Suceessful pro careers | Page 3 | Golden Skate

Suceessful pro careers

Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Seanibu - There are many popular artists in varied artistic industries. It's not necessary to love all of them but if I believe they contributed something to their artform then I will respect them, certainly. Sonia did that for figue skating.

I'm not well versed in the sport before Sonia except it began with only men in the sport. When women were allowed to compete, there were restrictions. However, one gal, I understand, did a jump in her free skate program, and that revolutionized Ladies in figure skating. Much later, Henie comes in with a short skirt, wins 3 gold Olys and Darryl F. Zanuck's company didn't go bankrupt.

I would say, Henie's movies spurred the growth of figure skating, and with her travelling show which was able to make ice inside an arena, it was everything skating needed to become popular in the US and even more popular in Europe than it had been. btw, Scott was a super school figure skater.

So, in my opinion, she was the mother of us all. I welcome anyone to say that someone else did more for the growth of figure skating.

Joe
 

karina1974

Spectator
Joined
Feb 23, 2006
Joesitz said:
I'll preface this because I don't want people to think I am a big fan of Sonia. I was not infatuated with her especially after seeing Suspense with Belita.

What's this "Suspense" thing you mention? She was never in a movie by that name that I know of.

During her heyday, there were numerous ice skating shows - not just hers, and all very successful in the US. I think too, those shows sold out in other parts of the world. There were also night club acts with skating performers as patrons ate and drank in many hotels around the country.

None of them could boast having as accomplished a headliner as the Hollywood Ice Revue, though, especially one that Fate had decided would be the reigning Olympic Champion for 20 years.

You all saw the movies, and nobody except Heiss' bit it The Three Stooges has there been another one about a single skater. (Today's movies are all about Pairs and the actors are not skaters. You figure.)

Uh, you never saw Ice Castles, did you? And Lynn-Holly Johnson WAS a skater before starring in that movie.

have no idea what was going on in the Soviet Union during the Henie period, but prominent skates from Europe emerged.

Well, ALL of the prominent skaters before Dick Button and Barbara Ann Scott emerged in the late 1940's were European. North American skaters had won a few silvers and bronzes but no Olympic titles until 1948. That proves my point about Sonja, that she really began pushing skating's popularity on this side of the Atlantic back in the 1930's. All of the skaters during the USA's Golden Age of Skating (1948-1960) are arguably products of Sonja Henie's popularity in this country.
 
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SeaniBu

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 19, 2006
Awesome Info on your POVs.
MM, love the analogy:agree:
Joesitz, great clarification - although I am probably the only one who need it. I appreciate the post. I feel like I totaly understand the post / comment now. :agree: Thanks!
And karina1974, I would love to see more posts from you!
:bow: to all of you:biggrin:


It appears that there was not "Dancing Adaptation" in ladies competitive FS until Sonia introduced it. Subsequently making her the "Ultimate improver" of competitive FS IMO. I might be wrong???

Now whether or not the originator of the "career ice skating after you retire from competition" would have had success with the Ice Shows without Sonia's career / influance, that individual would be the inventor of the professional career. It is like saying Henry Ford was the inventor of the automobile, when in fact is is much more correct to say he was a "pioneer." Some might say Benz (he made the first one work) some might say DiVinci (had the theory).

Somebody may have "drawn up the plans for an "Ice Show," but the first one to organize the skaters and perform in front of an audience would be the inventor in my mind - regardless of how big the crowd was. Ford made the auto successful, he was a pioneer.

So regardless how Sonia got the ideas to make the changes - that she did at the right time as the right person to do them - she changed the face of FS into something that had more appeal and required more talent then before.

I guess to not make this a Sonia Henie thread, she definitely had the most successful transition into becoming pro. But that is most likely due to the things she did prior that there would even be a substantial desire for pro skating. And she most likely has made the most money out of any FSer - possibly even accounting for inflation or investment (that might be a good one for MM to figure out). As far as comparing the amount of people who could have the opportunity to watch FS then to now, she had the largest audience and acknowledgment of her name.

;) But I am still under the impression that Scott is the hardest working FS in the pro circuit ever. There were many more open arms then than now.
 
