ICE CAPADE S
75 YEARS
“Te moments, the traveling, the camarade- rie, the friendships were all part of that incredible
time.”
As Mr. Debonair, Dwyer wore a top hat and tails. A former U.S. novice and junior champion (1948 and ’49), his double jumps and famous spread eagle always brought cheers from the crowd. Among the show’s signature highlights was
Dwyer gliding across the ice accompanied by six beautiful women dubbed “Te Dwyer Girls.” As both men and women swooned, Dwyer would give away a dozen roses at each show, always handing one to a grandmotherly type seated in the front row.
Sue Rodeghier, a Dwyer Girl in the 1980s,
remembers how special it was to perform with the legendary Mr. Debonair. “It’s amazing to be one of those many who
were part of that,” said Rodeghier, one of the re- union organizers. “You never think that you are going to be included in that, and then when you are asked to do it, it’s such an honor. To this day, he knows who I am and knows I was one of his girls.”
ICE-CAPET MEMORIES: Margaret & Lois Ann meet royalty
Margaret Field Beard and Lois Ann McCor-
mick Taylor Parnell entered the traveling ice show business in the latter half of the 1940s. Field Beard, who was an accomplished com-
petitive singles and pairs skater, played the leads, such as Snow White, Little Red Riding Hood and
Cinderella, in many of the iconic productions in her time with Ice Capades International. “Whatever Donna Atwood did in the other
Ice Capades show, I did,” said Field Beard, who spent 13 years with Ice Capades. “A couple of times I skated with Bobby Specht at the Conven- tion Hall in Atlantic City when she didn’t want to skate.”
During those early years, she also performed with the popular and charismatic Jimmy Lawrence, her husband of 13 years. Tey had two children, James and Kathy. Field Beard later married Marshall Beard, who had skated with the legendary Sonja Henie. “When my children grew a little taller, we
went out together as a family act with Holiday on Ice,” Field Beard said. “My son and daughter did a pairs act and Kathy did a solo.” While with Holiday on Ice, they ventured to
South America and did shows in Argentina and Rio de Janeiro. Tey later rejoined Ice Capades and performed their family act for three more years. One of Field Beard’s fondest memories is per-
forming for Jordan’s King Abdullah I in London. “He came to the show three times and sat in
the front row,” Field Beard said. “He said it was the best show he had ever seen.” Field Beard also skated in Ice Capades shows in Canada for 10 years, and did many milk and Wonder Bread ads. “All of this was included in our contract,” she
said. The chorus line of the 1942 Ice Capades peform the show’s finale titled, “Aire Militaire.”
Today, Field Beard lives in Santa Clarita, Cal- ifornia, with her daughter, who enjoyed a six-year career with Ice Capades. “I walk every day,” she said. “Tat’s what
keeps me going.” Taylor Parnell, like Field Beard, played the lead in many numbers with the Ice Capades. “I was the tallest girl in the show, so that was my claim to fame,” she joked. Traveling the world stands out as one of the best memories of her skating days. With the show, she traveled to London in 1949 and 1950, where the cast spent four or five months each time. “It was just a wonderful experience,” she said.
“We had time off so we could go to France, and we went to Paris, Switzerland and Ireland. Everybody had stories to tell.” While performing in England, the show’s cast
got to meet Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. “He came to the show and sat in the box by
himself,” Taylor Parnell said. “We all knew he was there. Everybody kind of played up to him. Very charming. We met him as a group. He came down and said hello to us. It was very nice.” Taylor Parnell met her first husband, Phil
Taylor, while with the show. Phil and his daughter, two-time World champion Megan Taylor, joined the Ice Capades in 1942.
Te couple, who married in 1952, had two
children, Stephen and Phil. Taylor was popular for his stilt skating act, which he originated. As a performer, he represent-
22 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
PHOTO COURTESY ROY BLAKEY’S ICESTAGE ARCHIVE
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