In Memoriam: Carl L. Moseley

September 30, 1934 – August 24, 2017

It is with heavy hearts that we report the sad news that our video archivist, Carl Moseley, has passed. Carl was a devoted skating fan and a wonderful archivist of skating history. He kept us all entertained and guessing with his “mystery skater” games that he posted almost daily, rewarding successful skater identifications with “gold star” awards.  Carl devoted countless hours to producing a DVD series on theatrical show skating that really captured the Golden Age of professional shows (with one DVD devoted to the skating talents of Ronnie Robertson). The set of five DVDs features video clips from the Ice Capades, Holiday On Ice, and other shows — all filmed during the 1960s, 70s, and 80s by Carl.

Just before his passing, he finished a memoir of his years touring with Holiday On Ice called “My Story: Adventures with Holiday On Ice.”

Carl’s son Michael provided the link to an obituary page for Carl: http://m.carmichaelfuneralhomes.com/obituaries/wall…
Our deepest condolences go out to his wife of 41 years Sue, son Michael, daughter Stephanie, other family members, friends, and skating fans who appreciated his devotion to keeping theatrical show skating alive.

Carl saw his first ice show, Ice Vogues of 1947, at his dad’s building in Tampa, Florida.  Only 13 years old at the time, he was “blown away and hooked!” He began competing on roller skates (as there was no ice in Florida), and won Gold in Pairs and Fours at the Southern U.S. Championships in 1950.

In 1952, Carl attended the University of Pennsylvania and made the switch to ice, skating at the historic Philadephia Skating Club & Humane Society.  Four years later, he became a Jr. Pro at the Club.  He spent four years touring with Holiday On Ice from 1965 to 1968, as Assistant Company Manager to Tommy Collins. Over the years he also performed several other jobs in the company, including skating in the show.  He also filmed many of the show numbers using his 8 mm movie camera, thereby preserving quite a bit of show skating history.

Carl was a Captain in the U.S. Army, graduating from the Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia.  He earned a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

After his years touring with the ice shows, he became a US Figure Skating Association judge, a skating coach, and a rink owner.  Carl was a  majority stockholder in a rink corporation that leased and operated Iceland in St. Petersburg for nine years, sending many skaters to Holiday On Ice and Ice Capades, too!  He also managed movie theater and other entertainment businesses.

Carl was a great gentleman who loved everything related to ice shows and the show skating profession, and had a wonderful way of sharing that love with the rest of the world. We will always be grateful for the memories he preserved for us to enjoy for all time.

He will be greatly missed! You get the biggest GOLD STAR of all, Carl.

OBITUARY:

Carl L. Moseley, of Kennesaw GA, passed away Thursday, August 24, 2017, surrounded by his wife, children and one of his grandsons. He was preceded in death by his son Eric and his parents, Carl and Caroline Moseley. Carl was 82 years of age and lived a very fulfilling life. He grew up in Tampa FL, and along with his father and sister, had a number of businesses in Tampa. Carl graduated from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Finance and Business. However, his real passion was ice skating. He owned his own rink in St. Petersburg, FL and spent four years touring with the Holiday on Ice from 1965 through 1968 as Assistant Company Manager to Tommy Collins.

Over the years, Carl also performed several other jobs in the Company, including skating in the show. He also filmed many of the show’s numbers using his 8mm movie camera, thereby preserving quite a bit of show skating history. Carl wrote a book entitled “My Story, Adventures with Holiday on Ice” as he wanted to pass on the memories of those four years to share his enjoyment of the thrilling performances and fascinating stars, as well as his knowledge of the ice show business from “behind the scenes.” Carl is survived by his loving wife of 41 years, Sue Elizabeth, his son Michael Carl Moseley, and daughter-in-law, Lori Anne Moseley, daughter Stephanie Moseley King, grandson Sean Patrick King aka his “buddy.” He also has a grandson James Dunn Moseley and a granddaughter Amanda “Tyler” Moseley. Other survivors include his sister, Martha Moseley Johnson; niece Caroline Tritt, her son Austin and her daughter Sarah, and nephew “RB” Bob Johnson as well as a number of cousins. A celebration of his life will be held at Christ Lutheran Church in Marietta, on Saturday, September 2, 2017 at 11 AM. The family will receive friends following the service. Arrangements by Carmichael Funeral Home,1130 Whitlock Avenue Marietta, GA 30064 (770) 424-4924 www.carmichaelcares.com

Carl’s lifelong efforts to preserve the memories of show skating performances culminated in the production of this DVD series, The Golden Age of Ice Shows, the proceeds of which benefit the Pro Skating Historical Foundation.

