Readers Respond: Memories of Ice Show Star and Figure Skating Legend Richard Dwyer

In every show, Richard Dwyer would give away a dozen roses to a random "grandmothering type" lady who was sitting in the front row in the audience. Stories have been told of those ladies treasuring the memory of being given those roses.

What other memories do you have of the legendary figure skating star? Richard Dwyer Memories

My Memory

My aunt and uncle, Billie & Bill Johnson, of Burbank CA were personal friends of Richard Dwyer's family. When I was in CA in the summer of 1959 visiting my aunt and uncle I was suppose to meet him but he was unavailable. About 10 years later when he was in Detroit appearing with the ice show I was told to contact him, which I did and he left tickets for my husband and I to see the show. It was great finally getting to see him. My aunt and uncle are gone now, but I often think of Richard and wonder if he is still around and what he is doing.

—EvyTichik

My fondest childhood memories

My best childhood memories were of the Ice Follies. I waited all year for that week in February for them to tour in our city. Richard Dwyer was my favorite all those years. He was the perfect skater and the perfect gentleman. No one has been able to equal him since. February is not the same without the Ice Follies and today's children will never know what they missed. Bless all of you! You are all missed, especially you, Mr. Dwyer!

—Guest Sherry Smith

Sister Mary Victory BVM

Dear Mr Dwyer, My Freshman nun in High School was Sister Mary Victory at St. Marys High in Chicago. Every year we would look forward in you coming to our school to visit with us. Sister Mary Victory was so proud of you. Every time she would introduce you she would have this exciting look on her face. She thought the world of you!!! When I think of Sister you also are in my thoughts. Thank you for being so good to her. She was one of my favorites. God Bless You Always.

—Guest Rose Ann Dambrosio Koyer

Salute to the Golden Age of Ice Skating

Richard, Saw you on the Golden Age of Ice Skating special that took place at Ceasars Palace. It brough back memories of when we were neighbors in Tiburon, Ca. and all the great shows we saw you in years ago in Santa Rosa. You're as smooth & talented as ever! Bravo!!!! Rita

—Guest Rita McBride

A Forever Fan

As a young girl, in love with ice skating and growing up in NYC in the late 40s and 50s, we never missed the Ice Follies. My favorite part was Richard Dwyer, escorting the beautifully gowned women onto the ice, followed by his solo and then the presentation of the roses. I still have all of my programs from those years. What a thrill to see Richard performing with Brian Boitano, still looking fabulous and still charming the ladies...no matter what their ages! He will always reign as my favorite ice show performer! Keep inspiring us, Richard!

—Guest Leslie Johnson Leech

I was with you

Thank you for giving my grandmother the Roses in 1965 MPLS show. I promised you the ocean if you would give her them and you did. I loved the year I skated with you in 1964 -1965. I miss all the people I was with that year and wish I could re connect with them.

—Guest Arlene Hildebrandt

Great Memories

My grandmother would take my sister & I to the Ice Follies, in Cleveland, Ohio, every year. Boy how we enjoyed it. We wrote to Mr. Dwyer and he got back to us & he invited us backstage to see him and ever since that first time we kept in touch and saw him every year backstage. One year he presented my grandmother with the roses, how awesome that was for all of us. I often think of Richard and wonder how he is doing now, is there anyway to find out?

—LindaKapteinBernard

Great times with a great person

For many years my mother and I would go out with you after after the show at the old Boston Garden. One year you arranged for me to sit with Dick Tipping the lighting man for a show. This was a great time as was going out with you.

—Guest Mark Williams

Kim-Orser mess

It must be incredibly hard for Orser to lose his favorite student. However, Olympic champion or not, skaters do change coaches. If Kim wanted to move on, she should be allowed to move on. As difficult as it it might be, Orser still has the obligation and duty to protect his former student. Instead, he crossed the line, not only by revealing the new program, but by going public with what should have been a private matter.

—Guest jeansguy

Krissy

Richard Dwyer was the ultimate entertainer and class act. My entire family and I personally got to know him for years when the Ice Follies came to Minneapolis and my grandfather, Win Stephens, hosted the entire show. All the girls in my family (there were five) LOVE Richard and to this day, I will never forget him as a skater and gentleman. He was the real deal!

—Guest kris Stephens Gonzalez

Richard Dwyer Memories

Mr. Dwyer, I don't know if you'll remember but in the 60's my Girl Scout troop from Mason City, IA, had a fan club for you. Every spring we would come to Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN to see you perform & you would come visit us after the show. It was always an honor to see you but there is 1 year I have special memories of. The year after Peggy Fleming won Gold in the Olympics in Grenoble, France, she performed in the Ice Follies. You brought her back with you to meet us & I got her autograph along with yours. I still have that Ice Follies program with both your authographs to this day. I still am an avid fan of ice skating, in fact, I've been watching the Vancouver 2010 Olympic ice skating events. By the way, in the 70's there were twin sisters from Mason City, Iowa that were line ice skaters in the Ice Follies by the names of Denise & Diane Cross-I don't know if you remember them or not. Every time we saw you-you were definitely Mr. Debonair! A Fan For Life, Karen Johnson

—Guest Karen Johnson

Not only debonair, but classy

Other than my many memories of Richard from my Follies days, another example of his sincerely classy personality stands out to me. 20 years after I had left the show, I was teaching in Eugene, Oregon, and Richard came to skate with Scott Hamilton and others in our annual show. My mother, who had always been a huge fan of Richard, was sitting in the fifth row, but Richard, after I told him she was his biggest fan, delivered his customary bouquet of roses to her, despite having to climb 10 steps to do so. My mom never forgot that night. Richard was, and will always be, the perfect ambassador for skating.

—Guest Vance Kirklin

gail

I remember the show in Philadelphia over the Christmas holiday season. The stars used my parents laundry, Speedy Wee Wash It, at 4022 Market Street, and my mother arranged for me to babysit several times. She and I both fell hard for Richard.

—Guest gail