Reg Park interviewed by Bill Stephens [sound recording]
- Bib ID:
- 3795779
- Format:
- Audio
- Author:
- Park, Reg, 1928-2019, interviewee
- Online Access:
- National Library of Australia digital collection item.
- Access Conditions:
- Access open for research, personal copies and public use.
- Description:
-
- 2006
- 5 sound files (ca. 276 min.)
- Summary:
-
Reg Park born 1928, speaks about his childhood memories; first job and ambitions; mother's remarriage; his introduction to ice-skating; Sonja Henie; competitive skating, ice show and arts studies; working as a interior decorator; early training in ice-skating and social influences; the end of WW2; attempts to join the Navy; winning his first Australian Championship; changing his coach; training with Felix Caspar; the Burley Ice-skating dynasty; going to London as the Australian Men's Champion to compete in the World Championships; competing in the British Championships; training and teaching in Switzerland; Jacques Gerschwiler; the variations in ice-skating standards between Australia and England at that time; why he did not skate in the Olympics; the differences in the types of ice shows; freelancing; early days in London while training for the championships; his “Babes in the Woods” experience working with Belita; touring France with Cirque Buglione; health concerns which affected his competition ambitions; continuing competitive skating after “Babes in the Woods”; studying classical ballet; working as a professional dancer; Queenie Paul; Jennie Howard; tap dancing.
Park discusses how his dance experience aided his ice choreography; recollections of “Rose Marie on Ice”; Armand Perrin; Pat Gregory; recollections of the “Casa Carioca” in Germany; Terri Rudolph; Ginger James; Winnie Gill; producing an Ice Show in New Delhi; David McIllwraith; Dawn O'Donnell; exhibition skating tours in Switzerland; choreographing the Wembly Ice Skating revues for Tom Arnold; choreographing and starring in ice shows for BBC television; presenting “Sleeping Beauty” in the Princess Theatre, Melbourne; returning to Australia; an invitation to set up an ice skating school in Canberra; producing the annual ice shows at the Phillip Ice Rink; becoming a judge for the World Professional Ice Skating Championships; choreographing an ice ballet; coaching children; losing his house in the 2003 Canberra Bush Fires; his participation in a television documentary about the fires; his experience on the day of the bush fires; recovery from the bushfire; depression; the new house; reflects on his personal life; becoming involved with “Torvil and Dean's Skating with the Stars”; the politics of television; experiences as a film actor; plans for the future.
- Notes:
- Recorded on October 10, 2006 at Canberra, A.C.T.
- Index/Finding Aid Note:
- Timed summary (9 p.) and corrected transcript (typescript, 110 leaves)
- Subject:
- Occupation:
- Other authors/contributors:
- Stephens, Bill, 1936-, interviewer
- Copyright:
-
In Copyright
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- Reason for copyright status:
- Until 2076 [Created/Published Date + 70 Years]
Copyright status was determined using the following information:
- Material type:
- Sound Recording
- Published status:
- Unpublished
- Creation date:
- 2006
Copyright status may not be correct if data in the record is incomplete or inaccurate. Other access conditions may also apply. For more information please see: Copyright in library collections.
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