SHIPSTADS AND JOHNSON ICE FOLLIES, INC.:

An Inventory of Its Ice Follies Film Collection at the Minnesota Historical Society

Sound and Visual Collection

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Creator: Shipstads and Johnson Ice Follies, Inc.
Title:Ice Follies film collection.
Dates:1936-1967.
Language:Materials in English.
Abstract:Films of the Shipstads and Johnson Ice Follies, including performances, practice sessions, interviews, and history of the show.
Quantity:45 film reels: silent and sound, black and white and color; 16 mm, 1 submaster videocassette: U-Matic, and 1 user videocassette: VHS.
Location:III.4 : See Detailed Description for shelf locations.

Expand/CollapseADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Shipstads and Johnson Ice Follies, Inc. Ice Follies Film Collection. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Processing Information:

Catalog ID number: 990016621810104294


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DETAILED DESCRIPTION

LocationBox
III.41Film 1. Ice Follies of 1948, 1948. 1 film reel (46 minutes): silent, color; 16mm.
Contents:
"Shipstads and Johnson Ice Follies" - unidentified act (1:30).
"Shirley, Ginger, and Gerri" - trio skating with large female chorus.
"Hugh Hendrickson."
"Carlos Romero" - bullfight skating skit.
"Hazel Franklin"- poor girl makes good skit, Franklin solos with policeman and large female chorus in street setting, and Franklin ends skating with a man, both in rich looking costumes.
Film 2. Opening night with the Ice Follies (special of the week no. 1), 1968. 1 film reel (55 minutes): sound, color; 16mm, 1 submaster videocassette: U-Matic, and 1 user videocassette: VHS.
Contents:
Narrator introduces Roy Shipstad and Oscar Johnson followed by a number of first break remains, then shots of stage set up; shows guest dining bus to premiere; rehearsal; set construction; waiting crowd; and arrival and interviews with celebrities like Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Stewart, Ernest Borgnine, and Henry Fonda; make-up, costumes, and other pre-show activity; and Follies open.
Footage includes shots from large female cast numbers such as Highland Swing (1964), backstage interview with skater Eric Kermond, Hillbilly Hound (1964), Keystone Kops (the Scarecrows, 1965), skating by Mr. Frick, and Dick Dwyer with Dorothy Ann Nelson, and participation of children from audience in Ice Cream Land (1964) .
Credits: Title and Opening credits missing. End credits: Director of Photography; Burt Hixson; Production Manager, James Campbell; Production Coordinator Miriam Cramer; Assistant Directos Robert Nagy; Special Material, David DeVoss and Bruce Campbell, Edited by Bruce Campbell, Musical Composition by Bruce Herschensohn, Directed by Cally Curtis; Assistant Producer, George Walker; Executive Producer, Mort Beebe; created and produced by Bruce Campbell.
Film 3. Ice Follies of 1943, 1943. 2 film reels (31 minutes): silent, color; 16mm.
Contents:
Reel 1: "1943 Coast to Coast Attendance 2,300,000; 120 skaters in cast; 610 costumes used in each performance; $5,000,000 Bond Sales in 1943; $100,000 Raised for War Relief Service in 1943; 150,000 Members of Armed Forces attended free performances in 1943; 27 members of cast in the Armed Forces." Sections: Enchanted Lake and Snowman's Land with featured skaters Jenna Schulte, Bufford Mccusker, and Bud McNulty (2:00).
Reel 2: Gay Caballero, Roy Shipstad (2:15), Dress Parade (2:28), final bow with all performers, adventures of Peter Rabbit (0:15).
Credits: Owned and produced by Eddie Shipstad, Oscar Johnson, Roy Shipstad.
Notes:
Reel 2 was previously numbered Film 7 and is possibly outtakes from Film 3, reel 1.Credits for each section appear in reel 1, but not reel 2.
LocationBox
III.42Film 4. Shipstads and Johnson Ice Follies 1964, parts 1 and 2, 1964. 2 film reels (1 hour 5 minutes): silent, color; 16mm.
Contents:
Reel 1:
"Tropical splendour with Jill Shipstad" - large female cast skating number featuring Shipstad.