Carl’s book is available for sale on Amazon.com: My Story: Adventures with Holiday on Ice

Did you land a backflip on ice skates? This crowd-pleasing skill has been around since the 1950s, but very few have mastered it, yet alone performed it in a show.

Send us a photo, along with your best recollection of the date you first landed it and how you learned to do it! We’ll post it on our Facebook page and on our website.

Skippy Baxter

Skippy and Meryl Baxter

Skippy Baxter may have been the first to land the backflip on skates as a professional show skater.  His daughter, Debbie, reports that her uncle Meryl Baxter actually taught her Dad how to do the flip. He’d seen others doing the backflip at the coast in the sand and tried it on ice at the Broadmoor Skating Club while stationed in Colorado for basic training in 1942 or 1943. They were both in the 10th mountain division — the ski patrol!

Adam Blake (Photo credit: Jacob Marsh at N0Filter photography)

Adam Blake is doing a backflip in this time-lapse photo, and with a little photo editing, he is sailing over his own cantilever!

Adam learned to land the backflip under the tutelage of Larry LaBorde at the Ice Chalet in Knoxville, Tennessee in May of 2007.

Other members of The Backflip Club:

• Scott Hamilton
• Robin Cousins
• Jeff Whalen
• Jimmie Santee
• Jaimee Eggleton
• Surya Bonaly
• Brian Orser
• Michael Weiss
• Ryan Bradley
• Doug Mattis
• Kim Muir
• Ashley Clark
• Larry LaBorde
• Adam Blake
• Austin Blake
• Aaron Blake
• Janet Champion
• Dan Hollander
• Richard Dornbush
• Brendan Kerry
• Philip Warren
• Jonathan Voyles
• Caleigh Newbery
• Jozef Sabovcik
• Terry Kubicka
• Scott Cramer
• Philippe Candeloro
• Lori Benton
• Gigi Percelli
• Joey Percelli
• Robert Przepioski
• Kelsey Parker
• Rory Flack-Burghart
• Robert Wagenhoffer
• Ken Shook
• Michael Turner
• Chris Dougherty
• Skippy Baxter — perhaps the first in the 1940s?  Last one landed at age 70!
• Ed Raiche — also in the 1940s
• The Mullen Twins — also in the 1940s
• Mike Course — one of the first in 1957
• Katy Garrity

We’ll add more information and history as the club grows!  Your contributions are invited.

Amazing videos available on YouTube:

The 12-year-old Surya Bonaly landing her backflip:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=831719406876556

The Mullen Twins and Ed Raiche in the 1949 edition of Ice Cycles:

E-mail us at info@proskatinghistoricalfoundation.org

Posted by: Melanie Lambert  Last modified on: 1/28/2006

I remember meeting Jill Shipstad for the first time during rehearsals and thinking, “She is like a star from the Ice Follies and I’m actually getting choreography done by her!” I thought she was the most glamorous show girl ever! She was so fun to work with and I remember her teaching me the little hand position that I still can do to this day and remember how hard I had to work to make my hands look like Alice in Wonderland! She did it so perfectly and she had one of the best sit flexes in the world! She worked so hard to show me how to make my legs do that pose and I tried so hard but I think I was missing about 2 feet worth of leg compared to hers! I remember Bob Paul asking me if I was going to change my hair color and make it more blond to look like a real show girl should! I was horrified had no clue what hair dye was all about, but I’ll tell you I learned pretty quick! Because of Bob Paul I have remained blond to this day and love it … thank you.

How about those darn eye lashes for the first time! Ok, my Mom didn’t really let me wear makeup back then so I was at a complete loss of what eye lashes were all about not to mention how I was going to get those on my lids. Thank God for my roommates who rescued me from this horrible dilemma. That was a great laugh! I think we all can relate to our first experiences at the show and I feel so lucky to have met so many wonderful people that taught me so many aspects of the show world. About the travel, I can’t even explain what an amazing effect being in Japan had on me. Granted we were there for quite a long time and adjusting took a little while especially looking at that little fish on my plate fresh out of the water thinking am I really going to be eating this? Needless to say Sushi is now one of my most favorite foods in the world to eat! What I loved the most about the country was how people remained so traditional in a country that was so modernized! I loved the whole culture and its beautiful, traditional ways. I remember going to watch the Geisha dancers and watching traditional Japanese Karate demonstrations as well as the giant Sumo wrestlers. Needless to say I now take traditional Okinawan Karate and love it!

