Ice Follies
{{Short description|Touring ice show}}
{{for|the film with a similar name|The Ice Follies of 1939}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Ice Follies And Holiday on Ice, Inc.
| logo =
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| former_name = Shipstads and Johnson Ice Follies, Inc.
Holiday on Ice
| trade_name = Disney on Ice
| type = Subsidiary
| industry = Entertainment
| founded =
| founders = {{unbulleted list|Oscar Johnson|Eddie Shipstad|Roy Shipstad}}
| hq_location = Feld Entertainment Studio
| hq_location_city = Ellenton, Florida
| hq_location_country = United States
| area_served = Worldwide
| key_people =
| production = Touring ice shows
| brands = Disney on Ice
| services =
| parent = Feld Entertainment
| website =
}}
The Ice Follies, formerly known as the Shipstads & Johnson Ice Follies, is a touring ice show featuring elaborate production numbers, similar in concept to Ice Capades. It was founded in 1936 by Eddie and Roy Shipstad and Oscar Johnson.{{Cite web|url=http://blog.europeana.eu/2019/01/the-ice-follies-how-a-swedish-family-changed-american-entertainment-history/|title=The Ice Follies: how a Swedish family changed American entertainment history|last=Taes|first=Sofie|date=2019-01-15|website=
The production company is now called Ice Follies and Holiday on Ice, Inc., a subsidiary of Feld Entertainment which produces the shows under the Disney on Ice and "... on Ice" titles. Feld formed the new subsidiary from the Ice Follies and U.S. Holiday on Ice touring companies.
The show was a variety show that included a chorus line called The Ice Folliettes, which led to synchronized figure skating, that famously precisely performed a kick line and pinwheel on ice.
History
File:Roy Shipstad, Oscar Johnson, and Eddie Shipstad.jpg
Son of Swedish parents who had migrant to St. Paul, Minnesota, typewriter salesman Eddie Skeppstedts (later Shipstads) became friends with chemist Oscar Johnson skating at local lakes. They practiced skating stunts together and were hired as halftime entertainment for the local professional hockey team and then for the National Hockey League New York Rangers.
Eddie's brother Roy - himself a successful amateur skater - would later join them to perform charity shows and eventually as the Shipstads & Johnson Ice Follies.
Ice Follies produced the first large scale, professional touring show in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on {{dts|1936|11|7}}.{{cite web |title=Timeline |url=http://proskatinghistoricalfoundation.org/timeline_dates.html?KeepThis=true&TB_iframe=true&height=400&width=600 |website=proskatinghistoricalfoundation.org |publisher=Pro Skating Historical Foundation |access-date=July 30, 2015}}{{Cite book |last=Hines |first=James R. |title=Historical Dictionary of Figure Skating |date=2011 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |isbn=978-0-8108-6859-5 |location=Lanham, Maryland |page=xxvi |trans-title=xxvi}} Ice Follies was featured in the Joan Crawford film, The Ice Follies of 1939, MGM's answer to the popular Sonja Henie films of the time. Frick and Frack, the comic skating duo, joined the show in 1939.{{cite news|last1=Bernstein|first1=Adam|title='Frick' was half of a comic ice-skating duo|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-apr-23-me-groebli23-story.html|access-date=November 23, 2016|work=Los Angeles Times|agency=The Washington Post|date=April 23, 2008}}
