Toller Cranston facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Toller Cranston
Cranston in 1977
Personal information
Full name	Toller Shalitoe Montague Cranston
Country represented	Canada
Born	(1949-04-20)April 20, 1949 Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Died	January 24, 2015(2015-01-24) (aged 65) San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
Home town	Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada
Former coach	Ellen Burka Eva Vasak
Skating club	TCS & CC
Medal record Representing  Canada Figure skating Olympic Games Bronze 1976 Innsbruck Singles World Championships Bronze 1974 Munich Singles North American Championships Silver 1971 Peterborough Singles

Toller Shalitoe Montague Cranston (April 20, 1949 – January 24, 2015) was a famous Canadian figure skater and talented painter. He won many awards during his career. These included the Canadian national championships six times, from 1971 to 1976.

Toller also earned a bronze medal at the 1974 World Figure Skating Championships. He won another bronze medal at the 1976 Olympic Games. Many people believe Toller Cranston brought a new level of art and expression to men's figure skating.

Early Life and Education

Toller Cranston was born in Hamilton, Ontario, in 1949. He grew up in Kirkland Lake, Canada. When he was 11 years old, his family moved to a suburb of Montreal.

Toller enjoyed history in school. However, he did not like subjects that were very structured, like mathematics. After high school, Cranston studied art at the École des beaux-arts de Montréal. He became a professional artist after his third year of studies.

Toller Cranston's Books

In 1976, Toller worked with Elva Oglanby to write his first book, Toller. This book was a mix of his life story, drawings, poems, and funny thoughts. It became very popular in Canada.

He also wrote two more books with Martha Lowder Kimball. These were Zero Tollerance (1997) and When Hell Freezes Over: Should I Bring My Skates? (2000).

His Artistic Career

After leaving art school, Toller Cranston supported himself by being an artist. He earned enough money from his art to pay for his skating training. His first art show was in 1969.

In 1971, he had another successful art show in Toronto. Toller continued to have many art exhibitions. He had over 250 shows around the world. He kept painting even after he stopped skating professionally.

Toller Cranston's Skating Journey

Amateur Skating Career

Cranston performs a split jump at the 1974 World Figure Skating Championships

Toller started skating when he was 7 years old. His parents bought him hockey skates. He taught himself to dance on the ice. Later, he learned this was called "figure skating."

When Toller was 11, he met Eva Vasak. She was very impressed by his talent. She offered to coach him for free for the next eight years. At 13, Toller had a health issue and was told he might not skate again. But he recovered and won the 1964 Canadian Junior Championship.

After not making the Canadian team for the 1968 Winter Olympics, Toller started working with coach Ellen Burka in Toronto. His results quickly improved. He finished third at the Canadian championships in 1969 and second in 1970.

Toller was known for his unique style. He was one of the first skaters to use his whole body to express the music. He also wore elaborate costumes. His spins were very creative and many other skaters copied them. He was also known for his amazing combination jumps.

Toller wanted to create "theatre on ice." He saw skating as a form of dance. He believed that perfecting technical skills allowed the body to express music and feelings.

He won his first national title in 1971. The audience gave him a standing ovation. In 1972, he became very famous in the sport. At the 1972 Canadian championships, he received very high scores for his artistic performance.

Toller finished 5th in free skating at the 1972 Winter Olympics. At the 1972 World Figure Skating Championships, he won the free skating medal. He landed triple loop and Salchow jumps. He received a perfect score for artistic impression. He won this medal again at the 1974 World Championships, where he also won the overall bronze medal. Toller Cranston also won the free-skate medal at the 1976 Olympics, earning a bronze medal overall.

Professional Skating Career

After 1976, Toller Cranston became a professional figure skater. He performed in a Broadway show called "The Ice Show." This show ran for ten weeks in New York City. He also toured in Europe with "Holiday on Ice."

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Toller made several skating TV specials for CBC television. One of his best was "Strawberry Ice" (1982). This show won many awards and was shown in 67 countries. He also appeared on Canadian TV shows like Stars on Ice.

Toller also appeared in other TV productions. He was in an ice ballet of "The Snow Queen" (1982). In 1983, he played Tybalt in "Romeo and Juliet on Ice." He also appeared in a music video for Leonard Cohen.

Throughout the 1980s, he competed in professional skating events. He was part of the original American Stars on Ice tour. Toller also worked as a commentator for figure skating events on CBC television.

In 1991, Toller decided to make changes in his life. He sold his house in Toronto and moved to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. He continued to perform in Canada for a few more years. In 1994, he broke his leg while practicing. After a few more shows, he retired from professional skating in 1997.

Skating Results

Later Life and Legacy

After retiring, Toller Cranston lived in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. His home and studio there were very grand. His painting became his main way of expressing himself. His art often included themes about skating.

In 2010, Toller returned to skating for a short time. He was a guest judge for "Battle of the Blades." This was a figure skating reality show on CBC Television. In 2013, he became the Official Artist for Skate Canada. He created the main poster for the 2013 World Figure Skating Championships.

Toller Cranston passed away on January 24, 2015, at the age of 65. He was found at his home and it appeared he had a heart attack. Skate Canada honored him with a moment of silence at the Canadian Figure Skating Championships.

Toller Cranston received many honors for his contributions. He was inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1976. He also joined the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 1996. In 1997, he was inducted into the Canadian Figure Skating Hall of Fame and Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. He was added to Canada's Walk of Fame in 2003. He was also made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1977. In 2004, he was inducted into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame.

See also

In Spanish: Toller Cranston para niños