Dorothy Hamill Biography

Dorothy Stuart Hamill is an American figure skater who won the gold medal at the Winter Olympic Games in Austria in 1976 and is also an actor. She is known for her moves on the rink as well as signature bobbed haircut. She won the World Championship title in Sweden and became known as ‘America’s Sweetheart’ for her looks as well as determination. In addition to mastering various moves in figure skating, she is credited with inventing new moves of her own. One such move is the ‘Hamill Camel’, which is a combination of a ‘Camel’ and ‘Sit Spin’. Post her professional career, she toured with the show, ‘Ice Capades’ from 1977 to 1984. She also won a Daytime Emmy for her performance in ‘Romeo and Juliet on Ice’ (1983). In January 2008, Hamill announced that she had breast cancer and moved to Nantucket, Massachusetts for treatment. She is presently working with Nantucket skating club and also works with several charity organisations including the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, the International Special Olympics and the American Cancer Society. Her name is included in the United States as well as World Figure Skating Hall of Fame and the Dorothy Hamill Skating Rink in her hometown of Greenwich is named after her.