In 1946, Ice Follies began co-producing Ice Cycles with Ice Capades.{{cite news|last1=Kirschner|first1=Betty Jean|title=Thrills, Laughs, Flashing Blades Put Ice Cycles' on Must-See List|url=http://idnc.library.illinois.edu/cgi-bin/illinois?a=d&d=DIL19460109.2.4|access-date=September 6, 2016|work=Daily Illini|date=January 9, 1946}} In 1949, Ice Follies left the Ice Cycles show, leaving it under Ice Capades' ownership. In 1950, Roy Shipstad retired from performing and recruited Richard Dwyer to take over his role of "Debonair" as the "Young Debonair". By 1966, "Young" was dropped from the role title that later became "Mr. Debonair". Frack became ill in 1954 ending the duo, but Frick continued at Ice Follies with other partners.{{cite news|last1=Hevesi|first1=Dennis|title=Werner Groebli, Ice Skating's Frick, Dies at 92|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/23/arts/dance/23groebli.html|access-date=November 23, 2016|work=The New York Times|date=April 23, 2008}}
In the mid-1960s, Thomas Scallen took an executive position with Ice Follies which he eventually bought{{cite news|last1=Royce|first1=Royce|title=The unsinkable Thomas Scallen: Old-school showman and dealmaker dies at 89|url=http://www.startribune.com/the-unsinkable-thomas-scallen-old-school-showman-and-dealmaker-dies-at-89/297304491/|access-date=August 7, 2015|work=Star Tribune|publisher=Star Tribune Media Company|date=March 23, 2015}} in 1964.{{cite news|title=Henry (Heinie) Brock, 89, of Shipstad, Johnson Ice Follies|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-08-23-mn-832-story.html|access-date=August 10, 2015|work=Los Angeles Times|date=August 23, 1989}} The Ice Follies were placed within General Ice Shows, Inc., a subsidiary of Scallen's Medical Investment Corporation. General Shows purchased Holiday on Ice (HoI) by {{dts|1971|8}}. After lawsuits filed by HoI's Chaffen{{cite web|title=Chalfen v. Medical Investment Corporation 210 N.W.2d 216 (1973) |url=http://law.justia.com/cases/minnesota/supreme-court/1973/43763-1.html|website=Justia U.S. Law|publisher=Supreme Court of Minnesota|access-date=August 9, 2015}} and Arthur Wirtz were resolved in August 1971 and February 1976 respectively,{{cite web|last1=Bright|title=CHICAGO STADIUM CORPORATION, a Delaware Corporation, and Chicago Blackhawk Hockey Team, Inc., an Illinois Corporation, Appellees, v. Thomas K. SCALLEN and Medical Investment Corporation, a Minnesota Corporation, Appellants. 530 F.2d 204|url=https://law.resource.org/pub/us/case/reporter/F2/530/530.F2d.204.75--1857.75--1825.html|website=Public.Resource.Org|publisher=United States Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit|access-date=August 10, 2015|date=February 10, 1976}} Wirtz gained ownership of both shows.{{cite news|last1=Dale|first1=Steve|title=Snow White And Greenbacks|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1995/01/20/snow-white-and-greenbacks/|access-date=July 30, 2015|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|publisher=Tribune Publishing|date=January 20, 1995}}
File:Ice Follies at 1962 Worlds Fair 02.jpg
Mattel's Irvin & Kenneth Feld Productions purchased the Ice Follies and the Holiday on Ice from Wirtz for $12 million in 1979. The company soon approached Disney about doing a Disney-related show on ice.{{cite news |title=Feld Family Buys Ringling Bros |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D00E0DD1639F93AA25750C0A964948260|quote=... a family that had owned the circus and has been in its management for 26 years. Two members of the family, Irvin Feld and his son, Kenneth, stated the deal included the circus, Ice Follies, Holiday on Ice and the new Walt Disney's World on Ice. ... |agency=Associated Press|newspaper=The New York Times|date=March 19, 1982 |access-date=July 20, 2008}}
=Ice Follies and Holiday on Ice=
Ice Follies merged with Holiday on Ice in 1980, operating as a combined show in 1980 and 1981. The first Disney's World on Ice began touring in 1981.
Frick suffered a career ending injury in 1980.
