Carol Heiss
She dominated the ice with five consecutive world titles and an Olympic gold, becoming the first American woman to land a double axel in competition.
Born 1940 (age 86)·American figure skater and actress·Birthday: January 20·The Silent Generation
Biography
Carol Heiss grew up in Queens, New York, a prodigy on skates who trained under the exacting Pierre Brunet. Her career was marked by both triumph and profound personal sacrifice; she famously postponed turning professional to compete in the 1960 Olympics after her mother's death from cancer, a promise she fulfilled by winning gold in Squaw Valley. That victory capped an unprecedented run of five straight world championships, a streak of dominance that defined an era. After her amateur career, she starred in skating films and, with her husband Hayes Alan Jenkins, became a respected coach, shaping future generations of skaters. Her legacy is one of technical precision, competitive ferocity, and a grace that extended far beyond the rink.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Carol was born in 1940, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Carol Was Born
The biggest hits of 1940
#1 Movie
Fantasia
Best Picture
Rebecca
Carol's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1940Born
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1945Started school
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1953Became a teenager
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1956Could drive
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1958Could vote
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1961Turned 21
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1970Turned 30
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1980Turned 40
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1990Turned 50
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 60
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 70
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 80
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 86 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Olympic gold medal in ladies' singles at the 1960 Winter Games in Squaw Valley.
- Secured five consecutive World Figure Skating Championships titles from 1956 through 1960.
- Captured the Olympic silver medal at the 1956 Cortina d'Ampezzo Games.
- Became the first American woman to land a double axel jump in competition.
- Inducted into the United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 1976.
Did You Know?
She designed and sewed many of her own competition dresses.
Her brother, Bruce Heiss, was also a national-level figure skater.
She turned down a Hollywood contract after the 1960 Olympics to focus on her education and personal life.
Married fellow Olympic champion figure skater Hayes Alan Jenkins in 1960.
She coached the 1972 U.S. Olympian Janet Lynn.
“I had promised my mother I'd win the gold medal. I had to keep that promise.”
