Wikipedia

Ice Capades

TheIce Capadeswere traveling entertainment shows featuring theatricalice skatingperformances. Shows often featured formerOlympicandUS National Championfigure skaterswho had retired from formal competition. Started in 1940, the Ice Capades grew rapidly and prospered for 50 years. A decline in popularity ensued in the 1980s, and the show went out of business around 1995. There have been several attempts to revive the show and its name.

Ice Capades Inc.
  • Ice Capades
  • Dorothy Hamill's Ice Capades (1993–1996)
Formerly
  • Ice Capades (1940–1991)
  • Dorothy Hamill International (1993–1995)
FoundedFebruary 1940;84 years ago(1940-02)inHershey, Pennsylvania
FoundersArena Managers Association
DefunctAugust 15, 1997;27 years ago(1997-08-15)
Fateclosed down
Key people
Parent
Divisions
  • The East Company (1940–1997)
  • Ice Cycles(1946–1956)
  • West Company
  • Continental Company
Promotional illustration for the 1965 Ice Capades

Similar traditional ice-skating entertainment shows included theIce FolliesandHoliday on Ice.

History

edit

Ice Capades was founded in February 1940 inHershey, Pennsylvania,by nine men who called themselves the Arena Managers Association. They met to discuss forming an ice show to play in their arenas during the 1940-1941 entertainment season. The arenas represented were all well-known venues of the day:[1]

In 1936, Harris had hired the legendary skaterSonja Henieto perform between periods ofice hockeygames. She created a sensation among Pittsburghers, confirming his faith in ice skating's potential as a spectator amusement.[2]The other arena managers agreed with this assessment, chose the name "Ice Capades", and formed a group of skaters.

Early years

edit
Audience at the Ice Capades show,Montreal Forum,1944.
Ice Capades program from 1945, showing the many production numbers, and the large size of the cast. Single-themed shows had not yet been developed.

The group's first performance was four months after its founding, on June 16, 1940, atNew Orleans Municipal Auditorium.The show closed there on June 29 and moved toAtlantic City Convention Hall,where it played nightly from July 19 through September 2. Famous skaters in the large cast includedBelita,Vera Hruba,andRobin Lee.The group's first touring season under the Ice Capades name covered 24 cities between November 1940 and May 1941.[1]

The show's success spawned two films fromRepublic Pictures,Ice-Capades(1941),[3]andIce-Capades Revue(1942).[4]The films featured actors and entertainers such asJames Ellison,Ellen Drew,Jerry Colonna,andPhil Silvers,as well as the Ice Capades skaters. They were not considered to be films of quality, and the first one was panned byThe New York Times.[3]

In 1942, the show featured world champion skaterMegan Taylor,new talentDonna Atwood,and an acrobatic team fromBostoncalled the Hub Trio featuring Leonard Mullen, Kenneth Mullen and Eddie Raiche. They were the first in the world to perform a back flip without the use of hands. The next year, U.S. figure skating championBobby Spechtjoined the show; he would be actively involved with Ice Capades for the next 31 years. 1943 also introduced the "Old Smoothies", Orrin Markhus, 51, and his partner Irma Thomas, 44, plus Trixie, the skating juggler. The production number "Toys for Sale" was the first story on ice with original words and music.[1]

Later years

edit

Ice Capades shows were extremely popular for several decades and became ahousehold name,although they were criticized by some askitsch.[5]From 1941 through 1981, the Ice Capades show was a summertime fixture at what was then known asAtlantic City Convention Hall.[6]

In 1946 Ice Cycles, a co-production, was formed withIce Follies.[7]In 1949, Ice Follies left the Ice Cycles show leaving it under Ice Capades' ownership.[8]Starting in 1949, Ice Capades started addingDisney's character segment to their performances. Costumes from those shows were used at the opening ofDisneylandin 1955, and some performers were hired away by Disney.[9]

