Exhibits: Irish American Hall of History

Eddie Foy, Seven Little Foys

1854 - 1928

Vaudeville, Song & Dance

Eddie Foy was born as Edward Fitzgerald to a tailor from Dublin, Ireland in New York's Greenwich Village. From an early age he danced, sang and performed acrobatics in saloons to help with the family's finances. In 1870 he started an act with another Irish American Jack Finnegan called Edwards and Foy. Eventually Foy ended up in circus and minstrel shows throughout the west were he was known as a "Western variety artist." From 1888-1894 he appeared in productions of fantasies such as Cinderella and Ali Baba where he was very successful. Still greater fame came in 1901 on Broadway thanks to his mimicry, pantomime clowning, and eccentric dancing in The Strollers. In 1910 Foy made his first appearance with his children, the Seven Little Foys. They performed for about ten years together before they split up. Eddie Foy Jr. went on to his own success on Broadway and in film. Eddie Foy was portrayed by Bob Hope in the 1955 film The Seven Little Foys.

External Links

• Eddie Foy - Wikipedia
• The Seven Little Foys - Movie Review from The New York Times