Gymnast career

Rigby's participation in the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, as the highest-scoring U.S. gymnast made her a favorite with U.S. television audiences, and helped to popularize the sport in the U.S. She was U.S. National Gymnastic Champion in 1970 and 1972. Her greatest gymnastics accomplishment was winning a silver medal on the balance beam at the 1970 World Championships, being the first American woman to win a medal in World Gymnastics.

She also competed on the 1972 U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Team, but was hampered by injury. Prior to the games, she had been working on a move for the balance beam that was quite risky for the time: an aerial walkover, in which she somersaulted forwards on the balance beam. Because she was injured, she did not attempt this move during the competition, and this contributed to why she did not win any medals.

Rigby retired from gymnastics after the 1972 Olympics. She married Tommy Mason (a professional football player), ran a successful gymnastics camp, had two sons, and began acting.

Acting career

In 1974, Rigby appeared as Peter Pan in a touring production of the self titled musical. She played that part on Broadway and on tour throughout the 1990s and most recently in 2009 in Branson, Missouri. Rigby received excellent reviews for playing Peter Pan and was also nominated for a Tony Award. After retiring from the role Rigby reprised her role as Peter Pan at Pittsburgh CLO from June 21 - July 2, 2008 which took place at the Benedum Center. She then played the part again from May 23 - Aug. 9 and Nov. 1 - Dec. 12, 2009 at the Mansion in Branson, Missouri. She will again play the role of Peter Pan in a new national touring production that will launch in fall 2011.^[3]

Rigby turned her efforts to television, working for 18 years as a commentator for ABC Sports and appearing in made-for-television movies. She appeared in a role as a guest star Russian gymnast on the TV series "The Six Million Dollar Man."

In 1981, Rigby returned to the stage, starring as Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. During that production, Rigby met her second husband, Tom McCoy. She credits McCoy with enabling her to fight bulimia, a disease which she lived with since the end of her gymnastics career. She had two daughters, Theresa and Kaitlin, with her second husband. Other theatrical appearances included Annie Get Your Gun and Meet Me In St. Louis. Rigby was also a spokeswoman for Stayfree feminine napkins.

During the 1980s, Rigby also began publicly speaking about her experiences with eating disorders. Rigby, who suffered from bulimia for 12 years, in an article she wrote for People Magazine in 1984, said: "I wanted to be perfect in my attitude and in my weight. Inside I was going crazy. I probably consumed 10,000 calories a day or more in fast foods. I can tell you where every McDonald's and Jack in the Box was along the way (to my voice lessons) -- and every bathroom where I could get rid of the food."  According to a People Magazine interview in 1991, "twice she was hospitalized and nearly died from electrolyte imbalance."

McCoy and Rigby own a theatrical production company called McCoy Rigby Entertainment, which currently produces a Peter Pan touring show, in which Rigby also stars. The 2005 tour was billed as Rigby's farewell tour before she reprised her role as Peter Pan in 2008 at the Benedum Center in Pittsburgh and in 2009 at the Mansion Theater in Branson, MO