Two earlier marriages to Americans, Daniel Reid Topping and Winthrop Gardiner Jr., ended in divorces in 1946 and 1956. The three-story home located at 243 Delfern Drive across from Sunset Boulevard sat on five acres and included a grand staircase, swimming pool and tennis courts. [citation needed][11]. Your email address will not be published. Sonia Heney competed in Lake Placid in 1932 and won the gold medal, her second of three gold medals. And drinking.. At the age of ten she won her first ice-skating competition. Others point out that it was the presence of Stevens daughters that kept her in the house. This magnificent Paul Williams estate, originally built for Sonja Henie in 1939, has been the home of iconic actress/entertainer, business woman and philanthropist, Connie Stevens, for the past 34 years. Josh Malerman wrote the novel. When the Nazis arrived to take over the house, they saw the picture and left quickly. Wood paneling and wide-plank wood floors mark many of the indoor spaces. Towards the end of her career, she began to be strongly challenged by younger skaters including Cecilia Colledge, Megan Taylor, and Hedy Stenuf. This home is located in the Beverly Crest neighborhood of Los Angeles. She also began staging and appearing in ice shows, in association with Arthur Wirtz, her business manager, and these, too, were very successful--with lavish costumes and spectacular routines. And in March of 1952, when a section of bleachers collapsed on her opening night in Baltimore because the construction crew hired to build them was still working minutes before the show, it was the beginning of a downward spiral. Library, Museum, Building, Opera House. [2] She also won six consecutive European championships from 1931 to 1936. 5 Quirky Queens House Trends. But Sonja would part ways with Wirtz, prodded on by her second husband, Winnie Gardiner, who thought she should be getting a bigger percentage from Wirtz, even though she was already getting half. She had already delighted in dancing, and--with her brother Leif giving her her first lessons--enjoyed *. Sonja Henie was born on April 8, 1912, in Oslo (then called Christiania), Norway. Additionally, he is considered among the greatest scorer [], Who was Muhammad Ali? Wirtz also acted as Henie's financial advisor. Whichever way you look at it, the synergy, like Henie, was irresistible. The dramatic foyer Villa Royale Inn, 1620 S. Indian Trail, Palm Springs, 1-800-245-2314 www.villaroyale.com. The plan of that pioneer show, Sonja wrote in her memoir, was new in that I was to be the prima ballerina, so to speak, of a two-hour show, with a professional cast supporting me., The one call Sonja hadnt gotten was from her film studio of choice: Darryl F. Zanucks Twentieth Century-Fox. This, she told the press, was because it reminded her of the beautiful snow in her homeland of Norway.. Henie's combination of grace, style and hard-headed business acumen saw her build a glittering . malls, fading from their hip glory days, may get new lives as apartments. Winter had given way to spring, Sonja wrote in a 1940 memoir, Wings on My Feet. Ad Choices. [2] While still a girl, Henie had decided that she wanted to move to California and become a movie star when her competitive days were over, without considering that her strong accent might hinder her acting ambitions. The early start was seen as a disadvantage, with the audience not yet whipped into a clapping frenzy and the judges known to become freer with their higher marks as the event proceeded. At the height of her acting career, she was one of the highest-paid stars in Hollywood and starred in a series of box-office hits, including Thin Ice (1937), Happy Landing, My Lucky Star (1938), Second Fiddle (1939) and Sun Valley Serenade (1941). Born 8 Apr 1912 in Kristiania, Oslo, Norge. Three A-list actresses, two of the most volatile men in Hollywood, and the awards campaign that defined the 2000sand it all got overshadowed by the nose., Walter Mirisch, Oscar-Winning Producer of, 18 Must-See Documentaries That Will Entertain and Enlighten You, The greatest nonfiction films cinema has to offer, from, Her Favorite Things: Julie Andrewss (Not Always) Loverly Life. She didn't beg to be loved; she expected it. I dont think she could have cared less who Hitler was, except for whatever power he had and what it would do for her career.. VIDEO: Take a tour of some of the unique rooms at Villa Royale in Palm Springs. Lastly, read some other articles like this one on our. The audience was shocked . An English translation, Wings on My Feet, was released in 1940 and republished in a revised edition in 1954. london airport name winston churchill . Photo: Carlos Marques, Marcott Studios, The sunny living room All sonja henie artwork ships within 48 hours and includes a 30-day money-back guarantee. Simultaneous with her film career, Henie launched an ice extravaganza that would crisscross the country. She was happy performing. Or, perhaps it was the other way around: the movies brought the masses to the shows. One can see why chief among her legion of fans was Adolf Hitler. I really cant say enough about her, bitch that she was., Jon Peters: At the end of the day, Sonja Henie was this little girl in this big gameand people like to vilify others., Don Watson: She was happy rehearsing. and Oslo. The creation of Sonjas image was a family project. For the rest of the war, all . - 1969. oktber 12.) She had become an American citizen in 1941. In 1953, Henie formed a new partnership with Morris Chalfen to appear in his European Holiday On Ice tour, which proved to be a great success. Just as the ballerinas pointe shoes were pink, suddenly the female ice skaters boots were white, redolent of fairy and folk tales, of youthful purity and Nordic power. Together, she and Onstad built a superb collection of modern artPicasso, Matisse, Bonnard, Mir, Villon, Rouault. Henie won her first major figure skating competition, the senior Norwegian championships, at the age of 10. Henie initially showed talent at skiing, then followed