"90210" HEARTHROB TURNS HERO IN
"MIGHTY DUCKS"

Ian Ziering Voices Courageous Duck in
Walt Disney Television Animation's
New Comedy-Adventure Series

      Ian Ziering, who plays hearthrob hunk "Steve Sanders" on the popular nighttime soap opera "Beverly Hills 90210," has proven to the world that he is not just another pretty, uh, duck.

      For Ziering is the voice behind the character of Wildwing, the stalwart, courageous leader of a scrappy band of freedom-fighting-superhero-hockey-playing ducks in the all- new Walt Disney Televison Animation series, "Mighty Ducks," premiering in syndication on "The Disney Afternoon" on Friday, September 6 and on the ABC Television Network's Saturday morning line-up on September 7.

      Ziering's All-American good looks first became familiar to TV audiences when he was in junior high and high school, through his recurring roles on the daytime soap operas "Love of Life" and "The Doctors." While working toward his college degree, he won a continuing role on "Guiding Light" and starred in two Afterschool Specials. He also worked in theater ("Peter Pan," "I Remember Mama") and film ("Endless Love") before landing his "Beverly Hills 90210" role as "Steve Sanders," the guy with good looks, personality, girls, money, designer clothes, and a way cool car.

      The tough-on-the-outside, vulnerable-on-the-inside "Steve Sanders" may live in the completely unique universe of Beverly Hills, but he's not such a far cry from the animated character of Wildwing. As the mightiest of the Mighty Ducks, Wildwing leads the team not only on the rink against their hockey-playing rivals, but also across the planet and into space against their arch enemy, the evil reptilian Lord Dragaunus, who wants to enslave the world.

      "When Wildwing has his hockey mask on, he is larger than life," Ziering notes. "But when he takes it off he is somewhat more mellow and down to earth, just like everyone else." The Mask gives Wildwing special powers of vision and insight, not to mention confidence and courage. As a result, he is often wracked with self-doubt, unsure if his leadership abilities come from within himself -- or merely from The Mask.

      In turn, Wildwing is not so different from Ziering himself. "I have a lot in common with Wildwing," Ziering says. "I'm a bit of a daredevil myself and we both have a strong sense of adventure."

      Ziering, who says that Peter Pan is his favorite Disney animated character ("I like his will to stay young"), may be a relative newcomer to the world of animation voice-over, but he's taken to the task like a duck takes to...uh, never mind.

      "I love doing voice-over work," he says. "It's challenging and it lets me do things I can't do on camera. I get to rant and rave and be larger than life and I'm not bound by my physical presence. I think that's why more and more actors are drawn to voice-over -- it's very rewarding and it's a lot of fun."

      "Mighty Ducks" is produced by Walt Disney Television Animation for Buena Vista Television, subsidiaries of The Walt Disney Company. Supervising Producer: Joe Barruso. Story Editor/Writer: David Wise. Directors: Doug Murphy and Frank Squillace.

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Contacts: Buena Vista Television
      Laurel Whitcomb
      (818) 560-2740