Post-war Career
In 1948 he returned to Holland as an American citizen to search for news about his family. Upon his arrival, in gratitude for his wartime broadcasts, thousands of people greeted him and he was offered a contract to sing at the largest theatre in Amsterdam. Not having sung for over five years he was petrified with fear, but was such a success that he was held over for six weeks. Having regained his confidence, he accepted an engagement at the London Casino where he was a tremendous hit.
Offers followed from all over the world, and while at the Sa Majeste in Paris with his revue, he visited a little Yiddish night club where he heard a survivor of the Warsaw Ghetto sing a song which touched him deeply - "Wohin Soll Ich Geh'n?". Fuld was so impressed that he asked the composer for a copy and said "I'll make this a world hit!". He kept his promise; upon returning to England he wrote English lyrics and recorded it for Decca under the title "Where can I Go?". It was also released in America, and as the saying goes, it took him twenty years to become a star overnight. He sang it on television in the Milton Berle show, the Perry Como Show and in the Frank Sinatra Show, and it was also recorded by some of America's biggest record stars such as Ray Charles and Steve Lawrence. Among his greatest fans were such stars as Billie Holiday, Al Jolson and Édith Piaf.
Since 1949, Leo Fuld made five world tours and appeared in Argentina, Chile, Brazil, North Africa, Egypt, Israel and Lebanon. He shared the stage for 10 weeks with Edith Piaf at the Paris ABC Theatre and was engaged by the Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia to sing at the wedding of his daughter at the Imperial Palace in Addis Ababa.
In 1956 he sets up his own nightclub in New York 'Sabrah' in New York, which was very successful, before relocating to Las Vegas. There he married to Ilone Mendels, having one daughter Mirjam Fuld-Lelah. After divorce Fuld returned to the Netherlands.
With producer Mohamed el-Fers and arranger Kees Post he recorded his last CD, The Legend for the Ghana-based company Hippo Records. On the CD Fuld sings his best known-songs, but they are provided with striking Oriental arrangements.
At 84 Leo Fuld died in his place of residence in Amsterdam.
The remainder of Leo's family lives in the Netherlands while his two favorite nephews (Avi and Peled) live in Israel.
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