Additional information
by Werner Groebli (Author)
The till now unpublished autobiography of "Mr. Frick," written by Werner Groebli in the 1980s, was left in the original state for the present book. Only the black and white pictures were carefully refreshed and some square brackets were added by me to supply more useful information, when needed. All underlined words are in German. "Swiss Movements special edition" contains lots of performance photos, pictures taken with celebrities, as well as personal portraits. Original newspaper clippings, honors, Peanuts Snoopy and cartoons complete the special edition. After Werner Groebli's retirement in 1980, it was always his greatest wish to get "The autobiography of Mr. Frick" published. Even his friend "Sparky" (Charles M. Schulz) was witness to this desire and sent him a letter in 1987 concerning the last Chapter 13, which he appreciated being part of. Therefore this book is in honor of Werner Groebli's 101st birthday, to keep his extraordinary career of more than forty years in the Ice Follies, as an outstandingly funny ice comedian in our lasting memory. Our little native Switzerland certainly was not ready for the huge arena of America, within which to display his remarkable talent, with which Mr. Frick was so evidently blessed. I am glad to finally see the publishing of this entertaining book, which will give a profound and visual overview of Mr. Frick's life as one of the leading ice comedians of the world.
Author Biography
Mr. Frick (Werner Groebli) was among the enduring phenomena of the world of figure skating: an exceptional athlete, a comic genius on skates, an audience pleaser for more than four decades in major ice shows, on television, on film, and in special appearances around the United States and the world. For a number of years, he was teamed with his original partner Frack and together their act became a part of the language -- "Frick and Frack." They found fame with the Ice Follies. Frick and Frack were known for performing eccentric tricks on ice, including the world-famous "Cantilever Spread Eagle," created by Werner Groebli, and Hansruedi Mauch's "Rubber Legs," twisting and bending his legs while skating in a spread eagle position. They also reached a worldwide audience when they began appearing in films, including the two Monogram Pictures productions (1943) "Silver Skates" and (1944) "Lady, Let's Dance." Beloved of ice figure skating devotee Charles M. Schulz, Mr. Frick had not only performed with Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang on ice, he had been a continuing reference point in the comic strip. Mr. Frick's long career was a remarkable one, purely with regard to his success in the unique arena of professional ice skating, and he was able to provide a very concentrated and special look at this form of "show business." The rise of the great shows, life on the road with a hectic round of performances at the end of each plane, train or bus trip, celebrities in the audience eager to meet the performers, the new stars and the old ones. On deeper level, however, the world of professional figure skating was the background for the life of a complex individual, whose will to succeed and devoted professionalism would had stood him well in any endeavor. Mr. Frick has been called one of the greatest athletes of our time, and his inventive acts were founded on his ability. He was a unique human being, whose story will touch a far wider audience than those who regularly attend ice Shows. Indeed, anyone who has dreamt of coming out of himself and finding the true person he will be fascinated by this life. There are very few books which are centered on the world of professional skating, and certainly none with the range of Mr. Frick's experience.
