Dorothy Hamill
The Olympic gold medalist whose elegant skating and signature haircut made her America's sweetheart and inspired a generation on the ice.
Born 1956 (age 70)·American figure skater·Birthday: July 26·Baby Boomers
Biography
Dorothy Hamill won the gold medal in figure skating at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck. She performed with athletic precision and balletic grace. Her innovation, the 'Hamill camel,' a spinning camel that transformed into a sit spin, showcased her technical creativity. Off the ice, her wedge haircut sparked a nationwide fashion craze. After her amateur career ended, she turned professional and headlined the Ice Capades for years, later owning the company, though financial challenges followed. She represented an era of wholesome, determined athleticism. Despite battles with depression, she remained a public ambassador for figure skating, her name tied to the sport's elegant, accessible appeal.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Dorothy was born in 1956, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Dorothy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1956
#1 Movie
The Ten Commandments
Best Picture
Around the World in 80 Days
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Dorothy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1956Born
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
1961Started school
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
1969Became a teenager
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Could drive
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1974Could vote
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Turned 21
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1986Turned 30
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 40
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 50
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 60
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 70
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Olympic gold medal in ladies' singles figure skating at the 1976 Winter Games in Innsbruck.
- Captured the World Championship title in the same year, completing a dominant season.
- Won the U.S. Figure Skating Championships three consecutive years from 1974 to 1976.
- Was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame and the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame.
Did You Know?
Her famous wedge haircut was born out of practicality to keep her hair out of her eyes while skating.
She invented a skating move called the 'Hamill camel,' a variation of a camel spin.
Hamill has struggled with clinical depression and has been open about her experiences.
She was a spokesperson for the diet product Nutrisystem in the 2000s.
“I didn't want to be known as the girl with the cute haircut. I wanted to be known as a good skater.”
