Frick and Frack
Encyclopedia
Frick and Frack were two Swiss
skaters who came to the U.S. in 1937 and joined the original Ice Follies
show as comedy ice skaters. "Frick" was Werner Groebli (April 21, 1915 – April 14, 2008), born in Basel
. "Frack" was Hansruedi (Hans Rudolf) Mauch, (May 4, 1919 – June 4, 1979), also born in Basel
. Frick and Frack were known for skating in Alpine Lederhosen
and performing eccentric tricks on ice, including the "cantilever spread-eagle", created by Groebli, and Mauch's "rubber legs", twisting and bending his legs while skating in a spread eagle position. Only a few skaters have successfully performed the duo's routines since.
Michael Mauch, the son of Hans, once described the origin of their names: "Frick took his name from a small village in Switzerland; Frack is a Swiss-German
word for a frock coat, which my father used to wear in the early days of their skating act. They put the words together as a typical Swiss joke."
Frick and Frack found fame with the Follies, a revue promoted by Eddie Shipstad and his brother Roy, which began in 1936 and ran for almost 50 years. They also reached a worldwide audience when they began appearing in films, including the Monogram Pictures
production Lady, Let's Dance
in 1944
. Their association lasted so long, and they were at one time so well known, that their names became a household term in many languages.
Frick and Frack skated in the Ice Follies for many years until Hans Mauch (Frack) contracted osteomyelitis
. He retired in 1953, and died on June 4, 1979 in Long Beach, California
at the age of 60. He had been married to Mary M. Elchlepp of Minneapolis, one of the original Ice Folliettes.
Performing well into his late years, Werner Groebli continued on as "Mr. Frick" until an accident forced him to retire in 1980. He appeared as a contestant on TV's original Match Game on NBC
in the '60s
. Groebli lived in the Palm Springs, California
area for over 10 years until the death of his wife, the former Yvonne Baumgartner, in 2002. He was featured on a PBS TV special in 1999.
Groebli died on April 14, 2008 in Zurich
at the age of 92. David Thomas, one of his skating partners after Mauch retired, announced his death from complications after breaking a leg at a nursing home outside of Zurich.
"Frick and Frack" has become an English slang
term used in two ways. One is to refer to two people so closely associated as to be indistinguishable; the other way is as a term of derision for any two people, on par with calling one person a "Bozo
" or three people "Stooges".
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
skaters who came to the U.S. in 1937 and joined the original Ice Follies
Ice Follies
Shipstads & Johnson Ice Follies was a touring ice show featuring elaborate production numbers, similar in concept to Ice Capades. It was founded in 1937 by Eddie Shipstad, Roy Shipstad, and Oscar Johnson, who also skated in the show. In later years, Olympic skaters such as Donald Jackson, Barbara...
show as comedy ice skaters. "Frick" was Werner Groebli (April 21, 1915 – April 14, 2008), born in Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
. "Frack" was Hansruedi (Hans Rudolf) Mauch, (May 4, 1919 – June 4, 1979), also born in Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
. Frick and Frack were known for skating in Alpine Lederhosen
Lederhosen
Lederhosen are breeches made of leather; they may be either short or knee-length. The longer ones are generally called Bundhosen....
and performing eccentric tricks on ice, including the "cantilever spread-eagle", created by Groebli, and Mauch's "rubber legs", twisting and bending his legs while skating in a spread eagle position. Only a few skaters have successfully performed the duo's routines since.
Michael Mauch, the son of Hans, once described the origin of their names: "Frick took his name from a small village in Switzerland; Frack is a Swiss-German
Swiss German
Swiss German is any of the Alemannic dialects spoken in Switzerland and in some Alpine communities in Northern Italy. Occasionally, the Alemannic dialects spoken in other countries are grouped together with Swiss German as well, especially the dialects of Liechtenstein and Austrian Vorarlberg...
word for a frock coat, which my father used to wear in the early days of their skating act. They put the words together as a typical Swiss joke."
Frick and Frack found fame with the Follies, a revue promoted by Eddie Shipstad and his brother Roy, which began in 1936 and ran for almost 50 years. They also reached a worldwide audience when they began appearing in films, including the Monogram Pictures
Monogram Pictures
Monogram Pictures Corporation is a Hollywood studio that produced and released films, most on low budgets, between 1931 and 1953, when the firm completed a transition to the name Allied Artists Pictures Corporation. Monogram is considered a leader among the smaller studios sometimes referred to...
production Lady, Let's Dance
Lady, Let's Dance
Lady, Let's Dance is a 1944 black-and-white film directed by Frank Woodruff that was nominated for two Oscars. Produced by Monogram Studios, the film is unique as an ice skating musical....
in 1944
1944 in film
The year 1944 in film involved some significant events, including the wholesome, award-winning Going My Way plus popular murder mysteries such as Double Indemnity, Gaslight and Laura.-Events:*July 20 - Since You Went Away is released....
. Their association lasted so long, and they were at one time so well known, that their names became a household term in many languages.
Frick and Frack skated in the Ice Follies for many years until Hans Mauch (Frack) contracted osteomyelitis
Osteomyelitis
Osteomyelitis simply means an infection of the bone or bone marrow...
. He retired in 1953, and died on June 4, 1979 in Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
at the age of 60. He had been married to Mary M. Elchlepp of Minneapolis, one of the original Ice Folliettes.
Performing well into his late years, Werner Groebli continued on as "Mr. Frick" until an accident forced him to retire in 1980. He appeared as a contestant on TV's original Match Game on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
in the '60s
1960s
The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...
. Groebli lived in the Palm Springs, California
Palm Springs, California
Palm Springs is a desert city in Riverside County, California, within the Coachella Valley. It is located approximately 37 miles east of San Bernardino, 111 miles east of Los Angeles and 136 miles northeast of San Diego...
area for over 10 years until the death of his wife, the former Yvonne Baumgartner, in 2002. He was featured on a PBS TV special in 1999.
Groebli died on April 14, 2008 in Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
at the age of 92. David Thomas, one of his skating partners after Mauch retired, announced his death from complications after breaking a leg at a nursing home outside of Zurich.
"Frick and Frack" has become an English slang
Slang
Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered more acceptable when used socially. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo...
term used in two ways. One is to refer to two people so closely associated as to be indistinguishable; the other way is as a term of derision for any two people, on par with calling one person a "Bozo
Bozo the Clown
Bozo the Clown is a clown character very popular in the United States, peaking in the 1960s as a result of widespread franchising in early television.Originally created by Alan W...
" or three people "Stooges".
