The Vienna Ice Revue (Wiener Eisrevue) was an internationally highly successful ice show based upon Austria's great figure-skating tradition, presenting a large number of world-class figure skaters mainly from Vienna from 1945 to 1971. Representing a Viennese style, the Vienna Ice Revue was different from the competitor enterprise Holiday on Ice. In 1971 the Vienna Ice Revue was sold to Holiday On Ice and put on the back burner two years later.
The Wiener Eisrevue (Vienna Ice Revue) had its roots in the success story of Austrian figure skaters before World War II. [1] Karl Schäfer, winner of eight European titles, seven World titles and two Olympic gold medals, was the most successful of these skaters. He had a show that was named after him, the Karl Schäfer-Eisrevue, which also played a major role in the movie The White Dream in 1943. From an artistic point of view, this show was the forerunner of the Vienna Ice Revue.
In 1945, some months after the ending of World War II, the Wiener Eisrevue was founded. Will Petter, the “creator” of the Vienna Ice Revue, and his wife Edith who evolved into the revue's choreographer, carried out their idea of replacing “cold spots” with a story line. In 1952, Robert Stolz began to transpose this concept into music. He was destined to compose 19 “ice operettas” for the Vienna Ice Revue. Music by other composers was also integrated into the program. Most notably, the Blue Danube Waltz by Johann Strauß was played at the end of most productions. In one of the first New Year's Concerts with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra to be broadcast on TV, the Vienna Ice revue danced one of the waltzes.
The Vienna Ice Revue toured through most European countries including Switzerland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, France and Spain. In 1953, the show made its first appearance in North Africa (Algier and Oran). Adolf Eder was the commercial director. In the middle of the 1950s, the Vienna Ice Revue was one of the first “Western” institutions to appear in Moscow, Kiev and Leningrad following World War II. [2] In Berlin, Antwerp and Moscow, the program was shown annually about 50 times in each city with an audience of about 10,000 people watching each performance. Later, the Vienna Ice Revue also toured Israel and the United States.
Many world-famous figure skaters from Austria starred in the Vienna Ice Revue such as Olympic runner-up Eva Pawlik (as a single skater and together with Rudi Seeliger as a couple), Olympic runner-up Helmut Seibt, European-, World- and Olympic Champions Sissy Schwarz and Kurt Oppelt, Olympic bronze medalist Ingrid Wendl, World runner-up Champion Hanna Eigel, Olympic runner-up Regine Heitzer and World Champion Emmerich Danzer. World-class figure skaters from Germany that starred in the Vienna Ice Revue were World Champions Marika Kilius and Hans-Jürgen Bäumler and Olympic Champion Manfred Schnelldorfer.
From the fall of 1958 to the spring of 1960, the Vienna Ice Revue presented three World runner-up champions and European champions from Austria in one show: Eva Pawlik, Hanna Eigel and Ingrid Wendl, who made her debut as a professional skater in 1958. [3]
Spring on Ice ("Frühling auf dem Eis"), produced in 1950, was the first movie presenting the Vienna Ice Revue. Eva Pawlik played the main role on the ice and in the frame story together with Austrian actors Hans Holt, Harry Fuß, Oskar Sima, Heinz Conrads and Albin Skoda. Further figure-skating stars presented in this movie: Emmy Puzinger, Hellmut May, Rudi Seeliger, Erni Zlam, Edith Petter and ice clown Bertl Capek.
Symphony in Gold ("Symphonie in Gold"), produced in 1956, presented the European bronze medalist Emmy Puzinger together with Fernand Leemans from Belgium and Jiřina Nekolová from Czechoslovakia who had finished fourth at the 1948 Olympics.
The movie Revue of Dreams ("Traumrevue"), produced in 1959, is a historical figure-skating document showing three European champions on the ice, with two of them performing in the frame story. Eva Pawlik played the role of a fictitious Hungarian figure-skating star. Besides, she was actress Waltraut Haas´ double on the ice. Ingrid Wendl was the second ice star who also played a role in the frame-story. The third European Champion of the Vienna Ice Revue ensemble presented in this movie was Hanna Eigel. Further figure-skating stars presented in this movie: Emmy Puzinger, Fernand Leemans, Rudi Seeliger, Inge and Willi Schilling, Charlotte Michiels and the ice clowns Herbert Bobek and Pieter van Gils.
In the movies Kauf dir einen bunten Luftballon , produced in 1960, and A Star Is Falling From The Sky ("Ein Stern fällt vom Himmel"), produced in 1961, German Champion Ina Bauer played the main role on the ice and in the frame story together with Austrian thrice Olympic skiing Champion Toni Sailer.
In the movies The Great Free Programme ("Die große Kür"), produced in 1964, and The Great Happiness (" Das große Glück "), produced in 1967, twice World Champions and Olympic runners-up Marika Kilius and Hans-Jürgen Bäumler were the main stars on the ice and in the frame story. Further figure-skating stars presented in these movies: Emmy Puzinger and Fernand Leemans, Ingrid Wendl, Helmut Löfke and Norbert Felsinger.
In 1971, the Vienna Ice Revue slid into a dangerous financial crisis. Morris Chalfen, the boss of Holiday On Ice, bought the enterprise. The Vienna Ice Revue went on dancing under American leadership for two years before the show was finally put on the back burner.
Eva Pawlik was an Austrian figure skater, show star, actress and commentator. She was the 1948 Olympic silver medalist, the 1948 World silver medalist, and the 1949 European champion.
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Karl Schäfer was an Austrian figure skater and swimmer. In figure skating, he became a two-time Olympic champion at the 1932 Winter Olympics and the 1936 Winter Olympics. He was also a seven-time World champion (1930–1936) and eight-time European champion (1929–1936). As a swimmer, he competed at the 1928 Summer Olympics in the 200 metre breaststroke.
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The European Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition in which figure skaters compete for the title of European champion. Medals are awarded in the disciplines of men's singles, women's singles, pair skating, and ice dance. The event is sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU) and is the sport's oldest competition. The first European Championships was held in 1891 in Hamburg, Germany and featured one segment, compulsory figures, with seven competitors, all men from Germany and Austria. It has been, other than five periods, held continuously since 1891, and has been sanctioned by the ISU since 1893. Women were allowed to compete for the first time in 1930, which is also the first time pairs skating was added to the competition. Ice dance was added in 1954. Only eligible skaters from ISU member countries in Europe can compete, and skaters must have reached at least the age of 15 before July 1 preceding the competition. ISU member countries can submit 1-3 skaters to compete in the European Championships.
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Spring on Ice is a 1951 Austrian musical comedy film directed by Georg Jacoby and starring Eva Pawlik, Herta Mayen and Hans Holt. It is set around the Vienna Ice Revue. The film was shot using Agfacolor at the Soviet-controlled Rosenhügel Studios in Vienna. The film's sets were designed by the art director Julius von Borsody.
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