Where would I have ever gotten such amazing adventures as these but in the ice show! Now as a coach I look back and have some great laughs with some of my show friends and most of all use some of my teachings in my career now. Not the eye lash story but really learning the business from the best of the best back when show skating was changing from Ice Follies to Magic Kingdom to now Disney On Ice. How lucky I was to share such great times with such incredibly talented people.

Posted by: Beth-Anne Duxbury Last modified on: 1/22/2006

Constructed originally as an open-air Spanish style club, later the Alpine cool weather required that a retractable roof be built. This nightclub was the place to be if you were a professional skater. The “Casa” was a nightclub that featured an ice show. Many of our skating colleagues performed there, and we are proud to share their memories in this feature.

The early shows there were directed and performed by German skaters. Then in 1950, the Casa was produced and directed by Terry Rudolph.

Terry was a dancer with Hungarian heritage, but was raised in America. She produced the Casa until 1968. The building was then destroyed by fire in 1970. Terry really groomed her skaters to become top-notch performers, training them in the fundamentals of ballet by giving daily dance classes and personally choreographing each of their numbers.

At the Casa, Ms. Rudolph produced shows that had a cast of roughly 35 skaters on an ice sheet of 30 feet x 40 feet with a 17-piece live orchestra. The ice stage was under a removable dance floor for dancing, and diners could enjoy their dinner while watching the ice shows.

She later came back to the U.S. and choreographed and stylized many skating champions. Working at the Ice Capades Chalet in Santa Monica, California, she was hired by John Nicks to “polish” his skaters. Among them were Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner, one of the writers of this piece.

Randy: “When Terry came into our lives our skating career changed. She was responsible for our style, unison, and overall presentation. She prepared us for our debut with the Ice Capades, and her influence has remained in our skating ever since.”

Tai: “She helped me realize it was okay to be a girl, especially in the awkward years. She sprinkled the magic on our skating career.”

Two of the Historical Foundation’s Honorary Board members, Don Watson and Roy Blakey, share their memories of the Casa Carioca:

Don: “The first time I met the diminutive Ms. Rudolf was in Paris in 1955. I was appearing with ‘The Sonja Henie Ice Revue’ at the old Palais des Sports and she expressed an interest in my coming to Garmisch. When the opportunity arose, I jumped at the chance and arrived at the Casa Carioca in January 1958 for a 3-month stay before joining Holiday On Ice in France.”

“Terry’s reputation resulted in her being courted by the most influential ice show owners and producers from Ice Follies, Holiday On Ice, Ice Capades, to Marjorie Chase, Merriel Abbott, and others. Terry Rudolf was a unique icon whose contribution to show skating is immeasurable and long lasting.”

In 1954, Roy Blakey joined the show. The productions that year were “States on Skates” with Cathy Steele and Blair Heimbach with Jo Ann McGowan and “Happy Birthday” with Dick Price, Peter Voss, T. Bacherer and B. Griffin.

Roy: “Skaters talk about wanting to someday find, or create, a place where they can train, have access to dance class and display their improving skills in regular performances. It makes me smile because I had all of that in my first show at the Casa Carioca.”

A young 16-year-old girl from Garmisch, named Cathy Steidl, started her professional career at Casa Carioca. She later would become known as Cathy Steele and part of the crowd pleasing adagio team of “Romaine and Steele.” The team performed for many years in Ice Capades during the 1960’s.

Cathy remembers her time at the Casa: “I was under age and really should not have been in the club. Terry took me in to replace another girl. I started my pair skating there with Blair Heimbach.” After one and a half years at the Casa, Blair and Cathy left the show and went on to do work at the Hilton and then at the Empress Hall. After the team finished skating together, John Harris, owner of Ice Capades, sought her out to skate with a man looking for a partner, Phil Romaine.

She says, “Phil and I had never met before. We had mutual friends and Phil’s old partner, Terry Brent, had seen me. I had know of him through his work at the Lido in Paris. But, still we had never met in person. I was brought in to try-out with Phil and then it happened.”

Even though Cathy had left Garmisch, she stayed in touch with Terry. She would visit home in Garmisch during her time off and Terry and Cathy formed a life-long friendship.

Terry taught her about being a versatile performer and the tricks of having a long career. “She taught us how to handle our careers,” Cathy says. “Sometimes I would ask her advice or give her an idea I had. If she said, ‘Let me think about it,’ I knew that meant ‘no!’ “

Paul Sibley, who first skated with Ice Capades, later came to the Casa. He worked in the show from 1958 to 1960. He says, “I made the transition from chorus boy to principal. It’s when I broke through. Everyone skated in the chorus and also had a spot. Terry emphasized presentation, stretch, body alignment. She especially worked on upper body presentation with the skater. It was a tremendous experience.”

