Sonja Henie

Ice skating sensation Sonja Henie as she appeared in the 1939 film EVERYTHING HAPPENS AT NIGHT. Henie was born in Kristiania (now Oslo) Norway on April 8, 1912. She is best remembered for being a Norwegian figure skater and Hollywood film star. She was a three-time Olympic Champion (1928, 1932, 1936) in Ladies' Singles, a ten-time World Champion (1927–1936) and a six-time European Champion (1931–1936). Henie won more Olympic and World titles than any other ladies' figure skater. At the height of her acting career, she was one of the highest-paid stars in Hollywood and starred in a series of box-office hits, including "Thin Ice" (1937), "My Lucky Star" (1938), "Second Fiddle" (1939) and "Sun Valley Serenade" (1941). She had high profile romances with Tyrone Power, boxer Joe Louis, and Van Johnson. During World War 2 her connections to the Nazis caused a controversy. She had often performed in Germany and her popularity plummeted when a photo of her with Adolf Hitler was published. Her movie career wound down during the mid-'40s, but she continued skating until she retired in 1960. Unfortunately she had a serious drinking problem which eventually forced her to retire. In 1956 she married shipping magnate Niels Onstad. The couple moved back to Norway and opened a museum to showcase their art collection. Henie was diagnosed with leukemia in 1968 and died of the disease at age 57 in 1969 during a flight from Paris to Oslo.

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