 | Head, Heart & Balls | Dramatic Short Subject | Writer/Director/Music | Adam Carolla | |
| 2010 | The Wheeler Boys | Feature Film | Co-Producer | Bill Campbell, Portia Doubleday and Alex Frost |