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Sonja Henie Biography

Figure Skater / Actor

Sonja Henie was a Norwegian figure skating champion who went from winning gold medals in three consecutive Winter Olympics (1928, '32 and '36) to touring with an ice show and making movies in Hollywood. A skating champion since her teens, Henie is credited with transforming the sport by introducing ballet moves. The ten-time world champion turned professional after the 1936 Olympics, performing in ice shows and making successful light comedies for 20th Century Fox. In the 1940s her screen career waned, but Henie continued to draw large audiences for her Hollywood Ice Review and, as producer and star, became one of the richest women in entertainment. She retired from show business in 1960.

Other figure skaters on Who2 include Katarina Witt, Sasha Cohen and Tonya Harding.