Harris sold the companycirca1964 toMetromedia.[10]By the mid 1970s, Ice Capades had grown to three different touring companies under one Ice Capades umbrella: The East Company (the original 1940 company), the West Company, and the Continental Company (formed in 1974). In this period, they owned several railroad baggage cars that were used to transport the show.[citation needed]In 1986, then-ownerMetromediasold Ice Capades, 15 Ice Chalet skating rinks, and theHarlem Globetrottersas a package toInternational Broadcasting Corporationfor $30 million.[11]

Dorothy Hamill's Ice Capades

edit

A slow decline in popularity began by the end of the 1980s. The parent company went bankrupt in 1991. Olympic championScott Hamiltonjoined the show in 1984 but later left to start his own show,Stars on Ice.On June 24, 1993,Dorothy Hamill,who headlined the East Company from 1977 to 1984,[citation needed]bought Ice Capades' assets in abankruptcysale via Dorothy Hamill International company. Hamill International developedFrozen in Time: Cinderella on Ice,a theatrical style show billed as Dorothy Hamill's Ice Capades.[12]The new company took on millions in loans to stay afloat, but attendance figures remained stagnant.[5]In May 1994, theShrinersdropped its sponsorship of the Christmas show in favor of Disney On Ice.[13]

In February 1995, Hamill sold the company for $10 million to television evangelistPat Robertson's company,International Family Entertainment(IFE). Hamill and her husband, Dr. Ken Forsythe, were retained as president and CEO, respectively.[14]Ice Capades planned a tour of arenas as well as a TV special in China'sTiananmen Squarebut went out of business a short time later.[5]

The tour had a lackluster season which led Hamill to leave the company. IFE then searched for a management firm to handle the touring company for an equity stake. Instead, however, IFE sold Ice Capades in late 1995, to Del Wilber & Associates, while retaining the option to reacquire a majority ownership stake for 10 years.[15][16]

In 1996, Ice Capades andMetro-Goldwyn-MayerdevelopedThe Magic of MGM,which includedDairy Queenamong its sponsors.[17]On August 15, 1997, Del Wilber shut down operations and laid off the performers. IFE had apparently continued to fund the Ice Capades as a secured creditor. IFE was acquired byFox Kids Worldwide,funding was halted, and two scheduled tours were canceled.[15]

Analysis

edit

Analysts believe the increasing popularity of the sport offigure skatingmeant that more sophisticated audiences came to prefer straightforwardOlympic-style ice-skating competitions, or skating shows for adults (i.e., without cartoon characters), such as Stars on Ice. At the same time, shows such asDisney on Ice(featuringDisneycartoon characters) successfully competed for the child audience.[5]

Revivals and reunions

edit

In the fall of 2000, Ice Capades was resurrected by Garden Entertainment in its original format, with a large cast of skaters. The new show was conceived, directed, and choreographed by the former German pair skating championAlmut Lehmann Peyper.The show was not a financial success and closed in November 2000, canceling the remaining tour dates.

Another attempt to revive Ice Capades was made in the spring of 2008, with plans for a tent show production called "Mystika", billed as "Cirque Meets Ice". In mid-August 2008, auditions were held inLake Placid, New Yorkfor the all new Ice Capades. Developed by Entertainment Holdings and Red Brick Entertainment, Ice Capades was announced for production as live skating shows, television specials, episodic series, and web content. Three-time U.S. pairs champion and two-time OlympianJoJo Starbuckwas named as Artistic Director.[18]However, in April 2009, the tour was canceled by its organizers, Garden Family Shows, stranding many of the performers without pay and leaving suppliers unpaid.[19]

Reunions

edit

Former Ice Capades skaters have organized reunions, typically held every five years. The 2010 reunion, held inLas Vegas,commemorated the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Ice Capades, and was attended by more than 500 people.[20]The 75th Diamond Jubilee Celebration was held in June 2015.[21]

