Nordskog Publishing Inc.

Gloria Nord

(Gloria Nord[skog] is aunt of Jerry Nordskog)

Gloria Nord, was a contemporary of Sonja Henie, but did not have the family money to participate in the U.S. Olympics, as did the Norwegian Ms. Henie. Gloria began skating when her brother, Bob Nordskog, made her some home-made roller skates during her early teens, and she took to roller-skating, as well as ice skating at the Polar Palace in Los Angeles while growing up in Santa Monica. Her artistic graceful style of skating (without lessons) naturally propelled her to stardom over the years.

Her career began and excelled initially in the USA roller-skating across the country as the Star of the Skating Vanities (see article below taken from a 1944 souvenir program, when she was only age 21). After several years in America, her stardom grew and she was asked to go to England to skate in Great Britain’s ice shows. Once there, she soon became a national hero as the star of the ice skating performances in London and elsewhere. This included being invited by the Queen of England to a special Command Performance before the Crown.... and skating elsewhere in Europe for many years as the ice skating beauty.

The following bio was taken from the 1945 "Skating Vanities" show program:

Lovely Gloria Nord, 21-year-old ballerina of "Skating Vanities," has a double claim to fame. Not only is she acknowledged as the outstanding dance-skater in America, but she is also one of the country's most beautiful girls. Her face and figure have adorned such national publications as The Saturday Evening Post, Look, Pic, the New York Sunday News, and others. She has won acclaim for her solo skating in the aptly-titled movie, "Pin-Up Girl." And her photographs have been requested by American servicemen all over the world.

Like many another beauty of our day, Gloria was born in California. Even as a child, she showed marked dancing ability in the ballet which, as a matter of fact, was her original ambition. As a hobby, Gloria went in for ice-skating, and was so good at adapting dance routines to ice that many urged her to become a professional ice-dancer. But Gloria wasn't interested-dancing, she maintained, should be done on terra firma.

But fate had other ideas. One day Gloria went to the Hollywood roller rink with friends and, for the first time, donned roller skates. With no trouble at all, she began to dance on them. Soon she was giving exhibitions. Then Harold Steinman saw her, conceived the idea for "Skating Vanities," and persuaded Gloria to change her mind about being a straight ballet dancer. This was not too difficult, for roller-skating held for Gloria an irresistible appeal which ice-skating had never had.