Volume III: Biographies

FOY, Eddie Jr. *

Actor (1912-1914)

Thanhouser Career Synopsis: Eddie Foy, Jr. was a juvenile actor at the Thanhouser studio circa 1912-1914.

Biographical Notes: Eddie Foy, Jr., the son of Eddie Foy (Edward Fitzgerald, 1854-1928) and Madeline Morondo, was born in New Rochelle, New York on February 4, 1905. He became famous in vaudeville as a member of "The Seven Little Foys," a group which included his parents and his siblings, Bryan, Charlie, Mary, Richard, Madeline, and Irving. The Foy family lived in their home, The Foyer, on the Boston Post Road in New Rochelle. The troupe originated when the familys parish priest suggested to Papa Foy that his family should put on a fund-raising performance. The kids were a great hit, and the rest is history.

Eddie, Jr. was seen in many stage performances, including the Broadway musical, The Pajama Game, and in many films, including Queen of the Night Clubs, Lillian Russell, Yankee Doodle Dandy, Wilson, and Bells are Ringing. Eddie, Jr. as a youngster appeared in one or more Thanhouser films, but was not featured in publicity.

An article in The New Rochelle Pioneer, August 8, 1914, quoted Eddie Foy, Sr., on the subject of one of his children: "There is Edward Foy, aged 7, who has the mimetic temperament to speak after the fashion of the highbrow. He thinks that he can do imitations, and night and day he growls like a dog, mews like a cat, caws like a crow, drones like a buzzsaw, grunts like a pig, and even imitates his poor old dad. Imagine having a kid who never lets up doing The Harry Gilfoil. In the dead of night I have been awakened by Edward practicing the blatting of a hungry calf."

On June 6, 1933, Eddie, Jr. married Anna Marie McKenney, an actress. The ceremony took place at the Municipal Court, 30 West 35th Street, New York City. Eddie, Jr. died from cancer, at the Motion Picture Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California on July 15, 1983. Services were held at St. Cyrils Roman Catholic Church in Encino, California. Interment was in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, New Rochelle. He was survived by his son, Eddie Foy III, sisters Madeline and Mary, and brothers Irving and Charles. His wife had died earlier, in 1952.

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