"Footlight romance featuring Richard Dwyer and Dorothy Ann Nelson" - couples skating in Vaudeville skit.
"Hillbilly hound, Doug Sears and Dick Cooper" - small cast comedy skating with skaters in hound costume.
"Ice cream land with the Benton twins" - children's skit with large cast some in animal costumes, an ice cream train, and real dog on ice. Features Benton sisters synchronized skating.
"Swing waltz, world's champion Donald Jackson" - the Ice Follies standard of couples waltz-skating in formal wear, ends in free skating solo by Jackson.
"Dance champions, the Beattys" - couples skating in formal wears, turns into comedy.
"Wee hours, the Kermond Bros" - the Kermonds and others clowning as drunks on the ice.
"Patterns precise, Clark and Carrol" - couple synchronized skating.
"Highland swing with Dorothy Ann Nelson" - large mixed cast skating Scottish dance, solo by Nelson."
Reel 2:
"Parisian potpourri, features the Frenchman Eric Kermond, the artist wall, the sailor Dora, la cherie Ina Bauer" - large cast, two acts with skating by Kermond and Bauer Solo in first act, followed with clowning by Walland Dora.
"Hungarian champion Istran Szenes" - solo free skating.
"Safari, Mr. Frick" - small cast skating safari skit featuring Frick.
"Blue Ballet with Lee Carroll as the Danube Spirit" - large cast ballet skating featuring Carroll Solo.
"The Schillings as the lovers" - acrobatic couples skating.
"The debonaire, Richard Dwyer" - begins with several ladies skating out in succession in women's costumes of the world, enter Dwyer, in tuxedo, skating solo finish.
"Bunkhouse buckaroos, the scarecrows" - trio comic skating in union suits.
"New Years Eve, the precision-(featured act credits end)" - large cast dance line skating finale, ends in balloon dropping, presumably at midnight on New Year's Eve, and cast throwing streamers at audience.
Credits: Producers, Eddie-Roy Shipstad-Oscar Johnson; Directors, Fran Claudet, Stanley Kahn; Music Director, George Hackett; Master of Ceremonies, Paul Gannon; Costumes by Mary Wills; Film produced-directed by the Kermond Bros.; Filmed by Eric Kermond.
Film 5. Shipstads and Johnson Presents Ice Follies 1965, 1965. 2 film reels (45 minutes each): silent, color; 16mm.
Contents:
Reel 1:
"Parasol promenade with Patsy Cook, starring the Denton Twins" - large cast skating number with Cook solo and Denton sisters synchronized skating.
"Sundae date: Richard Dwyer, Dorothy Ann Nelson" - couples skating in soda fountain skit.
"Kitten-Kapers, Doug Sears, Dick Cooper" - small cast children's number with Sears and Cooper skating in kitten suit.
"Synchro-skating: Bill Thomas, Hugh Smith."
"The musical farm featuring Diane Morris" - large cast farm-theme skating number, solo by Morris, skaters in instrument costumes, chorus of skaters in chicks and chicken costumes, and farm train and live dogs released on ice.
"Hungarian gypsy, Istvan Szenes" - solo free skating.
"Down memory lane-swing waltz" - standard couples waltz-skating.
"A command performance, the Beattys." Comic couples skating.
"Canada's own Donald Jackson" - solo free skating in Canadian uniform.
"Shore leave, the Kermond brothers" - Kermonds do acrobatic clown-skating in naval uniforms.
Female solo, possibly Bess Ehrhardt, then an oriental-theme chorus number with a mixed couple duet.
Reel 2: begins with a duet by a mixed couple with tambourine, then a skit with chorus girls in high fashion gowns filling the rink before a Roy Shipstad solo, a western comedy duet by the Shipstad and Johnson team in which a man from the audience walks out on ice and falls down, and ends with finale.
Credits: Producers, Eddie-Roy Shipstad-Oscar Johnson; Directors, Fran Clandet, Stanley Kahn; Costumes, Mary Willis; Music, George Hackett; Photographed-edited by Eric Kermond.
Film 6. 1936 first tour, Canada, 1936. 1 film reel (11 minutes): silent, black and white; 16mm.
Film 7. 1943 Ice Follies, end of second half, 1943.
Notes:
Renumbered as Film 3, reel 2.
LocationBox
III.43Film 8. Madison Square Garden, 1944. 2 film reels (18 minutes): silent, color; 16mm.
