Born in Chicago, Illinois, the last of 11 children, Zeigler was the son of a union organizer who was killed by the mafia in the 1930s.

[1] After the war Zeigler graduated in direction and production at the Goodman Theater School, where he became friend with classmate Harvey Korman, with whom in 1954 he formed a short-lived stand-up comedy duo known as Marsh and Field.

[1][2][3] Zeigler started working on television in the mid-1950s, playing Uncle Bucky for three seasons in the WGN-TV kids show Lunchtime Little Theater.

[1][2][3][6] After the cancellation of the show he formed a comedy duo with Peter Cullen, working mainly on CBC, and in 1970 he decided to move back to the US, settling down in Los Angeles.

[1][2][3] A brain tumor and its treatment kept him out of work for several years, and in the mid-1980s he reprised his activity mainly working as a voice actor for animated series including Heathcliff, Galtar and the Golden Lance and Challenge of the GoBots, and serving as personal manager for a number of figures of the entertainment industry.