Productions

edit

Licensed characters and properties used in productions included "AFlintstoneFantasy "(1967),[citation needed]"Hey Kids, MeetThe Snorks!"(1985)[5]and "TheEwoks"(1986).[citation needed]From 1989 to 1990, as part of the show's 50th anniversary, the Ice Capades had a tour that featured a variety of segments, including appearances fromOlympicmedalistElizabeth Manley,Super Mario Bros.,andBarbie.[22][23]On December 28, 1989,ABCaired the Ice Capades in a special hosted byJason BatemanandAlyssa Milano.[24]The special was written byBruce Vilanch.[25]

Ice Capades Tours

  • 34th Edition featuring Gypsy Magic, The Golden Hamburger Caper (McDonald's characters), and the precision group performing as The Rangerettes (1973)[26]
  • 35th Edition featuring Stereopticon, It's Christmas Every Day, and the precision group (referred to as the Ice Capettes) performing Touch of Classe (1975)
  • "Just for You" tour featuring Gym 'N Ice Tricks, A Pinball Fantasy, Happy Birthday Yogi Bear, and the World Famous Ice Capettes in Those Golden Girls (1975-76)
  • "It's Magic-Time" tour featuring Grand Illusions, Island Magic, Chopin Fantasy, Scooby-Doo and the Gang From Magicland, and the World Famous Ice Capettes in Thirty-Two of a Kind (1976)
  • "Make A Wish" tour featuring A Royal Welcome, Flintstone Frolics, An Oriental Fantasy, and precision skating by the Famous Ice Capettes (1978)
  • "Star Struck" tour featuring Disco Encounters, Wiz City (Hanna-Barbera characters), and Radiant Stars precision skating by the Famous Ice Capettes (1979)
  • "Let's Celebrate" tour featuring Latin Fire, The Magic Machine (Hanna-Barbera characters), and the Ice Capettes and Ice Cadets in Gershwin Hit Parade (1981)
  • "Light Up the Ice" tour starring Toller Cranston (in select cities) featuring Alice at the Wonderland Ball, Journey to the Ice Age, and the World Famous Ice Capettes and Ice Cadets in Precision on Parade (1981-82)
  • "Hello World Hello!" tour featuring Flight to Kismet, Smurfs Alive!, Viva Vegas Viva!, and the Very Best Ice Capettes and Ice Cadets precision number titled That's Jazz (1982)
  • "Skates Alive" tour featuring Wow! It's On Ice!, Dingbats & Ice Blobs, and the Very Best Ice Capettes and Ice Cadets precision number titled Dudes, Dolls & Diamonds (1983)
  • "Dream World: An Iced Delight" tour featuring For Your Ice Only, The Smurf That Learns to Fly, and the Greatest Precision Skaters in the World in the Star Time finale (1984)
  • "Hooray for Ice!" starring Kitty & Peter Carruthers featuring Ravel's Bolero, Hey Kids Meet the Snorks, The Chiller, and the World's Greatest Precision skaters in Rhythms for the Now Generation (1985)
  • "Bravo America: Bold, Bright, Beautiful" tour starring Paul Martini & Barbara Underhill featuring The Ewoks, Miss Liberty, and the World's Greatest Precision Skaters in Team Ice Capades (1986)
  • "The Best of Times" featuring The Beatles Remembered, The World of Teddy Ruxpin, and the World's Greatest Precision Skaters in Top of the Line (1987)
  • "Salute to Hollywood" starring Torvill & Dean (in select cities) featuring Noir Et Blanc- A Chess Fantasy, The California Raisins, and Our World Famous Precision Skaters in The Spectacles of Busby Berkeley (1988)
  • "Return to Romance" starring Elizabeth Manley featuring The Reckless Voyage, From the World of Nintendo: Adventures of the Super Mario Brothers, and the World Famous Precision Skaters in The Magic of the Can Can (1989)
  • "Golden Anniversary Edition" featuring The Golden Anniversary Ball, Barbie At the Big Top, Inside the Ice Capades Computer, and The Simpsons (1990)
  • "On Top of the World" featuring A Night in Metropolis, The Haunted House on Ice Mountain, and the Ice Capades Precision Skaters in Sing, Sing, Sing (1991)
  • "Made in America" starring Christopher Bowman and speed skater Cathy Turner featuring The Lovable Dolls: Raggedy Ann & Raggedy Andy, Frontier Days, and the World Famous Precision Skaters (1992)