Film 9. Ice Follies of 1946, 1946. 1 film reel (12 minutes): silent, color; 16mm.
Contents:
Large chorus number with female duet.
Chorus returns, followed by mixed couple duet.
Phyllis Legg solos on stilts.
Harris Legg obstacle jumps, and jumps through flaming hoop.
Woman soloist.
Swing waltz.
Another chorus number, followed by mixed couple duet. Man appears to Roy Shipstad.
Chorus number with woman soloist.
New woman soloist
Chorus number.
Duet (female twins).
Woman soloist.
Chorus refrain (related to act 10).
Skating tap dancer.
Full cast finale with Spanish theme.
Notes:
Acts 4-9 are all performed in a Middle Eastern theme on the same set.
Acts 10-13 performed on winter set.
Film 10. Hoop Skirt, Bobby Wed, Ruby and Bob, Ossie Penguin, mid 1940s. 1 film reel (15 minutes): silent, color; 16mm.
Contents:
Hoop Skirt - large production number.
Bobby Wed - female impersonation mock of "Hoop Skirt."
Ruby Bel - synchronized skating with male partner.
Ossie Penquin - clowning in costumes.
Male and female stilt skating duet.
Jack-in-the-Box solo.
Ruby Bol and each act that follows it are part of the same multi-sequence children's number.
Film 11. Moonlight vision, Diana of the moonbeams; three toy antics: dolls, penguins, and wooden soldiers; Osborne Olson?, 1943. 1 film reel (15 minutes): silent, color; 16mm.
Contents:
Cowboy outfits (0:30).
Male and female impersonator clowning (0:41), Shipstad and Johnson team.
Artist and Subject (0:10).
Mounty and maiden (1:15).
Tuxedo outfits (0:22).
Snowman and polar bears (1:20).
Couple (0:45).
Large production number (0:35).
Diana of moonbeams? (0:40).
Couple in evening wear skating.
Male solo (Roy Shipstad?).
Acrobats (Male).
Same couple as act 2 with car and props (Shipstad and Johnson).
Couple with maracas.
Couples in evening wear, large production.
Couple.
Mounty and maiden.
Film 12. Oscar and Ed, Roy, umbrella swing waltz, 1940s. 1 film reel (15 minutes): silent, color; 16mm.
Contents:
"Umbrella swing waltz" with several acts from 1943 or post-1943 period, includes:
Large production piece.
Female solo.
Oscar Johnson and Eddie Shipstad male and female impersonator comedy duet that begins with skaters riding out in a comic horse and carriage.
Solo by Roy Shipstad in tails.
Film 13. Swiss yokels: Frick and Frack, on parade: the end, 1940s. 1 film reel (6 minutes): silent, color; 16mm.
Contents:
Swiss Yokels (Frick & Frack) - male comedy duet, maybe Shipstad and Johnson (2:30).
On Parade - The End. Large production number. Skating chorus line of drum majorettes twirling batons. Leads into grand finale (3:30).
Film 14. Playtime, Valerie and Jenna and Kittens, Rookie/Evelyn and Bruce, Henderson's pool and balloon number, 1940s. 4 film reels (1.5 minutes each): silent, color; 16mm.
Contents:
Reel 1."Playtime" - Ruby and Bob, begins as large production number with carnival theme, then moves into synchronized skating duet w/parasol.
Reel 2."Valerie and Jenna and kittens (broken)" - duet and costumed children's act with no visible break.
Reel 3."Rookie-Evelyn and Bruce" - a military skit and a duet with badminton theme.
Reel 4."Hendersons pool and balloon number" - begins with home movie and balloon number follows.
Film 15. Interview with Oscar Johnson, Treas. spots TV, undated. 1 film reel (5 minutes): sound, black and white; 16mm.
Contents:
TV interview (reporter Connie Page) during an Ice Follies intermission. Tacoma TV station. Johnson describes beginnings of Follies as between hockey games at Madison Square Gardens. Introduces Florence Rae, Betty Schalow, and Richard Dwyer (age 18) to camera. He gives these statistics: average age of female chorus skater 18-22, show consists of 140 skaters, 23 numbers in this show, Follies travels in 16 car special train, 12 poodles are used in show, typical crowd is 200, and Follies play to 2 million annually. Show is using motorized Venetian gondola prop.
Film 16. Glamour on ice 1953 edition, 1953. 1 film reel (minutes): sound, color; 16mm.
Contents:
