Carol Heiss

Carol Heiss, born in 1940, American figure skater, who won five consecutive world championship titles (1956-1960), as well as the gold medal at the 1960 Olympic Games in Squaw Valley, California. She and Tenley Albright dominated women's figure skating in the United States during the 1950s.

Heiss was born in New York City and began ice skating as a youngster. In 1951 she won the United States women's novice championship, and the following year she won the U.S. women's junior championship. Heiss first competed internationally in 1953, placing fourth at the figure skating world championships in Davos, Switzerland. At the 1956 Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, she finished second to Albright. Two weeks later at the 1956 world championships in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Heiss defeated Albright. Heiss's mother died a few months after the competition, and she vowed to win an Olympic gold medal in her mother's honor.

From 1957 to 1960 Heiss won the U.S. and world championship titles each year. At the 1960 Olympics she continued her success, easily winning the Olympic title. Heiss retired from figure skating competition in 1960. She subsequently acted in one motion picture, Snow White and the Three Stooges (1961), before pursuing a career as a figure-skating teacher and coach.