Ever since he founded the tour in 1986, Scott Hamilton was the
patriarch and heart of the Stars on Ice tour. He gathered some of the
greatest skaters in the world and formed them into a family dedicated
to putting on the best show possible for skating fans. After 15
years, Scott decided to make the 2001 tour his last full year. The
opening of the show featured Scott symbolically passing things onto
the next generation, by skating with a young "star of tomorrow" chosen
from each city to "A Song For You." The finale, to "Always," seemed
to be Scott's message of love and farewell to both his fans and his
skating family. The tour culminated in an emotional final show in
Portland, ME, where many of the skaters, including Kurt, seemed to be
in tears as Scott passed between them, touching hands, and drawing
them to skate together one last time after him.
The 2001 tour wasn't all sad farewells and emotion, however. True to
form, Scott's last tour had a good dollop of humor in it, in the Act I
closer "Tunnel Vision," designed as a "behind-the-scenes" look at the
Stars on Ice tour and the personalities in it. The number was packed
full of in-jokes and a look at each skater's place in the tour. Kurt
was revealed to be the puppy-doggish "Boxcar" (see Scott Harvey's
memory below for the explanation of that nickname), who was always
eager to please, and sometimes got caught in his own world, singing
and dancing away enthusiastically to "Brickhouse." In the number,
Kurt and Scott marveled at Ilia Kulik's full head of hair, and
commiserated with each other that they were "built for speed."
The choreographers also gave Kurt the opportunity to try his hand at
some group choreography of his own, in the cowboy-inspired "JB47"
section of the show. In it, Kurt played a "Hollywood-stripper
cowboy," wearing an electric blue cowboy costume with his father's
actual "47 bar" cattle brand (the year his parents got married)
stitched into his butt, and his grandfather's "JB half-diamond" brand
on his leg. He also choreographed the "Sin Wagon" cowboy group number.
This was also the year that saw the debut of Nyah, the jumpless,
spinless, flamenco-inspired number that quickly became another Kurt
classic. In Canada, Alexei Yagudin replaced Kurt in the "New Moon in
Old Moon's Arms" group number, letting Kurt do an extra solo to "Bring
Him Home." All in all, Kurt was on the ice for eight different
numbers, probably the most he appeared on the ice in one show during
his 20 years on tour.
Scott A. Harvey, Stars on Ice Production Manager / Audio Engineer speaks...
Years back, we traveled to Germany to do the "Granini Stars on Ice"
show. Kurt showed up for our flight with his skates, and the clothes
on is back........ONLY!. We were there for a week and he only wore
the bright red "Granini" clothes that we were given by the sponsor! I
think he bought a toothbrush, toothpaste, and some shampoo at the
airport on the way into Germany. By the end of the last few days he
had earned himself the nickname "boxcar" after not shaving for....5
days maybe? (as he looked like Boxcar Willy).
OK...so I thought of another..... Standing in the arena in
West Virginia the day after Christmas on Kurt's cell phone listening
to his dad Dewey demonstrating the moose calls the he used when
tracking out in the woods. The only thing was, he didn't have an
actual moose call....he could just make the sound at any time just by
the way he could use his vocal cords. A laugh riot!
OK.....so one more (funny how when you ask about things they all come
back). I remember being on the phone with my fiancee' when Kurt came
over to me. He asked if it was Jeannie on the phone, and he proceeded
to ask her what number he should skate to since he couldn't decide on
which one he should bring back out. Her reply....."Brick House of
course"...... Kurt's reply was "OK". So he proceeded to break out the
leather pants again, and it was once again a fan favorite.
Seriously, Kurt is always a laugh, a great guy, and I have enjoyed
all the time I spent working with him. We wish Kurt and his family
all the best on his 20th anniversary.......Scott & Jeannie
