Heidi Zeigler

Heidi Zeigler is best known for her roles on the 1980's television series Rags to Riches Rags to Riches (1987) and Just the Ten of Us Just the Ten of Us (1987). Zeigler began acting at the tender age of three. After doing her fair share of national commercials by age four, she began landing a stream of consecutive roles and was a highly pursued child star until her retirement in 1992. At age four, she landed ABC-TV's movie Ernie Kovacs: Between the Laughter (starring Jeff Goldblum and Cloris Leachman), in which she played one of Goldblum's two daughters. Soleil Moon Frye is also credited in the TV drama, portraying Zeigler's character as having aged several years at the culmination of the movie. At five, Heidi co-starred in the TV pilot for an unsold series, "Mr. Mom" (starring Barry Van Dyke). Also among her early roles were television movie California Girls (Robbie Benson, Ernie Hudson, Doris Roberts, Zsa Zsa Gabor) and an episode of Steven Spielberg's Amazing Stories Amazing Stories (1985)." Interestingly, a number of her co-stars on both Rags to Riches and Just the Ten of Us also appeared in episodes of Amazing Stories. At age six, Zeigler was cast in what was perhaps her most popular role, as "Mickey Foley," the youngest of six orphan girls adopted by millionaire bachelor "Nick Foley" (Joseph Bologna), on NBC's one-hour musical drama Rags to Riches Rags to Riches (1987) (co-stars included Tisha Campbell and Heather McAdam). The show piloted as a two hour television movie in 1986 and was canceled in 1988, despite having a large fan base. Interest in Heidi Zeigler's work has recently resurfaced with the airing of television's Glee Glee (2009), as some fans are now likening the show to Rags to Riches due to shared commonalities in genre. After the cancellation of Rags to Riches in 1988, Zeigler was quickly cast as "Sherry Lubbock" in ABC's "Just the Ten of Us," spin off of Growing Pains Growing Pains (1985). Zeigler, along with Just the Ten of Us co-stars (including Jamie Luner and Brooke Theiss), appeared in two episodes of Growing Pains shortly before landing this role. Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and Dennis Haysbert all appeared as recurring roles on Just the Ten of Us. Both Growing Pains and Just the Ten of Us were starting points for numerous stars, including also Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio. The shows were taped in adjacent sound stages at Warner Brothers. Shortly after Just the Ten of Us was canceled in 1990, Zeigler was cast as "Swan Babit" in her first feature film as part of an all-star ensemble in 'Paramount Picture''s There Goes the Neighborhood (starring Jeff Daniels and Catherine O'Hara). Zeigler's co-stars included Hector Elizondo, Rhea Perlman, Chazz Palminteri, Harris Yulin and Judith Ivey. Working closely with Rhea Perlman and Dabney Coleman (as their daughter in the film), it is rumored that despite Zeigler's vocal desire to retire in order to attend public school, she consented to what would be her final role in the Fox TV series Drexell's Class_"Drexell's Class" (1991)_ (starring Dabney Coleman), as a result of Coleman's request to feature Zeigler as a lead role in the series. Both Jason Biggs and the late Brittany Murphy started their careers as co-stars on Drexell's Class. Lasting only two seasons, the show was canceled in 1992. Zeigler then retired to pursue a private life as an adolescent student in her hometown of Westlake Village, California. Since her retirement, Heidi Zeigler has maintained a private life, earning her B.S. and multiple graduate degrees after being on record as a student B.Y.U., U.S.D., S.D.S.U., and C.S.U.S.M. from 1997 to present (2011). Despite remaining private, updated photographs have surfaced as it appears she was involved in a Rags to Riches reunion event with co-star Blanca De Garr and the show's creator (Broadway producer Bernie Kukoff) in 2010.