Eugene Turner(November 26, 1920 – January 14, 2010)[1]was an American championfigure skaterwho competed insingle skating,pair skatingandice dancing.He also coached professionally for 60 years, skated in films and authored skating works. He was born and raised inLos Angeles,California where he graduated from John Marshall High School, and spent most of his life and career in Northern California.
| Eugene Turner | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | November 26, 1920 Los Angeles, California |
| Died | January 14, 2010(aged 89) Yountville,(Napa) California |
| Figure skating career | |
| Country | United States |
| Skating club | Los Angeles FSC |
Medal record | |
Skating career
editTurner won the men's singles title at the 1940 and 1941United States Figure Skating Championships.Also in 1941, he became the first skater to medal in three disciplines at one U.S. Championship, adding the pairs title withDonna Atwoodand the silver medal in ice dancing withElizabeth Kennedy.Self-taught with the Los Angeles Figure Skating Club, he was the first skater from west of the Mississippi River to win a U.S. senior title.
Turner did not appear in the Winter Olympics or World Championships which were subject to worldwide cancellation from 1940 to 1946 due toWorld War IIand post-war rebuilding. During the war, Turner served as a lieutenant in theU.S. Army Air Forces,piloting a single seatP-47 Thunderboltfrom bases in France for over 60 missions against German forces. After the war, he became a coach and skated professionally.[2]
Turner partnered withSonja Henieduring her tour and inIcelandin 1942. He also performed as askating doubleforCary GrantinThe Bishop's Wifein 1948, and forPatric Knowlesin the Abbott & Costello comedy,Hit the Icein 1943.
As a coach, he taught or set programs forAllen Schramm,Dudley Richards,Karol Kennedy,Peter Kennedy,Catherine Machado,Richard Dwyer,Tim Brown,Andree Anderson,Lorin O'Neil Caccamise, andTenley Albright.[1][2]He authored one book, "The Skaters," and Skating magazine carried his columns in the 1980s.[2][3]
Eugene Turner was inducted into theUnited States Figure Skating Hall of Famein 1983 and theProfessional Skaters AssociationCoaches Hall of Fame in 2012.[4]
Results
edit(men's singles)
| Event | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 |
|---|---|---|---|
| North American Championships | 2nd | ||
| U.S. Championships | 3rd | 1st | 1st |
(pairs withDonna Atwood)
| Event | 1941 |
|---|---|
| North American Championships | 2nd |
| U.S. Championships | 1st |
(ice dance withElizabeth Kennedy)
| Event | 1941 |
|---|---|
| U.S. Championships | 2nd |
References
edit- ^ab"U.S. Hall of Fame Member Eugene Turner Passes Away", U.S. Figure Skating (website)[1]
- ^abc"History of the Los Angeles Figure Skating Club"Archived2009-01-05 at theWayback Machine,byVirginia Vale,club newsletter, 1982 (from LAFSC website)
- ^Ellyn Kestnbaum (2003).Culture on ice: figure skating & cultural meaning,Middleton, CT: Wesleyan University PressISBN0-8195-6642-X[2]
- ^Hall of Fame inducteesArchivedSeptember 5, 2007, at theWayback Machine
- "Past U.S. Champions - Senior"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2012-02-09.(123KiB)