Roy Blakey adds, “The Casa was a great place to finally fulfill my long-held dream of getting in a show. On my way to work each evening during my year and a half there, I’d look up at the snow-capped mountains and say, ‘thank you!’.”

Terry Rudolph passed away on January 5, 2005 in Los Angeles, California.

We’d like to thank the following people for their contribution to this article: Roy Blakey, Cathy Steele, Paul Sibley, Don Watson, Tai Babilonia

Historic photos provided by: Roy Blakey, The IceStage Archive, 413 East Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55414-1005 Phone: 612 627 9938, Email: iceroy1010@aol.com.

Written by Randy Gardner and Susan Austin

WHO KNEW?  …that on a Sunday in the fall of 1969 a skating open house at the Michael Kirby Skating School River Forest IL, would change my life.

One Sunday afternoon in 1969, my mom took my sister Barbara and me to a skating open house at the Michael Kirby Ice Skating School in River Forest. It was there that I was to put on my first pair of skates and watch as Norah Kirby helped my sister lace up her first pair. In an instant we fell in love with skating. Mom signed us both up for classes and soon we entered local competitions and participated in the Kirby school ice recitals. We could not get enough of skating and learning new jumps, spins and tricks.

The Chicagoland Kirby schools closed in 1973 but former students are still known today as “Kirby kids”. Many of us regrouped at the Northbrook Park District Ice Arena. Einar Jonland (ISIA founding board member) and Frances Dorsey Friesen (two time US National Figure Skating medalist and principal skater in the Ice Follies), taught a competitive figure skating program with a strong emphasis on show skating. The annual show NORTHBROOK ON ICE, directed by Fran, was a highly anticipated community event and also proved to be great preparation for joining a professional ice show. Thanks to Michael Kirby, and the direction of Einar and Fran, I am one of many Chicago area skaters to pursue a successful professional skating career. Starting in 1977 I joined the ICE CAPADES East Company production of MAKE A WISH starring Dorothy Hamill with eight fellow Northbrook skaters. A total of ten skaters from Chicago were hired that year with eight of us from the Northbrook Ice Arena, a testament to the program’s success. I continued performing with the ICE CAPADES in the 1978-79 East Company production of STARSTRUCK, the 1980-81 East Company production of LIGHT UP THE ICE starring Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner, as well as the 1981-82 West Company tour of LIGHT UP THE ICE. In the subsequent years many more Northbrook skaters would join professional skating shows, in total forty six. (see list below)

Without a doubt, ICE CAPADES was an exciting glamorous experience and showcased the hottest and most innovative ice skating talents from around the world. The skaters, choreographers and staff became a tight-knit family with lasting bonds into today and tomorrow. After Ice Capades, I pursued a successful career as a graphic artist in Los Angeles, London and currently Chicago. While I enjoy my work today, I also treasure the cherished friends and fantastic experiences that figure skating enabled.

PHOTOSTRIP: 1969 Barb skating with Michael Kirby • 1970 on our way to a Kirby School recital, Barb and Ted • 1977 Ice Capades cast Chicago skaters: Kathy Porter, Debbie Mason, Debbie Lorenzo, Brad Doud, June Eagleton, Laura Petrovskis, Stephanie Perom, Beth Weinstein, Lori Porowinski and Ted Bogdanowicz • 1980 Ted Bogdanowicz, Frances Dorsey Friesen, Barbara Bogdanowicz • 1981 Ted Bogdanowicz

Northbrook skating talent that joined professional ice shows: Darlene Arnieri, Kim Barth, Barbara Bogdanowicz, Ted Bogdanowicz, Julianna Cashman, Patricia Cashman, Deborah Casanzio, Tom Cerniak, Amy Coe, Melissa Coe, Gina DiTardi, Brad Doud, June Eagleton, Lilli Erickson, Florence Erie, Tracy Forbes, Mark Forbes, Jennifer Johnson, Debbie Lorenzo, Dawn Lorenzo, Heidi Mallace, Jenny Martorano, Winfred Mayer, Jan O’Brien, Paula Orbeck, Jennifer Ostrem, Karen Ostrem, Lisa Oswald, Linda Paulsen, Laura Petrovskis, Nancy Pirwitz, Lori Porowinski, Kathy Porter, Dorsey Plummer, Deanna Reczek, Jill Reiter, Karen Reiter, Valerie Puzzo, Dawn Rogner, Barbara Russell, Chuck Shaull, Judy Shaull, Steve Shaull, Sue Shaull, Grace Trautwein, Bebbie Menzie Wells

More famed Kirby skaters include David Kirby, David Santee, Jimmy Santee, Will Grendall and Nancy Burian.