Stresses how Ice Follies costumes will affect future fashions - begins with shot of fortune teller; shows skaters and program for 17th Annual Follies (1953); credits Helen Rose of MGM Studios for costume designs; scenes of sketches, materials and fabrics, costume construction, fittings, and rehearsal and testing of outfits, each are tailored to individual for fit with set of specific standards for Ice Follies use; 1953 Follies costumes displayed with emphasis on materials used in construction: East Indian skit with horsehair skirts, Elizabethan gown, use of ostrich feathers, gown with individually manufactured stars and rhinestones, daredevil Harris Legg's feathered Native American headdress, animal costumes, plastics, swing waltz costumes with ermine accents, hats and gowns for finale, et al.
Credits: Narrated by Fran harris.
Container notes: "Fashions on Ice," Harris-Tuchman Productions.
Film 17. Kodak film library sample, 1930s-1940s. 1 film reel (1 minute 30 seconds): silent, black and white; 16mm.
Contents:
"The early bird and the worm," produced by Kinex Studios, Hollywood, in stop motion animation.
"Algiers" - live action travelogue.
M.J. Winkler presents "Felix in Hollywood," a Pat Sullivan Comic (Copyright 1923).
Charles Chaplin in "easy street."
William Fox presents an animal comedy, "wild puppies," supervised by George E. Marshall, live action.
Warner Brothers presents Rin-Tin-Tin in "the night cry," by Ewart Anderson.
Fox Varieties, "the moose country" (copyright 1927) and "the world we live in."
Ken Maynard in "the red raiders" (copyright 1927, First National Pictures).
"We're in the Navy now" (Paramount).
Credits: Scenes from Kodak Cinegraphs via Cine-Kodak Dealers.
Film 18. San Francisco, ahead of 1940 show (a night out), 1940. 1 film reel (3 minutes): silent, color; 16mm.
Contents:
Possibly a homemade Ice Follies commercial where a husband comes home to wife who's feeling blue, will cheer up if they go to the Follies, shows her the program, short scenes of Follies, view of marquee: "Winterland Ice Follies of 1940 to nite at 8:30 seats on sale," shows conductor in orchestra pit, ends with red arrow pointing out program titled, "a night out" and acts including "arctic fantasy."
Film 19. Finish, undated. 1 film reel (3 minutes): silent, color; 16mm.
Contents:
Begins with "umbrella swing waltz" and "Eddie and Oscar" type footage of Shipstads and Johnson, including tricycle. Finish with same patriotic chorus number as Film 23.
Film 20. 1944 Ice Follies, 1944. 1 film reel (3 minutes): silent, color; 16mm.
Contents:
Similar chorus number with fencing on ice as Film 8.
Film 21. McKellan, July 1942. 1 film reel (1 minute 30 seconds): silent, color; 16mm.
Contents:
Two-man acrobatic skating comic skit with a coach is showing frightened player how to play football, includes comic scene of coach pumping water out of player.
Film 22. Gabretti Bros., July 1942. 1 film reel (1 minute 30 seconds): silent, color; 16mm.
Contents:
"Rookie" (title found elsewhere) - military skating skit, male cast.
Golfing skating number with two couples.
Gabretti Bros. - synchronized skating.
Film 23. Ed and Oscar, undated. 1 film reel (1 minute 30 seconds): silent, color; 16mm.
Contents:
Ed and Oscar: Shipstad and Johnson, Spike McDougal-Gashouse Anne-type comic skating.
Large female cast, patriotic, Busby-Berkeley type number with blue and white, stars and stripes costumes. Begins with women slowly skating in line saluting one at a time in roll-call fashion.
Film 24. Waltz-Twins-Heinie, July 1942. 1 film reel (1 minute 30 seconds): silent, color; 16mm.
Contents:
Waltz-couple skating waltz.
Twins - female twins synchronized skating.
Heinie comedy - Heinie Brock with three woman cast.
Film 25. Bess-Mex, July 1942. 1 film reel (1 minute 30 seconds): silent, color; 16mm.
Contents:
Same as "Mex-Bess" (Film 26) without Hat Dance. Begins with Bess doing mambo with male attendants, moves into solo ending in slow, one leg spin, and finishes with Bess held aloft by men on sombrero.
Film 26. Mex-Bess, December 1942. 1 film reel (1 minute 30 seconds): silent, color; 16mm.
Contents:
