21 Julie Piekarski, Facts Of Life: Do You Remember Sue Ann Weaver?

Famous actress and mother to three children, Julie Piekarski, rose to stardom at a very young age.

She started her acting career at the age of 14, as she acted in 'The New Mickey Mouse Club'. She then acted in a television film and several series before taking a break and getting married.

One of the most special events of Piekarski's life was being cast for 'The New Mickey Mouse Club'. This gave her exposure and stardom, which then helped her in being cast for 'Diff'rent Strokes' and 'The Facts of Life'. Even though her role was short-lived, the fact that her character left a lasting legacy can hardly be denied. Keep reading for more Julie Piekarski facts!

Filmography: Julie Piekarski 

Julie Ann Piekarski is an American actress who started her career rather early. Born on January 2, 1963, she started her career at the tender age of 14 and then went on to act in many television series and shows. She is most fondly remembered for her role in the NBC television series named 'The Facts of Life', where she played the main character in the first season and had a recurring role in the second and third seasons.

Julie Piekarski started her career by acting in 'The New Mickey Mouse Club', where she was a Mouseketeer. She also acted in 'The Wonderful World of Disney' before being cast in one of the most famous sitcoms of the late '70s, 'Diff'rent Strokes'. This marked her entry into the television industry. She was then given the role of Sue Ann Weaver in 'The Facts of Life', which was a sitcom based on an all-girls boarding school based in a location a short distance from New York City. She, however, was one of the four stars from the original cast that were written off at the beginning of the second season of the show. Yes, they really did cut out nearly half of the cast! In spite of the fact that Sue Ann Weaver wasn't on the series for a long time, Julie Ann Piekarski and her character remain unmatched.

Julie Piekarski also made her comeback to the silver screen through a show called 'The Importance of Doubting Tom'. In the early '80s, she acted in 'Quincy', 'M.E.' and 'Three's Company', none of which came to be as famous as her role in 'The Facts of Life'.

'The New Mickey Mouse Club'

Now a mother to three children (Christian, Patrick, and Jaquelyn) who she takes to Disneyland, Julie Piekarski was once a Mouseketeer in 'The New Mickey Mouse Club'. She appeared in 130 episodes, through seasons one and two, and was a sweet addition to the cast.

In one of the interviews she was a part of in the recent past, Julie Piekarski remembers how she was thrilled to be at Disneyland for around two weeks while the show was being filmed. Although she only retained the role for only around two years between 1977 and 1979, Julie Piekarski reminisces in the interview of how thrilling it was to be 14 years old and to be able to film in the happiest place on the planet.

One of the special events that took place in her life at this time was that she was awarded the Mousketeer of The Year Award in 1978. As much as it may seem to be insignificant for us now, we can only imagine the joy of this teenager to be honored in such a grand fashion.

After acting as a Mouseketeer in the show, Julie appeared on one of the most famous shows of the decade, which was 'Diff'rent Strokes'. The show earned her most of the fame that she now enjoys. 'The Facts of Life' was, in fact, a rather evident spin-off of 'Diff'rent Strokes'.

Fellow Cast: Julie Piekarski 

In the first season of 'The Facts of Life', the show revolved around seven girls and their house-mother, Edna Garrett. Garrett's role was played by Charlotte Rae. Julie Piekarski played one of the seven teenage girls that went to the Eastland School. Her character was especially memorable because of how competitive Sue Ann Weaver was with Blair Warner.

However, the characters named Cindy Webster, Nancy Olsen, and Molly Parker were written off after the first season, along with Sue Ann Weaver.

Her fellow characters are all known actors. Molly Ringwald, who played Molly Parker in the show, acted in famous movies such as 'The Breakfast Club', 'Pretty in Pink', and 'Sixteen Candles'. Ringwald is now a mother to twins and a daughter and is still a famous name in Hollywood. Lisa Whelchel, Kim Fields, and Mindy Cohn were retained from the original cast and were famous for the eight-year-long journey of the show. Kim Fields and her character Blair is known to be one of the memorable stars of the show.

'The Facts of Life' cast is still well-knit. After the recent death of Nancy McKeon's brother, the stars all expressed their condolences. They all talked of how they would want to be there for the loving sister of Philip McKeon and their fellow actor, who had recently lost a father figure.

Important Work Done In 'The Facts Of Life'

Julie Piekarski appeared in the first season of 'The Facts of Life' and was a recurring character in seasons two and three. Her final appearance in the show was in the season eight reunion episode. This show was not the end of her acting career. Julie Piekarski, in spite of being written off, left her mark through her very realistic portrayal of Sue's competitive spirit with Blair at school.

She acted in 'Quincy', 'M.E.', 'Three's Company', and 'ABC Afterschool Specials'. She kept working with big celebrities before quitting the film industry for a few years and moving back to her hometown, St. Louis. There, she met John Probst. She married John Probst, who is a dentist, and had three children with him, namely, Patrick, Jaquelyn, and Christian. She got divorced from her husband in the year 2017.