Sonja Henie(1912-1969)
- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
The daughter of a fur wholesaler in Norway, Sonja Henie received her
first pair of ice skates when she was six. At 14 she was the Norwegian
Skating Champion. At 15 she would win the Olympic gold medal in
Skating, a feat she would repeat in 1932 and 1936. In 1936 she would
turn professional and tour with her own ice show. She was signed by
20th Century-Fox and debuted in
One in a Million (1936), in
which she played an ice skater. The picture was very successful, Sonja
continued to make a series of light comedies throughout the late 1930s
and early 1940s. More a testament to her skating skills and physical
appearance than her acting prowess, the films were nevertheless
profitable and her popularity soared. Her films' success garnered
financial success for the Hollywood Ice Revues that she produced and
starred every year. Her movie career wound down during the mid-'40s,
but she continued skating until she retired in 1960. An astute
businesswoman and due to marrying shipping magnate Niels Onstad ("the
Onassis of Norway") in 1956, Sonja was one of the ten wealthiest women
in the world when she died of leukemia in 1969.