Begins as large cast Mexican-theme with many couples breaking off to do Mexican Hat Dance on skates. Finishes with Bess doing Carmen Miranda-esque mambo skating solo.
Film 27. Colson-Claudet Mex, December 1942. 1 film reel (1 minute 30 seconds): silent, color; 16mm.
Contents:
Skating duet in Mexican costumes, followed by larger cast of couples that continue skating in Mexican theme.
Film 28. Balloon number and Maxsons, 1942. 1 film reel (1 minute 30 seconds): silent, color; 16mm.
Contents:
Very poorly lit footage of large production skating number with balloons, followed by duet skating number by the Maxsons.
Film 29. Eddie and Oscar, 1942. 1 film reel (1 minute 30 seconds): silent, color; 16mm.
Notes:
See also Film 33.
Film 30. Playtime, stilts, and Maxsons, 1942. 1 film reel (1 minute 30 seconds): silent, color; 16mm.
Contents:
Playtime - Duet skated on stilts, same costumes and production as "merry-go-round show."
Maxsons - husband and wife skating duet, Ruby and Bob Maxson.
Film 31. Opening ballet, Val and Jenna, 1942. 1 film reel (1 minute 30 seconds): silent, color; 16mm.
Contents:
Large female cast number in dark lighting and glitter costumes, opens into female duet of Val and Jenna.
Notes:
See also Film 34.
Film 32. Bob Widholm, Crater Lake, 1942. 1 film reel : silent, color; 16mm.
Contents:
Home movie of fishing and walking around Crater Lake.
View of marquee: "Madison Sq. Garden Dec. 8th 9th 10th Ice Follies of 1942 Hockey Thur Night Americans vs Rangers,·Boxing - Fri. Dec. 12 Zivic vs Kid McCoy Amateur Boxing Every Sun Aft."
Poorly lit footage of large cast skating production with props.
Film 33. Shipstad and Johnson sailor number, January 1943. 1 film reel (1 minute 30 seconds): silent, color; 16mm.
Contents:
Shipstads and Johnson comedy skit similar to "umbrella swing waltz," ride off ice on tricycle.
Notes:
Contents differ from container.
See also Film 29.
Film 34. Opening number, January 1943. 1 film reel (1 minute 30 seconds): silent, color; 16mm.
Contents:
Opening cast, duet by Val and Jenna, closes with male-female couples skating.
Notes:
See also Film 31.
Film 35. Playtime-Rookies-Maxsons, early 1940s. 1 film reel (1 minute 30 seconds): silent, color; 16mm.
Contents:
Playtime - large female cast revolves around giant umbrella in girlish costumes, finished by duet by the skating couple, the Maxsons (Mr. Maxson falls down at the end of first sequence), followed by shorter second sequence.
Rookies - small cast G.I. comedy skit on skates.
Film 36. Mexican/Colson and Claudette, 1940s. 1 film reel (1 minute 30 seconds): silent, color; 16mm.
Contents:
Large production number including duet and few seconds of a man solo skating (possibly Roy Shipstad).
Film 37. Sailor number, 1940s. 1 film reel (1 minute 30 seconds): silent, color; 16mm.
Contents:
Ice skating number with large cast, chorus line approach.
Film 38. Chair number, Roy, 1940s. 1 film reel (1 minute 30 seconds): silent, color; 16mm.
Contents:
Rehearsal film with Busby-Berkeley type of large cast, chorus line number with female skaters using chairs as props then joined by Roy Shipstad who does hot-dog solo skating in a white tux.
Film 39. Phyllis and Harris, merry-go-round show, 1940s. 1 film reel (1 minute 30 seconds): silent, color; 16mm.
Contents:
Small cast skates in formation as merry-go-round, interlude of duet in toy costumes, ends with chorus skating with hoops as props. Phyllis and Harris Legg.

Expand/CollapseRELATED MATERIAL

Compiled materials relating to Shipstads and Johnson Ice Follies, 1911-1987 are available in the Minnesota Historical Society manuscripts collection.

Ice Follies photograph collection and Ice Follies sound recordings collection are cataloged separately in the sound and visual collections.

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Expand/CollapseCATALOG HEADINGS

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics:
Skating.
Persons:
Johnson, Oscar.
Shipstad, Eddie.
Shipstad, Roy.
Meetings:
Ice Follies (Show).
Document Types:
Motion pictures (visual works).

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