Ice Capades theatrical shows

  • Frozen in Time: Cinderella on Ice(1993)[12]
  • Hansel, Gretel, the Witch and the Cat(1994) an adaptation ofHansel and Gretel[27]
  • The Magic of MGM(September 1996)[17]

Ice Cycles

edit

In 1946, Ice Cycles was started as a co-production withIce Folliesand was designed to tour in smaller cities. They used skaters and production numbers from both tours.[8][7]In 1949, Ice Follies left the Ice Cycles show, leaving it under Ice Capades' ownership. Ice Cycles continued as a second tier touring company. In 1956, the Ice Cycles name was dropped in favor of the name Ice Capades.[8]

Notable skaters

edit

These are some of the many notable skaters who appeared in Ice Capades shows or were involved in other aspects of the company:[1][28]

Portable ice rinks

edit

In the early 1950s, the group started using portable ice rinks, called "tanks". This made it possible for them to perform in arenas that did not have their own ice surface, greatly expanding the number of venues where the show could operate. It took several days and 30-40 workers to install the tanks. In the late 1960s, Ice Capades designed and patented a new portable ice rink system that could be installed in less than 10 hours on most arena basketball floors or other surfaces.[1]

Chalet skating rinks

edit

In 1966, Ice Capades bought an ice skating rink inTopanga Plazashopping center,Canoga Park, California.The success of this venture led to the establishment of the Ice Capades Chalet Division, which owned and operated about 13 rinks, ran ice skating schools, and developed a curriculum that could develop a skater from beginner to competitive skater. Most of the Chalets were inCaliforniaandTexas;others were inArizona,Georgia,andNorth Carolina.The chalets were started byMichael Kirby,former voice of Ice Capades shows, and eventually expanded to over two dozen facilities.

edit

The show has been widely parodied,[citation needed]for example by cartoonistGary Larson's comic stripThe Far Sidewith good-natured comics captioned "IceCrusades"[30]and "DirtCapades ".[31]

In the movieBarbie (2023 film)when Ken is throwing all of Barbie's clothes out the window one of the outfits is an Ice Capades themed costume which Ice Capades did partner with Mattel to sell licensed dolls and doll outfits.

