This interview was done in 1983, following the release of her movie "The Lonely Lady." The thrice-married, resilient Zadora has continued to perform, becoming a popular Las Vegas cabaret attraction.

Pia Zadora is about to promenade through the door to greet you.

What do you anticipate? Your mental picture of her conforms to tabloid headlines, doesn't it? She'll be a tacky sexpot with the reasoning power of a shelled pistachio. Right? Wrong.

The Pia who enters the press luncheon at San Francisco's Fairmont Hotel to promote her new film," The Lonely Lady," is a delightful surprise package. She's bright, direct and self-assured, notably lacking in pretensions or delusions about herself. There's a softness to her appearance that makes her more attractive in person than on the screen.

The diamond jewelry decorating the petite performer -- heart-shaped earrings and an initial pendant -- doesn't seem too showy, though its dollar value probably approaches that of the national defense budget.

Zadora's struggle for fame started when she was seven years old. The nuns at the Catholic school she attended suggested acting as therapy for her severe introversion.

Little Pia took children's classes at the American Academy of Dramatic Art and soon hit Broadway. Her first play starred the legendary Talullah Bankhead.

"She was one of my strongest influences," Zadora said. "She asked me how long I'd been in show business. I looked at my brand new Mickey Mouse watch and said, 'exactly 20 minutes.' From then on, I was her pet. She took a lot of flak for doing whatever she wanted -- wild things. She was very independent."

Zadora took singing and dancing lessons. "I loved performing. It was a release, an escape. On stage, I seemed to find my calling."

When a producer insisted that her family name of Schipani was too difficult to pronounce, Pia adopted her mother's maiden name -- Zadora.

She continued piling up credits in the theatre and television and reached the turning point in her life while appearing in "Applause" with Alexis Smith.

"That's when I met my husband, Rick Riklis. He saw the play and became a stage door Johnny. I gave him the cold shoulder at first. I was 17 and he was 47. We had a four-year courtship. He chased me and chased me till I finally caught him. I was always mature. I had trouble relating to boys my own age. Being in the theatre, I grew up around adults.

"When you're a child in show business, rejection is a big part of your life. I needed strength and stability. I was attracted to Rick's maturity, power and confidence. Who knows? Maybe I have a father complex. Our relationship started with respect and love developed and grew."

The support the fabulously wealthy Riklis has given her over the course of their 10-year marriage has been more than financial. "He cooks, cleans, irons and rinses my lingerie. He's very secure. He doesn't mind being called 'Mr. Zadora.'"

Ms. Zadora, who won a controversial Golden Globe award for her appearance in "Butterfly," isn't expecting critical acclaim for "The Lonely Lady," an adaptation of the popular Harold Robbins novel.

"It's trashy. I don't mean that in a derogatory sense. It's trashy as opposed to artistic. I mean, Robbins isn't Shakespeare.

"This isn't 'Kramer Vs. Kramer.' It's like a feature soap. If you like 'Dynasty,' you'll like 'Lonely Lady.' In the Midwest, they'll take it seriously. In places like San Francisco, it'll be seen as very campy. It's enjoyable on both levels."

The movie chronicles the traumatic journey of JeriLee Randall, a beautiful writer, through a maze of Hollywood leeches. "I identified with JeriLee. She's strong, but vulnerable. She had complete dedication to her career. She's struggling to be taken seriously. They think because she's a blonde, she can't be a writer.

"I don't mind being a sex symbol, but people have trouble accepting that you can also be a good actress or an intelligent, functioning person at the same time."

Does the nudity that abounds in "Lonely Lady" bother her?

"When you're doing a love scene in a film, it seems ridiculous to suddenly pan to the blue sky. It used to be difficult for me. They called me 'Mother Cabrini' in school. I never wore skirts above the knees. It's getting easier."

It must be. She's featured in a revealing layout in the current issue of Penthouse magazine.

"They included shots from the movie, which is not exactly a Walt Disney film. It's all tastefully done. The film hinges on me and it's important that I promote it.

"You see Bo Derek and Nastassja Kinski in those magazines. If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. There's too much competition.

"I was worried about how the nuns would react to all of this, but they're less old-fashioned than you'd think. They just said, 'We're so happy for Pia.'"

Her career is blooming right now. She's doing a "Circus of the Stars" for TV. Her new LP, "Rock It Out,"is getting airplay. She's starring in a bizarre upcoming musical film, "Attack of the Rock 'n' Roll Aliens."

Zadora's eyes sparkle and her elegant hands dance in the air as she explains how she burst into the public eye.

"I invented the Pia Syndrome. Most performers don't become a household name on the basis of a film ["Butterly"] that no one has seen. I was an enigma.

"Johnny Carson needed a replacement in his monologue for Rula Lenska and my name was perfect. I had a picture out based on incest. There was the Lolita angle. Everything added up. The magazines began clamoring for interviews. I enjoy being a bit controversial."

The way she handles an interview situation -- ingratiating herself, steering the conversation, deftly dropping in prepared answers, while rarely striking a false note -- indicates that Zadora will have the media buzzing about her for quite a while.

This "Lonely Lady" knows how to attract a crowd.

For the latest on this artist, visit www.piazadora.com.

And be sure to read Pop Culture Classics' extensive 2011 interview with Pia Zadora. She talks about her singing career, Frank Sinatra, Talullah Bankhead, the camp classic "Santa Claus Conquers The Martians" and much more. http://popcultureclassics.com/pia_zadora.html