In 1995, the company branched out from Disney's World on Ice with The Wizard of Oz on Ice,{{cite news|last1=Mangan|first1=Jennifer|title=With Vocal, Visual Talent All Around, It's Wonderful 'Wizard Of Oz On Ice' |url= https://www.chicagotribune.com/1995/09/27/with-vocal-visual-talent-all-around-its-wonderful-wizard-of-oz-on-ice/ |access-date=August 8, 2015|work=Chicago Tribune|publisher=Tribune Publishing|date=September 27, 1995}} the first of the Classic Ice Spectaculars. Disney's World on Ice launched its first international tour in 1986 starting in Japan, had five different touring units by 1988,{{cite news|title=Disney Ice Extravaganza Opens|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-07-01-ca-6453-story.html|access-date=August 10, 2015|work=Los Angeles Times|agency=Times Wire Services|date=July 1, 1988}} and changed its name in 1998 to "Disney on Ice".{{cite web|title=About Feld Entertainment|url=https://www.feldentertainment.com/uploadedFiles/Feld_Inc/PressRoom/AboutFeldEntertainment2015.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923001352/https://www.feldentertainment.com/uploadedFiles/Feld_Inc/PressRoom/AboutFeldEntertainment2015.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 23, 2015|website=feldentertainment.com|publisher=Feld Entertainment|access-date=November 23, 2016|page=2}} The first ice show done in conjunction with 20th Century Fox was Anastasia On Ice starting in 1998.{{cite news|last1=Hirsch|first1=Deborah|title=Anastasia: Legend, Fantasy On Ice|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1999-03-12/entertainment/9903100950_1_sarah-kawahara-anya-ice-capades|access-date=August 8, 2015|work=Sun-Sentinel|publisher=Tribune Publishing|date=March 12, 1999|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304062819/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1999-03-12/entertainment/9903100950_1_sarah-kawahara-anya-ice-capades|url-status=dead}}
Ice Follies also expanded to perform Grease on Ice as early as 1999.{{cite news |last1=Jones |first1=Chris |last2=Bannon|first2=Tim|last3=Hevrdejs|first3=Judy|title=Glitzy Entertainment On Ice Still Melts Hearts In Evergreen Park|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1999/10/31/glitzy-entertainment-on-ice-still-melts-hearts-in-evergreen-park/|access-date=July 30, 2015|work=Chicago Tribune|date=October 31, 1999}} Based on the Disney Channel original movie, High School Musical was launched as an ice tour in 2006 and lasted three years, despite having been originally expected to last one year.{{cite news|last1=Frederick|first1=Missy|title=With new motor sports unit, Feld Entertainment battles recession|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2009/06/01/story11.html|access-date=August 7, 2015|work=Washington Business Journal|publisher=American City Business Journals|date=June 1, 2009}}
Shows
- Ice Follies ({{dts|1936|11|7}}—1979)
- Ice Cycles (1946—1949) a melded co-production with Ice Capades, toured smaller North American cities.
- Ice Follies And Holiday on Ice Combined Shows (1980—1981){{cite news|last1=Corry|first1=John|title=Ice Extravaganza Visits The Garden|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/09/10/arts/ice-extravaganza-visits-the-garden.html|access-date=August 10, 2015|work=The New York Times|date=September 10, 1981}}
- Walt Disney's World on Ice/Disney on Ice series (1981—1998—present)
- Classic Ice Spectaculars, classics on ice{{cite web|title=Feld Entertainment, Inc Company profile|url=http://www.eswr.com/docs/Ringling/FEI_companyprofile.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924002525/http://www.eswr.com/docs/Ringling/FEI_companyprofile.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 24, 2015|website=eswr.com|publisher=Feld Entertainment, Inc|access-date=August 14, 2015}}
- The Wizard of Oz on Ice (1995)
- Grease on Ice (produced with Troika Entertainment)
- Starlight Express ({{dts|1997|9}}—{{dts|1997|10}}){{cite news |url=http://business.highbeam.com/53/article-1G1-19907076/feld-entertainment-tarlight-express-fails-find-niche |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017174052/http://business.highbeam.com/53/article-1G1-19907076/feld-entertainment-tarlight-express-fails-find-niche |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 17, 2015 |title=Feld Entertainment's 'Starlight Express' Fails To Find Niche, Pulled From Road|date=October 20, 1997|work=Amusement Business |access-date=February 8, 2008 }}{{cite news|last1=Zoltak|first1=James|title=Feld Entertainment launches new ice show.|url=http://business.highbeam.com/53/article-1G1-19560309/feld-entertainment-launches-new-ice-show|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017174052/http://business.highbeam.com/53/article-1G1-19560309/feld-entertainment-launches-new-ice-show|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 17, 2015|access-date=August 8, 2015|work=Amusement Business|date=June 30, 1997}}
- Anastasia On Ice (1998–1999) based on Fox's Anastasia animated film{{cite news|last1=Jones|first1=Chris|title='Anastasia' Impressive Bit Of Family Fare|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1998/09/25/anastasia-impressive-bit-of-family-fare/|access-date=August 8, 2015|work=Chicago Tribune|publisher=Tribune Publishing|date=September 25, 1998}}
- High School Musical (2006–2009)
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Ice show}}
{{Feld Entertainment}}