Cathy Rigby

Cathy Rigby was the first real American female gymnastics star on television. Her biggest moment came in 1970 when she was the first American to win a World Championship medal, taking silver on the balance beam. Rigby was considered to have chances to win Olympic medals in 1972, but failed to make the finals on beam. She tied for sixth in qualifying but lost out on a tie-breaker. Her 16th place in 1968 and 10th place in 1972 in all-around were, at the time, the best Olympic performances ever for a US woman.

After the 1972 Olympics Rigby started a gymnastics camp, and married NFL player Tommy Mason, although they would divorce in 1981. In 1974 she was recruited to play the role of Peter Pan on stage. This started an acting career that lasted into the next century, actually touring as Peter Pan into the 2010s. Rigby and her second husband, Tom McCoy, started McCoy Rigby Entertainment, which produces a touring Peter Pan show, starring Rigby.

Rigby also played Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz” in 1981, starred in “Annie Get Your Gun,” and “Meet Me in St. Louis,” and appeared on multiple television shows and commercials. One of her commercials was for StayFree MaxiPads and made her the first celebrity to endorse a feminine hygiene product. In the 1980s she began speaking out about her own experiences with eating disorders, stating that she had been bulimic for 12 years.

Cathy Rigby was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1997. In 1991 she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical, for her performance as Peter Pan. In 2004 she received a Distinguished Lifetime Service Award from The League of American Theatres and Producers.