Hamill, Dorothy (1956—) | Research & Encyclopedia Articles

Easily recognizable for the pixie haircut that is her trademark, Dorothy Hamill created one of the first true media frenzies surrounding a figure skater. Hamill reigned as a National, World, and Olympic Champion in the 1970s and helped develop the popularity of professional ice skating shows. During the 1976 Olympics, girls all over the world copied her hairstyle, which led to Hamill becoming a spokesperson for hair care products.

Born in Riverside, Connecticut, to Chalmers and Carol Hamill, Dorothy became interested in skating at the age of eight. She began taking lessons with former Czech champion, Otto Gold, in 1965. Almost immediately, the Hamill family decided that their talented daughter should train seriously, with the idea of competing at the national level. Dorothy passed her first Preliminary Test to competein 1965. By 1967 she had switched coaches to train with Swiss coach, Gustav Lussi. She later studied with former U.S. Champion, Sonya Klopfer Dunfield.

Hamill became the U.S. National Ladies Novice Champion in 1969, at the age of 12, and continued to move up the skating ranks. Another coaching change was soon made, and the teenager began studying with Carlo Fassi, who had also coached champion Peggy Fleming. Hamill soon moved up to the Senior Ladies Division. In her first National Championship in 1971, she placed a very respectable 5th place. By 1973 she had matured so much that she barely lost to the National Championship to Janet Lynn. That same year, Dorothy came in 4th in the World Championships.

In 1974 Hamill won the National Championship and went on to represent the United States at the World Championships, which were held in Munich, Germany. During the competition an incident occurred, which will long be remembered by the skating fans who witnessed it. The audience for the long program, upset by low scores given to local skater, Gerti Schrandel, began booing as Hamill prepared to skate. Although they were not booing her, Hamill became so upset she left the ice in tears. A few moments later she again took the ice, having declined the opportunity to compose herself and skate later in the competition. Showing the determination that had already gotten her so far, Hamill skated almost flawlessly and finished with the silver medal behind Christine Erath of East Germany.

During the 1975 season, Hamill defended her National Championship and again finished second at the World Championships, this time to Diane deLeeuw of the Netherlands. Things continued to heat up throughout the season before the 1976 Olympic Games in Austria. Hamill and World Champions deLeeuw and Erath remained neck in neck, with no clear favorite for the Olympic Gold medal. In the media frenzy before the games, however, it became clear that Hamill was the press and audience favorite. Her parents and coach, Carlo Fassi, tried to insulate Hamill from the spotlight as she continued to train for the Olympics. When the games were over, Hamill was crowned the new Olympic Champion. Shortly thereafter, she captured the World Championship, and the interest in Hamill and her professional and private life grew. She became a commercial spokesperson for Short & Sassy hair care products, which capitalized on her famous haircut.

After she turned professional, skating with the Ice Capades, Hamill continued to command the spotlight, although not to the extent she had during the Olympics. She starred in ice shows and popular television specials, such as Romeo and Juliet On Ice. It was Hamill who really brought worldwide interest to professional ice shows.

When her first marriage to actor Dean Paul Martin broke up, she married sports-medicine specialist, Dr. Kenneth Forsythe. In 1993, after she had skated with the Ice Capades for several years, Hamill, her husband, and businessman Ben C. Tinsdale, purchased the show. Her first production as part owner was Cinderella … Frozen in Time. Although the show was a success, the company did not prosper as hoped and, in 1994, a conglomerate acquired it.

Dorothy Hamill helped increase interest in figure skating, both on the amateur and professional levels. She became one of the first real superstars of figure skating. Along the way she also became an icon to young girls all over the world.

Dolan, Edward F., Jr., and Richard B. Lytle. Dorothy Hamill: Olympic Skating Champion. New York, Doubleday, 1979.

Malone, John. The Encyclopedia of Figure Skating. New York, Facts on File, 1998.

Milton, Steve. Skate: 100 Years of Figure Skating. Vermont, Trafalgar Square Publishing, 1996.

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