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NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. - Eddie Foy Park has been a New Rochelle institution for years, but before that was home to a famous vaudeville and acting family.
The Foys were a very well-known troupe known around the world as "Eddie Foy and The Seven Little Foys". They toured the world from 1910-1923 and even made a movie. Years later a movie of their lives came out, starring among others Bob Hope.
William Pieretti fondly remembers seeing Eddie Foy in person as a youngster living in the Bronx.
"We went to see vaudeville," said Pieretti. "It was like out of this world. The guy has to be the best."
Pieretti especially enjoyed the entire Foy family including the seven little Foys in - Eddie Foy, Jr. Bryan Foy, Charley Foy, Irving Foy, Madeline Foy, Mary Foy, and Richard Foy.
After the family troupe stopped performing en masse, Madeline, Mary, Charlie and Irving kept up performances together until the middle of 1930. Foy Sr. continued to appear in vaudeville appearing in "The FallenStar" in 1927.He died of a heart attack performing in Kansas City, Mo.
The family's story was made into a movie in 1955. In 2007 a musical about them opened at the Seven Angels Theater in Waterbury, CT., and rolled into New York City in 2008 as part of New York International Fringe Festival.
The entire Foy clan except for Bryan is buried at New Rochelle's Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.
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