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^abcdeHamilton, F. F. Jr. (1974).Ice Capades "years of entertainment".Washington, DC: Penchant Publishing Company, Ltd.
  2. ^Biehl, Mary A. (2004)."The Harris Family and its Ice Capades".Western Pennsylvania History.87(4): 37–39. Archived fromthe originalon 2014-03-13.Retrieved2014-03-13.
  3. ^abCrowther, Bosley (1941-09-25)."' Ice-Capades,' a Slow Comedy (With Incidental Skating), at Loew's Criterion ".The New York Times.RetrievedApril 3,2009.
  4. ^"Ice-Capades Revue".AFI Catalog of Feature Films.American Film Institute.RetrievedSeptember 6,2016.
  5. ^abcdeCurtis, Bryan (March 16, 2005)."The Ice Capades: Requiem for the ice carnival".Slate.The Washington Post Company.RetrievedNovember 19,2015.
  6. ^Sokolic, William H. (September 19, 2006)."Former Ice Capades Performers Reunite".Courier-Post Online.RetrievedNovember 27,2009.
  7. ^abKirschner, Betty Jean (January 9, 1946)."Thnlis, Laughs, Flashing Blades Put 'Ice Cycles' on Must-See List".The Daily Illini.RetrievedSeptember 6,2016.
  8. ^abc"Timeline".proskatinghistoricalfoundation.org.Pro Skating Historical Foundation.RetrievedJuly 30,2015.
  9. ^Korkis, Jim (September 13, 2005)."Wednesdays with Wade: 25 years of" Disney on Ice "".JimHillMedia.RetrievedJuly 30,2015.
  10. ^Hines, James R. (2011-04-22).Historical Dictionary of Figure Skating.Scarecrow Press. pp.109,119.ISBN978-0-8108-6859-5.Retrieved2014-03-13.john h harris ice capades.
  11. ^Rivera, Nancy (March 5, 1986)."Metromedia Will Sell Trotters, Ice Capades: Minnesota Company to Pay $30 Million".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedSeptember 6,2016.
  12. ^abDeckard, Linda (July 12, 1993). "Ice Capades sale final, new owners talk plans".Amusement Business.
  13. ^Sowa, Tom (May 5, 1994). "Breaking Ice: 40 Year Relationship Ends Shriners fire Ice Capades, hire Disney on Ice".The Spokesman-Review.Cowles Company.McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
  14. ^Deckard, Linda (June 13, 1994). "Cable TV's IFE buys Ice Capades".Amusement Business.
  15. ^abWaddell, Ray (September 8, 1997). "Ice Capades is forced to cancel two fall tours".Amusement Business.
  16. ^Mayfield, Dave (August 14, 1995). "International Family Entertainment to Sell Ice Capades".The Virginian-Pilot.Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.
  17. ^abZuber, Amy (September 9, 1996). "Dairy Queen straps on its skates for Ice Capades".Nation's Restaurant News.
  18. ^"IceCapades.tv, August 16, 2008".Archived fromthe originalon January 31, 2009.
  19. ^"Ice Capades scraps international tour".The Vancouver Sun.Postmedia Network.Archived fromthe originalon April 10, 2009.
  20. ^"70th Ice Capades Anniversary Reunion".Retrieved2011-01-18.
  21. ^"Ice Capades 75th Diamond Jubilee Celebration".2013-10-17.Retrieved2015-04-04.
  22. ^Weiss, Devi (September 29, 1989)."The Ice Capades Celebrates A Half-century Of Frosty Fun".Orlando Sentinel.Tribune Publishing.RetrievedJune 21,2017.
  23. ^Yarrow, Andrew (January 19, 1990)."Weekender Guide".The New York Times.RetrievedJune 21,2017.
  24. ^"Update".Los Angeles Times.December 28, 1989.RetrievedJune 21,2017.
  25. ^Swertlow, Frank (November 2, 1989). "Movers and shakers".Los Angeles Daily News.Digital First Media.p. L20.Bruce Villanche (sic), who wrote this year's Academy Awards show, was in Chicago recently to fine-tune the patter for the television special 'The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber,' and he is also working on material for the upcoming ABC 'Ice Capades' show with Jason Bateman, which will be televised Dec. 28.
  26. ^Hamilton, Frank.Ice Capades souvenir program.
  27. ^Pena, Albert (October 7, 1994). "Dorothy Hamill's Ice Capades presents Hansel, Gretel the Witch and".La Prensa de San Antonio.
  28. ^Hines, James R. (2006).Figure Skating: A History.Urbana, Illinois: University of Illinois Press.ISBN0-252-07286-3.
  29. ^Hruska, Rachelle (June 24, 2008)."Interview With Richie Rich".Vimeo.IAC.
  30. ^Norako, Leila K."The Crusades and Western Cultural Imagination".Rossell Hope Robbins Library, University of Rochester. Archived fromthe originalon February 15, 2009.Retrieved2009-11-27.
  31. ^Larson, Gary(1992-06-01).Cows Of Our Planet (Far Side Series).Andrews McMeel Publishing.ISBN0-8362-1701-2.
edit
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ice_Capades&oldid=1253360152"