Submitted by Ted Bogdanowicz

Video link below of Sonja Henie with her partner Harrison Thompson in the Sonja Henie Hollywood Ice Revue of 1941. Harrison soon joined the military in WWII, and Eugene Turner became her new partner.   Submitted by Carl Moseley

Sonja Henie with Harrison Thompson

]]> /skating-with-celebrities/ Sat, 18 Apr 2015 21:49:41 +0000 /wp/?p=1167 The FOX television show, “Skating With Celebrities,” was one of the most rewarding and pleasurable experiences in my career. As one of the coach/choreographers (shared with Michael Seibert and Renee Roca), I was working with Dave Coullier (with Nancy Kerrigan) and Bruce Jenner (with Tai Babilonia). Dave kept me laughing throughout the entire project with his perfect comedy timing and shaving off his first two toe picks from his blades because he normally skates in hockey skates. This was a concern, as when he tried to jump or stop backwards he usually ended up toppling forward onto both hands. When down there he could do push ups for extra training.

Bruce, on the other hand, transformed himself into a competitive adult skater. He worked very hard by coming back at night and doing extra training hours. So much so, that when he was practicing a camel spin he took a dangerous spill.

These two men loved the skating terminology. Now, we have a ‘double ham sandwich’ followed by a ‘straightline Mercedes step!’

Thanks guys!  Posted by: Randy Gardner Last modified on: 1/31/2006

Peter Tyrrell

Tyrrell significantly enriched the variety of public entertainment in Philadelphia and elsewhere. In 1936, he became one of the first to book the Shipstads and Johnson ice skating show, and its success in Philadelphia led to the establishment of the Ice Follies, which in turn became one of the most successful shows in the entertainment field.

In 1940, he formed an association with ten eastern sports Arenas which financed the Ice Capades, another ice skating show, separate from Ice Follies. Tyrrell was named business manager and organized and signed the talent for the first production. He served as first company manager and president. After rehearsing the show in the Philadelphia Arena, Tyrrell took it on its first road trip to New Orleans, La. Subsequently, the show was taken to Atlantic City, N.J., and rehearsed during the summers under Tyrrell’s direction before setting out on road tours throughout the country during the winters. He was a director of the Ice Capades from 1940 until 1963, when the company was sold to Metromedia, Inc., for $5 million.

An interesting side note to Tyrrell’s career is that he convinced Sonja Henie to turn professional, and she made her professional debut at the Arena and subsequently became the star of her own show, Hollywood Ice Revue. Peter A. Tyrrell died in Philadelphia, Pa., May 8, 1973.

Posted by: Janet Wright Last modified on: 11/30/2007

Skating in Taiwan is not a popular sport, since we lack good coaching and we only had one SMALL skating rink in the entire nation back when I was skating. I still remember the moment when I stepped onto the ice. The feeling was so cool, and I felt like that I could forget everything and be me when I was on the ice. That is when I was 13 years old. Yes, a 13-year-old boy whose height was about 5’0″ and weight about 180 lb. I never thought that I could become a professional skater since I was not very fit! However, I love ice skating; it is something I would never give up. One day while I was practicing, one of my friends came to me and asked me, “Max, why do you skate? You are so fat; please don’t waste your time and go to do something else!” It hurt, deeply into my heart. I almost gave up on my dream to be a skater, but I didn’t.

I told myself that I have faith in myself and I will show him what I can do. Shortly after that, Disney on Ice – Toy Story 1 came to my town. I was so excited about it since it was my first ice show. In my memories, I remembered there was a little boy who could spin really fast and jump really high in the show. He was my skating hero because I had never seen someone do that in front of my eyes before. He was Mr. Craig Heath. I said to myself, I want to be like him, skate in front of audiences, and entertain people. Because of that, I made up my mind to be a professional skater.

I never competed, but always loved skating. Maybe I am not that good of a skater; however, I have the heart to skate. Now, I am 21; 8 years after making my dream. I have the job I love, traveling all over the world that most people don’t get chance to see. I did it. And I want to thank all of you who love skating because without you, I wouldn’t have become who I am now. Finally, it hits me when my friend told me the names of the principals for Holiday-Hollywood. It is Craig again… a little boy who helped me make my dream come true. Thank you!

Posted by: Hao Liu  Last modified on: 1/25/2006