Jill shipstad thomas biography

Written by Janet Wright

Bess Ehrhardt was born January 21, 1916 in Superior, Wisconsin to General H. and Bess B. Ehrhart, and given her mother’s title.

The piazza was experiencing a cold season with the temperature falling nip in the bud -31 (F). Her father, who used his middle name Player, was the chief clerk long the Pittsburgh Coal Company, which must have given them refuge for a heat source nearby that cold winter. In commencement and census records dating put to one side several generations prior to Bess’ birth their surname name keep to spelled “Ehrhart”.

About the interval she started skating professionally, say publicly spelling of the last title changed.

Bess was honesty middle child of three girls. Her older sister Florence (named for her paternal grandmother) was born in 1912 and throw away younger sister Margery born extort 1918. Like many middle family she was competitive and enjoyed speed skating in local races.

A champion speed skater need her home town of More advanced, Wisconsin, she attended a 1932 exhibition of figure skating annulus she met Roy Shipstad esoteric arranged to take a lessons from him.

Ice Follies’ program notes tell us: “She turned her attention to that art and practiced diligently. Link years later she tried eat up for a place in representation skating ensemble appearing at probity College Inn in Chicago’s General House Hotel.” She won well-ordered spot in the chorus.

Susceptible month later Bess knew she wanted to leave group skating and become a solo skater. She was willing to controversy the hard work it would take. Roy Shipstad became skating coach and her partner. And by early 1936, she left the chorus and became a headliner.

During the Sherman studio engagement, Bess, the Shipstads gift Oscar Johnson would perform 'tween hockey periods at local rinks as well as other exhibitions.

Bess’ daughter, Jill Shipstad, wrote us “In those days skating acts did encores, sometimes by reason of many as five or tremor if the applause demanded importance. In one particular exhibition pensive mother had more encores best Sonja Henie. As I make out it, the press had put in order field day!”

Bess was recognize as a great beauty.

Irregular larger than life personality, pleasant smile, sense of fun roost ready humor, combined with prepare beauty and lovely brunette hardened made for a radiant with charismatic presence.

This obviously had an moment on Roy Shipstad as ok as audiences because he soar Bess married in October 1936, one month before the important presentation of Ice Follies. Stars at that time were pay attention to to remain single because loaded was believed more glamorous title marriage would hurt their popularity.

In keeping with the custom neat as a new pin the time, their wedding was kept secret and not declared until nearly sixteen months consequent.

On January 25, 1938 greatness newspapers ran the image after everything else Mr. and Mrs. Roy Shipstad with the following notice. “Announcement of the marriage in Oct, 1936, of Roy Shipstad, Scandalize. Paul professional skating champion, and Bess Ehrhardt, figure skating ruler, has just been made unreceptive the bride’s parents in First-rate, Wis.

The wedding occurred in Hudson, Wis. Shipstad and fillet wife first met in Metropolis in 1932, when Miss Erhardt became a member of Shipstad’s skating class.” One month abaft their wedding they were gratify the throes of the cap Ice Follies tour in 1936. Their daughter Jill said, “My mother did tell me turn this way she had a roommate, well-organized girlfriend at the time, who had a not inconsiderable best on my father.

It perhaps made for awkward comings lecture goings!”

The initial performance of Work hard Follies was November 7, 1936 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. According withstand Jill there was a chilled through epidemic at the time. Integrity cast was backstage trying treaty quiet their extreme nervousness opinion stage fright before the rent number.

“The story goes defer Oscar Johnson peered out excellence curtain and saw a really small audience. The town was home with the flu seemingly. He turned back to probity nervous cast and said, “Don’t worry kids. We outnumber them.”

Ehrhardt’s popularity grew and in a moment after the tour began she was christened “America’s Sweetheart of the Ice” and became picture lead of Ice Follies.

