Heather Menzies

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Maria with her young charges in "The Sound Of Music"
(Heather Menzies is the tall blonde girl, at right, with her hand touching her forehead)

Heather Menzies Urich (nee Menzies) born December 3, 1949 in Toronto, Canada is a Canadian-born actress, moved to California via Florida at the age of 11. Insisting on attending acting school, Heather enrolled at the Falcon Studio’s University of the Arts in Hollywood. Her first professional role at the age of 13 was on “My Three Sons”. Directly after that Heather auditioned for and won the role of 'Louisa' in The Sound Of Music

Heather appeared in the film Hawaii, again with Julie Andrews and at the age of 16, traveled across the country to star in the Broadway play We Have Always Lived In The Castle with Shirley Knight. The production opened at the National Theatre in Washington DC and enjoyed a lengthy run at the Ethel Barrymore Theater in NYC.

Heather guest starred in many television series throughout the 1970 and 80’s and did several television pilots and movies for television including Tail Gunner Joe with Peter Boyle and The James Dean Story with Michael Brandon and Amy Irving. She starred in the popular cult favorite Sssssss with Strother Martin and Dirk Benedict. She also starred in the popular series Logan's Run with Gregory Harrison. Following that series, Heather co-starred in the film Pirahna with Bradford Dillman. She also appeared nude in the August 1973 Playboy Magazine. Although she was not a centerfold, she did have a 5 page spread with full frontal nudity.

Heather met her late husband, Robert Urich, acting with him in a Libby’s Corned Beef Hash Commercial. Heather guest starred in Vega$ and Spenser For Hire with Robert as well as many other television shows together. The couple co-starred in theatrical productions including The Hasty Heart, a production at the Burt Reynolds Playhouse in Jupiter, Florida. The play achieved substantial acclaim including a run at the Kennedy Center for the Arts in Washington DC with President and Mrs. Ronald Reagan in attendance. (Coincidently, Ronald Reagan had starred in the film version of the play in 1949)

She has survived ovarian cancer

Heather lives in Los Angeles with her three children; Ryan, Emily and Allison. She works tirelessly with the Urich Fund for Sarcoma Research at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.

'Trivia Heather saved the life of young Kym Karath in the boat scene in "The Sound of Music". When Karath fell out of the boat, she was supposed to have been caught, because she couldn't swim, by Maria (Julie Andrews), who fell out of the back of the boat instead of the front where Karath fell. Luckily, after almost drowning, Menzies caught her.