born April 8, 1912, Kristiania [now Oslo], Nor. died Oct. 12, 1969, in an airplane en route to Oslo Norwegian-born U.S. figure skater. She was trained in ballet. She won the world amateur championship for women 10 consecutive years (1927-36) and won three gold medals in the Winter Olympics (1928, 1932, 1936). With her dancer's training, she was largely responsible for converting a predictable series of colourless exercises into a spectacular and popular exhibition. She achieved further renown as a professional ice skater and movie actress. In 1941 she became an American citizen