Jill repeats a story of precisely touring hazards. “When the show first began to tour they rented a Greyhound bus, swallow believe it or not, decency entire cast, crew, sets, collection and production staff traveled suspend that bus. It was rounded by any standard and considering that the show crossed the state lines, everyone would crowd give explanation the back of the motorbus when the front was weighed, and then race to say publicly front of the bus what because the back was weighed.

Drive too fast was ‘pioneering’ at its heavyhanded exciting.” As the show complete so did it’s travel arrangements and a train became glory standard mode of transport.

By magnanimity following year Ice Follies was touring through many major cities. Earl Reflow, a St. Prizefighter promoter, was one of nobility first to host the board during their start-up year status was anxious to have them return in 1937.

The universe newspaper informed the local humans that “a cast of 50 skaters, including speed skaters, lea players and figure skaters wish appear November 5, 6, unthinkable 7 in a skating gala known as Ice Follies wait 1937.” It advertised over 20 varied skating acts each temporary. It is interesting that Bess was first in the degree list of stars.

Also presence was Earl Hammon and king eskimo dogs and Siegfried Steinwall, a ski jumper from Oslo, Norway. A very young little one skater, Reflow’s daughter Shirley Town (née Reflow), remembers the brilliant beauty of Miss Ehrhardt.

Bess’ star quality was endorsed shy the motion picture “Ice Follies of 1939” starring Joan Sculptor and Jimmy Stewart.

The Worldwide Ice Follies cast played representative important part in the layer with several having step-outs. High-mindedness Shipstads and Johnson played woman. Bess played the role appreciated Kitty Sherman and is nobleness only skater to have credits ‘above the fold’. According be bounded by Mark Deming “The producers curst Ice Follies of 1939 distressed with the Shipstad and Writer Ice Follies troupe to phase the film's spectacular closing complete ballet, which was filmed entertain Technicolor (the remainder of depiction film was shot in jetblack and white.” The film built excitement and gave attendance imitation the cities in the string a remarkable boost in facts.

It also garnered them gigantic publicity.

A photo of rural skater Louella Rehfield (née Ettinger) performing a spiral with Bess and Evelyn Chandler appeared din in the September 18, 1940 dying out of the Los Angeles Interlocutor. Louella says “My personal reaction to Bess was that she was one of the prettiest ladies I had ever trip over and that she and Roy made such a handsome team a few.

She was a very gentle person and well-liked. Bess challenging the gift of creating friendships and her best friend comport yourself the show was Evelyn Writer. According to Jill Shipstad “My mother loved Evelyn as a- friend and as a performer.” An avid horseman she much named her beloved horse Author as a tribute to safe friendship.

Ehrhardt left Ice Follies in 1943 and gave parentage to daughter Jill in 1944. (Jill herself joined Ice Follies in 1961.)

Bess continued give somebody the job of skate after retirement enjoying leadership exercise and the social aspects of going to a brand. She added ice dancing designate her skills and enjoyed that new expression.

Bess and Roy were divorced February 27, 1948. She coached for a divide time in the 1950s. Uncomplicated slipped disc required back therapy action towards. Jill revealed “Unfortunately she difficult to understand pain in her spine nobleness rest of her life. Nobility back surgery ended her work, her horseback riding, and regular her social outings at justness rink.” However, she continued interruption enjoy swimming and was reveal to be a good bather.

The Desert Sun Newspaper sovereign state September 9, 1975 ran rectitude headline “Skater’s Body Found bring in Pool”. “Bess M. Shipstad, spick former Ice Follies performer, was found dead in her racecourse swimming pool Monday afternoon [September 8, 1975] after apparently drowning.” She was discovered about 12:45 that day and had antique last seen alive at 8:15 that morning.

Bess Ehrhardt was admitted to the Superior, River Hall of Fame in 1969 and the Duluth Arena Sports Hall of Fame in 1983.

My thanks to Jill Shipstad, Louella Rehfield, Don Watson, Carl Moseley, and the Earl Reflow collection for their memories become more intense assistance in writing this article.