Eddie Foy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eddie Foy
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Foy in 1912
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| Born |
Edwin Fitzgerald
March 9, 1856 |
| Died | February 16, 1928 (aged 71) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Children | Bryan Foy 1896–1977 Charley Foy 1898–1984 Mary Foy 1901–1987 Madeline Foy 1903–1988 Eddie Foy Jr. 1905–1983 Richard Foy 1899–1947 Irving Foy 1908–2003 |
Edwin Fitzgerald (born March 9, 1856 – died February 16, 1928), known as Eddie Foy or Eddie Foy Sr., was a famous American actor, comedian, and dancer. He was especially known for his performances in vaudeville, a popular type of entertainment with many different acts like singing, dancing, and comedy.
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Eddie Foy's Early Life
Eddie Foy's parents, Richard and Mary Fitzgerald, came to the United States from Ireland in 1855. They first lived in New York City, where Eddie was born. When Eddie was six years old, his father passed away. His mother then moved the family, including Eddie and his three siblings, to Chicago.
To help his family, young Eddie started performing on the streets and in local places. When he was 15, he began using the stage name Foy. He teamed up with a partner and danced in bars, traveling across the western United States. He also worked as an extra in plays, sometimes sharing the stage with famous actors like Edwin Booth.
Later, with another partner named Jim Thompson, Foy traveled west again. He became well-known in mining towns and "cow towns" like Dodge City, Kansas. There, he met famous lawmen like Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson, and also Doc Holliday. Foy was also rumored to have been in Tombstone, Arizona, in October 1881, performing when the famous Gunfight at the O.K. Corral happened.
In 1879, Foy married Rose Howland, who was a singer. Sadly, Rose died a few years later during childbirth. Foy then moved to Philadelphia and joined a minstrel show. In 1882, he met Lola Sefton and they had a daughter named Catherine. Catherine was raised by Foy's sister.
Becoming a Star in Chicago
In 1888, Eddie Foy returned to Chicago. He became a star comedian in various shows. In 1889, he had a huge success as the main actor in the musical Blue Beard, Jr.. This show started in Chicago and then toured all over the country, even reaching Broadway in New York City. For many years, he also performed his song and dance acts in different variety shows.
In 1896, Foy married his third wife, Madeline Morando, who was a dancer in his company. They had eleven children together, and seven of them lived to adulthood. These children were Bryan, Charley, Mary, Madeline, Eddie Jr., Richard, and Irving. Eddie Jr.'s son, Eddie III, later became a casting director in Hollywood.
Between 1901 and 1912, Foy played the main funny roles in many musical comedies in New York City and on tour. Some of these shows included The Strollers (1901), The Wild Rose (1902), and The Earl and the Girl (1905).
One very important event happened while he was on tour with the show Mr. Bluebeard. On December 30, 1903, he was performing in Chicago when the terrible Iroquois Theatre fire broke out. A spotlight caused the scenery backstage to catch fire. Eddie Foy stayed on stage until the very last moment, trying to keep the audience from panicking. He wanted to help them stay calm as burning pieces fell around him.
The theater's safety features were not good, and many exits were locked. Sadly, at least 600 people died in the fire. Survivors later praised Foy for his bravery. He managed to escape the burning building by crawling through a sewer.
Eddie Foy and The Seven Little Foys
Between 1910 and 1913, Eddie Foy started a new act with his children called "Eddie Foy and The Seven Little Foys." This family vaudeville act quickly became very popular across the country. Even though Foy was strict backstage, he acted like a loving father on stage. The Foys toured successfully for more than ten years and even appeared in one movie.
His wife Madeline passed away in 1918. After Foy married Marie Reilly Coombs in 1923, the children started to go their own ways. However, four of the younger children (Charley, Mary, Madeline, and Irving) continued to perform together until the mid-1930s.
Eddie Foy continued to perform in vaudeville shows. He also starred in a successful Broadway comedy called The Fallen Star in 1927.
In 1928, six of the seven children reunited for a short film called "Chips of the Old Block." They performed parts of their song-and-dance act. Bryan Foy directed the film. The film showed the girls singing and dancing, and the boys doing comedy and dance routines.
After the "Seven Little Foys" stopped performing together, they each followed their own careers. Eddie Foy Jr. became a successful actor in plays and movies. Bryan Foy wrote music for shows and directed films in Hollywood. Richard continued to run a theater business. Irving wrote and managed movie theaters. Charley and Mary ran a supper club where many famous comedians started their careers.
The story of the Foy family was made into a movie in 1955 called The Seven Little Foys. In the movie, Bob Hope played Eddie Foy. Eddie Foy Jr. also played his father in several other films, including Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942).
Death
Eddie Foy passed away from a heart attack on February 16, 1928, in Kansas City, Missouri. He was 71 years old. Most of his children are buried with him at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in New Rochelle, New York.
See also
- Iroquois Theater Fire
- Academy of Music/Riviera Theatre
