Gloria Nord
Encyclopedia
Gloria Nord born "Gloria Nordskog," was an American roller skater
, ice skater and pin-up girl
who became known as "Sonja Henie
on wheels," and "the Sonja Henie of the roller rinks." Nord was reportedly "adored by millions in the 1940s and 1950s for her balletic finesse and theatrical flamboyance."
Nord grew up in Santa Monica
and Hollywood
, California. Nord was the youngest of five children of Andre Nordskog, a noted concert singer. Nord studied dance and, at age 15, she was an established
child entertainer. She attended Miss Long's Professional School, a school for stage kids in Hollywood.
Nord's aspiration to become a Broadway singer, dancer and actress changed when motion picture theater owner, Sid Grauman
, opened the Hollywood Roller Bowl. Within three weeks' after the bowl opened, Nord was giving exhibitions in roller skating. By age 18, the 5 foot, 2 inch (157 cm), 115 pound (52 kg) Nord was touring the United States and appearing in roller-skating movies. In 1942, boxing promoter Harold Steinman saw Nord perform and borrowed $10,000 to create the "Skating Vanities," a touring show featuring Nord and 100 other roller skaters. Nord was the leading performer in the "Skating Vanities" from 1942 through the early 1950s. The "Skating Vanities" starring Nord attracted more than a million people during its first two tours of 20 cities. In 1943, syndicated sports writer Harry Grayson described the impact Nord had on the sport:
in the motion picture, "Pin Up Girl
." Nord herself became a popular pin-up girl
with American soldiers during World War II
. The 1945 show program for "Skating Vanities" included the following from a profile on Nord:
In the 1950s, Nord turned to ice skating and was featured in productions at Wembley Arena
in London. In 1953, Nord gave a command performance
before Queen Elizabeth II. Nord toured Europe and Australia with her skating reviews and continue performing until the early 1960s. Nord lived in Mission Viejo, California
in her later years. She died in Mission Viejo in December 2009 at age 87.
Roller skating
Roller skating is the traveling on smooth surfaces with roller skates. It is a form of recreation as well as a sport, and can also be a form of transportation. Skates generally come in two basic varieties: quad roller skates and inline skates or blades, though some have experimented with a...
, ice skater and pin-up girl
Pin-up girl
A pin-up girl, also known as a pin-up model, is a model whose mass-produced pictures see wide appeal as popular culture. Pin-ups are intended for informal display, e.g. meant to be "pinned-up" on a wall...
who became known as "Sonja Henie
Sonja Henie
Sonja Henie was a Norwegian figure skater and film star. She was a three-time Olympic Champion in Ladies Singles, a ten-time World Champion and a six-time European Champion . Henie won more Olympic and World titles than any other ladies figure skater...
on wheels," and "the Sonja Henie of the roller rinks." Nord was reportedly "adored by millions in the 1940s and 1950s for her balletic finesse and theatrical flamboyance."
Nord grew up in Santa Monica
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
and Hollywood
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
Hollywood is a famous district in Los Angeles, California, United States situated west-northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Due to its fame and cultural identity as the historical center of movie studios and movie stars, the word Hollywood is often used as a metonym of American cinema...
, California. Nord was the youngest of five children of Andre Nordskog, a noted concert singer. Nord studied dance and, at age 15, she was an established
child entertainer. She attended Miss Long's Professional School, a school for stage kids in Hollywood.
Nord's aspiration to become a Broadway singer, dancer and actress changed when motion picture theater owner, Sid Grauman
Sid Grauman
Sidney Patrick Grauman was an American showman who created one of Southern California's most recognizable and visited landmarks, Grauman's Chinese Theater. He was the son of David Grauman who died in 1921 in Los Angeles, California and Rosa Goldsmith...
, opened the Hollywood Roller Bowl. Within three weeks' after the bowl opened, Nord was giving exhibitions in roller skating. By age 18, the 5 foot, 2 inch (157 cm), 115 pound (52 kg) Nord was touring the United States and appearing in roller-skating movies. In 1942, boxing promoter Harold Steinman saw Nord perform and borrowed $10,000 to create the "Skating Vanities," a touring show featuring Nord and 100 other roller skaters. Nord was the leading performer in the "Skating Vanities" from 1942 through the early 1950s. The "Skating Vanities" starring Nord attracted more than a million people during its first two tours of 20 cities. In 1943, syndicated sports writer Harry Grayson described the impact Nord had on the sport:
"This little lady means much to the nation's 15,000,000 roller-skaters. There are 4000 arena roller rinks in the country to less than 200 ice rinks, 20 roller-skaters for every ice-skater. Once the sport of roughnecks, roller-skating has been taken up by the best people of all ages."In 1944, Nord appeared in a roller-skating scene with Betty Grable
Betty Grable
Elizabeth Ruth "Betty" Grable was an American actress, dancer and singer.Her iconic bathing suit photo made her the number-one pin-up girl of the World War II era. It was later included in the LIFE magazine project "100 Photos that Changed the World"...
in the motion picture, "Pin Up Girl
Pin Up Girl (film)
Pin Up Girl is a 1944 20th Century Fox Technicolor musical romantic comedy motion picture starring Betty Grable, John Harvey, Martha Raye, and Joe E. Brown.Directed by H...
." Nord herself became a popular pin-up girl
Pin-up girl
A pin-up girl, also known as a pin-up model, is a model whose mass-produced pictures see wide appeal as popular culture. Pin-ups are intended for informal display, e.g. meant to be "pinned-up" on a wall...
with American soldiers during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The 1945 show program for "Skating Vanities" included the following from a profile on Nord:
"Lovely Gloria Nord, 21-year-old ballerina of 'Skating Vanities,' has a double claim to fame. Not only is she acknowledged as the outstanding dance-skater in America, but she is also one of the country's most beautiful girls. Her face and figure have adorned such national publications as The Saturday Evening Post, Look, Pic, the New York Sunday News, and others. She has won acclaim for her solo skating in the aptly titled movie, "Pin-Up Girl." And her photographs have been requested by American servicemen all over the world."
In the 1950s, Nord turned to ice skating and was featured in productions at Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena is an indoor arena, at Wembley, in the London Borough of Brent. The building is opposite Wembley Stadium.-History:...
in London. In 1953, Nord gave a command performance
Command Performance
Command Performance is a radio program which originally aired between 1942 and 1949. The program was broadcast on the Armed Forces Radio Network with a direct shortwave transmission to the troops overseas. It was not broadcast over domestic U.S...
before Queen Elizabeth II. Nord toured Europe and Australia with her skating reviews and continue performing until the early 1960s. Nord lived in Mission Viejo, California
Mission Viejo, California
Mission Viejo is a city located in southern Orange County, California, U.S. in the Saddleback Valley. Mission Viejo is considered one of the largest master-planned communities ever built under a single project in the United States, and is rivaled only by Highlands Ranch, Colorado, in its size...
in her later years. She died in Mission Viejo in December 2009 at age 87.