her older brother, Leif, to take up figure skating. But her initial reluctance before the US entered the war was never to be forgotten. Sonja never found a company manager who could handle the job the way Wirtzs people had. However, she made a triumphant return to Norway with the Holiday on Ice tour in 1953 and 1955. He stated at the time that the house was built for children. She won gold in St. Moritz, 1928, gold in Lake Placid, 1932, anddespite Cecilia Colledge snapping at her heelsgold in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, 1936. He asked her to put together her dream show to launch the following year. Indeed, the word that really fit this bundle of cutting-edge charisma would not be coined until the 1960s, when Andy Warhol packed star wattage and have-it-all hunger into three syllables: superstar. Sonja Henie was the first. Additionally, there have been many rumors that her ghost still haunts her home to this day. One unique item Henie had built in the home was an ice rink upstairs in the homes attic. Photo: Chris Meech. In 1936 she would . Don Watson, a friend until her death, says Sonja was told it was anemia, and she was treated with blood transfusions. She refused to do a number in someone elses movie.. Connie's story was highlighted in one season finale on Biographys. A Sonja Henie party was still a big dealsparkling with stars like Joan Crawford, Cyd Charisse, Cesar Romero, Cary Grant, Liberace. As a result, none of Henie's properties in Norway were confiscated or damaged by the Germans. Items on a dressing table, in one bedroom in the home, were found missing or moved. The draw for the free skating [then] came under suspicion after Henie landed the plum position of skating last, while Colledge had to perform second of the 26 competitors. She was called the Nasturtium of the North, the Ice Queen of Norway, the White Swan, and, less flatteringly, Little Miss Moneybags. Her surname rhymes with penny, so perhaps its no surprise that she counted every last one. Her third husband, Niels Onstad at her request left their considerable art collection ina public trust. In addition, it starred Sandra Bullock, Trevante Rhodes, etc. She recently paid $2.036 million for a ranch-style house in the city named for the silent film era of the 1920s. When sheas a gold medal winnerpassed Hitler's tribune with silver medalist Cecilia Colledge and bronze medalist Vivi-Anne Hultn, neither she nor the others honored Hitler with the Nazi salute. Theres an elevator that connects all floors, motion-detection lighting throughout and a central heating and cooling system thats been wrapped in soundproof materials for quiet. Over the years, both Stevens and her daughters' experienced encounters with what they feel is Sonja Henies ghost. She kept a cold eye on her cash, a critical eye on her ice show, and a perfectionists eye on her public personaall of which required unflagging energy and attention to detail. The couple decided to build a museum for their collection, and in 1968 donated 250 works to the Sonja Henie-Niels Onstad Art Center outside of Oslo. Sonja Henie (April 8, 1912 - October 12, 1969) was a Norwegian figure skater and film star. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, L.A. County moves to require quake retrofits as Turkey-Syria death toll exceeds 50,000, Historic movie lot that gave Studio City its name to get $1-billion makeover, How renovation of an iconic Chinese mall represents a shift in L.A.s Chinese community, O.C. She is one of only two skaters to defend a ladies' singles Olympic title, the other being Katarina Witt, and her six European titles has only been matched by Witt. At the time of her death, Henie was planning a comeback for a television special that would have aired in January 1970. No one was killed, and Sonja handled the disaster with aplomb, super-lawyer Jerry Geisler at her side, but the season was a financial disaster. Furthermore, Beverly Crest is located on the west side of Los Angeles. 4.5 out of 5 stars (5,282) $ 5.99. The two-acre estate, purchased by the actress/singer/ cosmetics tycoon in 1974 for . Furthermore, she was a three-time Olympic champion in the womens singles. Now I arrive at the Garden at 6:45 and I never stop until 11:10. Sonja Henie The Goldkorn Variations: a trilorgy, Leslie Epstein, November 9th, from Un-Gyve Press Shared by Un-Gyve Limited "I yi-yi-yi-yi-yi, I like you very much. Henie was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in the mid-1960s. Sonja Henie House: The Beverly Crest Estate, was a professional figure skater and actress. She has starred in movies such as, . More amazing still, during those 10 years, she won three successive gold medals in the Winter Olympics of 1928, 1932, and 1936. She said her greatest hope was to become a movie star, and she soon did. Something was going to happen., 2023 Cond Nast. It is also merciless, sharing every last foible and flaw. In 1936, she signed a contract with Twentieth Century Fox and became a popular actress. Like this article? Since Wirtz controlled the best arenas and dates, Henie was left playing smaller venues and markets already saturated by other touring ice shows such as Ice Capades. The property came to market in February for $2.195 million and sold in about a month, records show. Subscribe to RR1 Live+ for exclusive virtual events all year long (at least 1 per month), conversations with Robb Report editors, special perks, and more. Photo: Carlos Marques, Marcott Studios. At 14, Sonja was entered in the 1927 World championship in Oslo, the youngest contestant ever in that event. When Geoffrey and Ken get so distracted by romance that they begin to neglect their assignments, it almost leads to disaster as the Gestapo sets out to silence Norden once and for all. Her innovative skating techniques and glamorous demeanor transformed the sport permanently and confirmed its acceptance as a legitimate sport in the Winter Olympics.[5]. To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. 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