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SeaniBu

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 19, 2006
Wonderful MM thank you for "accidentally" from a different thread, leading me here. My questions are now answered on this particular topic via the Office.

http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-222016

You must be Mr. Stone's Cousin, 'cause you really Rock!!!!!!!:agree: :laugh: :clap:


It was all semantics, but those particular words were leading me to believe something that was different than the specific truth - my fault as the interpreter i guess?

It was Sonja Henie who invented the concept of the pro career, by virtue of being the first Olympic/World Champion skater to ever have one.
I thought this meant she acutely invented it. And obviously not if there were skaters getting paid to go on tour and Ice skate - definition. Soina was the MOST successful, and made it what it is, but not made (as in invent) it. If anything the comment going to Scott about re-inventing should go to Sonia, a pioneer. And as far as the thread topic in particular, she was the first Olympic / World Champion skater to ever go pro. I feel stupid for getting confused on this.

So, in my opinion, she was the mother of us all. I welcome anyone to say that someone else did more for the growth of figure skating.
I don't disagree with this at all - I am saying Scott works harder. She basically "gave Scott the Job." lol

Again came down to How vs. Why and I am glad I questioned rather than just thinking that must be because.... The truth has set me fee - at least until the next time I have no clue what is going on.
 
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~Muffin~

Match Penalty
Joined
Dec 16, 2005
I think both Sale & Pelletier and Berezhnaya & Sikharulidze have had very succesful pro careers as far as I have seen. :cool:
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
karina1974 said:
What's this "Suspense" thing you mention? She was never in a movie by that name that I know of.
Here's an excerpt of a London newspaper on her obituary.

Belita was given a contract by Monogram, and though her movies had slim plots, the lavish production numbers on ice made them popular fare, and in 1946 she was entrusted with the leading role in Frank Tuttle's Suspense. 'It was the film I most enjoyed making,' she recalled. 'It was the first film in which certain camera angles were used, and it was photographed by Karl Struss, who was incredible.'

It was a steamy tale, scripted by Philip Yordan in James Cain fashion, of infidelity, deceit and murder, boosted by lavish skating routines (in the most suspenseful of which, Belita had to jump through a circle of knives). Her skating skill masked any deficiencies as an actress. Her co-star, Barry Sullivan, recalled,


You could think about googling yourself once in a while. BTW, if you can get a tape of that film, let me know.

Uh, you never saw Ice Castles, did you? And Lynn-Holly Johnson WAS a skater before starring in that movie.
Nope. Watched War and Peace instead. I outgrew skating movies.



Well, ALL of the prominent skaters before Dick Button and Barbara Ann Scott emerged in the late 1940's were European. North American skaters had won a few silvers and bronzes but no Olympic titles until 1948. That proves my point about Sonja, that she really began pushing skating's popularity on this side of the Atlantic back in the 1930's. All of the skaters during the USA's Golden Age of Skating (1948-1960) are arguably products of Sonja Henie's popularity in this country.
Sonja Henie was a European!!! and a good business woman. Should she have tried Pinewood Studios in London?

Anyway, Belita was special for me.

Joe
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Mathman said:
Sonja Henie wasn't in Suspense :cool: but (as Joe says) her successor in the skating movies, "Belita" (AKA Gladys Jepson-Turner) was.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,60-1968933,00.html

Belita was 16th in the 1936 Olympics, competing for Britain (Henie was first), and -- like Henie -- went on to fame and fortune in Hollywood.

MM :)
One of those articles mentioned Belita as saying that all the athletes HAD to salute Hitler in Garmisch. Sonia got a bad rap for that because being the favorite figure skater, they took newsreels of her salute.

I liked Belita more than Henie but don't tell any Henie fans that.:cool:

If anyone can find a tape of Suspense, please let us all know. Once this forum sees it, there will be pages and pages of pro and cons about Belita and Sasha over flexibility.

Oh, before I forget, I want Michelle to do the remake of Suspense as a TV Movie of the Week. Can you see MK in afilm noir ? She'll get an Emmie just for doing her falling leaf through the circle of daggers!!

Joe
 
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