Robert Unger toured as a principal pair skater with several skating shows, including Garmisch Partenkirchen, Eisballet Baier, and Holiday On Ice in Europe and the United States in the 1950s and 1960s.

This book tells his story, from growing up in Germany during World War II and his early skating days to his eventual move to the United States to establish the Robert Unger School of Ice Skating in both Knoxville, Tennessee and in Huntsville, Alabama.

Robert Unger with partner Rosemarie

Hardcover with 200+ Photos! 8.5″ x 11″

Link to purchase “Robert Unger: Something for Everyone”

Carl was Assistant Company Manager to Tom Collins, and he also performed in the show.  His memories are amazingly detailed and give insights into many of the backstage antics and drama of this wonderful professional tour from 1965 to 1968.

Proceeds benefit the Pro Skating Historical Foundation!

Available for sale, now! Only $ 9.95 plus shipping.  My Story: Adventures with Holiday On Ice

Ice Capades Reunion!

June 14-16, 2022

Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa

Palm Springs, California

Registration Link

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: 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!

Reportedly the fourth in the world to land a backflip, Russell Mullen skated with the Ice Capades in the 1940s.  He is pictured below landing a backflip on outdoor ice in New Hampshire in 1949.

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
• Russell Mullen – 1949
• Mike Course — one of the first in 1957
• Katy Garrity
• Clément Pinel
• Norman Donald Sullivan
• Nathan Chen
• Elladj Balde’
• Keegan Messing
• Billy Henry, Jr. & Billy Henry (father & son act) – 1959-1961 Ice Capades

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

Amazing videos available on YouTube:

Summer On Ice 1961 – Ice Capades Show

E-mail us at info@proskatinghistoricalfoundation.org

Back This Project!

Do you want to skate in a professional show?  Are you looking to improve your component marks?  Or do you just like to entertain audiences with your skating?

If so, ProSkaters’ Knoxville Live Auditions and Performance Camp are right for you.

We hosted over 50 skaters in 2016 and they had the opportunity to work with some of the best choreographers in the professional skating world and show producers who cast hundreds of skaters a year what they could do.

Here’s the preliminary schedule for the weekend.

The event will be held at Ice Chalet in Knoxville, Tenn.  They are located at:

100 Lebanon St, Knoxville, TN 37919
Phone:  (865) 588-1858

Looking for accommodations near the Ice Chalet Ice Rink?  Several motels are located within a couple of miles of the Ice Chalet.  Here are links to a few.

Registration is available online.

In 2012, ProSkaters held the first “East Coast Performance Camp and Auditions” at the Ice Chalet in Knoxville, Tennessee. Producers from Disney On Ice, Willy Bietak Productions, Advanced Entertainment Group, and other ice shows come together for a weekend each Spring to help young skaters learn what it takes to have a successful ice show career.

It gave him a great perspective on the world, learning about other cultures and about history.  He felt that this experience made him more “a part of the world.”

His advice to young show skaters is to concentrate on seeing the sights, learning something about each city.  Read about the history of each place you visit.  Save your money by avoiding too much late night partying.   You can still enjoy yourself, but don’t restrict your sight-seeing to the bars in each town!

– From an interview with Robert Unger in the 1990s

5-DVD Set

“The Golden Age of Ice Shows”

– Your chance to own some classic show skating memories.

This is a newly published set of five DVDs featuring video clips from the Ice Capades, Holiday On Ice, and other shows — all filmed during the 1960s, 70s, and 80s by Carl Moseley.

Download the PDF order form here!

Order Online!

Featured skaters include:

• Ray Ballmer
• The Ungers
• Ronnie Robertson
• Donald Jackson
• Jill Shipstad
• Paul & Wagner
• Richard Dwyer
• Petra Burka
• Allen & Percelly
• Alice Quessy
• Paul Heath
• The Carruthers
• Cutter & Coyne
• The Protopopovs

… and many more!

The 5-DVD set includes a bonus DVD featuring Ronnie Robertson’s Best!

Proceeds benefit the Pro Skating Historical Foundation

Download the PDF order form here!

Order Online!