Dorothy Hamill

Dorothy Hamill (born July 26, 1956, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.) is an American former figure skater who won the gold medal for women’s figure skating in the 1976 Olympic Winter Games in Innsbruck, Austria. Hamill later worked as a TV commentator.

(Read Scott Hamilton’s Britannica entry on figure skating.)

Early life and Olympics

Hamill first skated at age eight on a backyard pond. By 14 she was being privately tutored so that she could skate up to seven hours per day. In the 1970s she lived and trained in Denver, Colorado, under the supervision of legendary skating coach Carlo Fassi. This intense training paid off; Hamill was a three-time U.S. national champion (1974–76) and the 1976 world champion. She was the last female skater to win an Olympic gold medal (1976) with no triple jumps.

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In addition to her graceful skating, Hamill is known for her haircut, which was widely imitated, and for a skating spin. A few years before the Olympics, she had her hair cut into a wedge style that kept her hair short and out of her eyes. Hamill invented the Hamill camel, a camel spin that is followed by a sit spin.

(Read Scott Hamilton’s Britannica essay on “Training for Olympic Gold.”)

Later activities

Hamill turned professional in 1977 and began skating with the Ice Capades, which she later owned and managed (1993–95). She appeared in numerous television specials and also performed with other skating companies. From 1983 to 1987 she won five consecutive World Professional Championships. Hamill also participated in activities outside skating. Notably, she was a contestant on the TV competition show Dancing with the Stars in 2013, though she was forced to withdraw after several episodes due to an injury. Four years later she appeared on Chopped, a cooking show.

Personal life

From 1982 to 1984 Hamill was married to Dean Paul Martin, the son of singer and actor Dean Martin. In 1987 she wed Kenneth Forsythe, and the couple had a daughter, Alexandra Forsythe, before divorcing in 1995. Hamill wed John MacColl, a lawyer, in 2009.

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Hamill cowrote Dorothy Hamill on and off the Ice (1983; with Elva Clairmont) and A Skating Life (2007; with Deborah Amelon). In the latter work, Hamill offered a candid look at her life, including her struggles with depression.