Roy Blakey — In His Own Words Roy Blakey, 1930-2024 A spectacular scene in a Sonja Henie movie sparked my love of theatrical skating, and I began to collect pictures and magazine articles about ice shows. While learning to skate
Remembering Marshall Beard
Marshall passed away on September 26, 2012. He was born in Hershey, PA on December 4, 1920 and at the age of 2 years became an orphan. Educated in Hershey’s Boys School, Marshall overcame many obstacles, and his perseverance and
Peter Tyrrell and the Birth of the Ice Capades
Peter Tyrrell was born in Philadelphia, PA in 1896. After spending some time as a publicist for a boxing promoter, Tyrrell became a boxing matchmaker with the Philadelphia Arena, then that city’s largest public entertainment facility. (The Philadelphia Arena was
Norval Baptie, the Complete Skater
Norval Waite Baptie’s mother was born in Scotland, which might have something to do with his unusual first name. The name Norval is from the Scots Gaelic language, is pronounced as nor-vel and means “from a village in the north.”
My Dream
Shortly after Holiday on Ice finished in Taipei, Taiwan, my friend, Ellen, e-mailed me saying that it was a fantastic show and how much fun I would have if I could make it. I was so jealous, because I had
Mr. Debonair, Richard Dwyer
The legendary skater, Richard Dwyer, sat with Susan Austin and Randy Gardner for an informal Question and Answer session recently in Burbank, California at the Pickwick Ice Arena. Mr. Dwyer’s fame as “Mr. Debonair” in Ice Follies and later in
Meeting Belita
Maria Belita Gladys Olive Lyne Jepson-Turner: It was a great experience meeting the skater known professionally as “Belita” and getting to know her over several years when my wife Noel and I were in London. A small group of friends
Lisa Lauten
Lisa Lauten grew up skating in Milwaukee, Wisconsin — a small town, but she had big dreams! Immediately after graduating from High School in 1979, she was offered contracts with both Holiday on Ice and Ice Capades. At her coaches’
Jola Iglikowska
Originally from Poland, Jola Iglikowska started her pro skating career in 1969 in South Africa with Producer Marjory Chase. She went on to skate with Holiday on Ice/Europe until 1976. From 1976-1981, she skated with Ice Capades, and in 1984 she
Janet Wright
Janet Wright, founder of ProSkaters (previously the Professional Figure Skating Cooperative) and founder of the Pro Skating Historical Foundation passed away from a massive heart attack on November 2, 2012 in her Des Plaines, Illinois home. Here is a photo