Toller Shalitoe Montague Cranston was born in Hamilton, Ontario, April 20, 1949, and died in San Miguel, Mexico on January 24, 2015. Cranston was a Canadian figure skater and painter. He was the six time Canadian figure skating men's champion (1971–1976), the 1974 World bronze medalist, and the 1976 Olympic bronze medalist. Despite never winning at the World Figure Skating Championships, due to his poor compulsory figures, he won the small gold medal for free skating at the 1972 and 1974 World Championships. Cranston is credited by many with having brought a new level of artistry to men's figure skating.
Toller Cranston also created some of the most creative skating television shows ever made, including Strawberry Ice, Dreamweaver, and Magic Planet, and pro ice shows, including The Ice Show.
Toller's official website
https://www.toller-cranston.com
Toller's wikipedia entry
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toller_Cranston
1997 Charity Ex in Nagano to "The Swan" by St. Saëns
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjsTVpM2EKM
1994 Vail Figure Skating Special - "Toller's Tango"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MH33KkQ-4Q
1992 Canadian SOI "Vienna, City of My Dreams" by Rudolf Sieczyński; performed by Richard Tauber
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-J1Ns-s__4
1989 "Tales From the Vienna Woods" by Ödön von Horváth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Vea3ne0UN0
1988-89 "Le Corsaire" by Adolphe Adam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_286dtRydao
1988 World Pro Artistic Program "They Are Coming to Get You Barbara" from the Night of the Living Dead soundtrack
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9NARUizht0
1985 World Challenge of Champions- I Pagliacci: Act I: Recitar! Mentre preso; "Vesti la giubba;" by Ruggero Leoncavallo, performed by Placido Domingo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4HmdJiceVk
1984 Evening of Championship Skating at Harvard- three numbers. The third is "Graduation Ball" by by Johann Strauss II and arranged by Antal Doráti.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QrhjR1iVvc
1984 World Pro "Waltz Triste" by Jean Sibelius
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWvc2-f6YA0
1983 Professional Figure Skaters Championships "The Firebird" by Igor Stravinsky
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cf_zI9Xo9o
1982 Pro Team competition, "The Firebird" by Igor Stravinsky
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yc0gCtyw_Gc
1982 Toller plays Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet on Ice, a TV movie. The music is by Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=032DwlgcNHo
1981 World Pro Artistic Program, "La Rondine" by by Giacomo Puccini
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otH4Ed1IjUQ
1979 Pro Ice Spectacular 79; "Malagueña" by Ernesto Lecuona
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yCZhPGR868
1978 Superskates benefit - Nocturne in D Flat Major by Frédéric Chopin, violinist Leonid Kolgan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2HP14semJ0
1978 Holiday on Ice - montage of his numbers in this show
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tljm1hMVru0
1977 The Loneliness of War -( The Bolt, Op. 27a: IV. Koselkov's Dance with Friends,performed by Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra, and "Bound Dream" by Yorghos Hristodoulou, from History of Bouzouki Recordings 1960 - 1965 Volume 3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IglCaWXULZs
1976 Worlds LP (partial) - Le Papillon" by Offenbach, "Oneiro demeno" - Instrumental by Stavros Ksarxakos, "Le reveil de Flore" by Drigo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSJAaFl6msY
1976 Olympics Short Program - "Graduation Ball" by by Johann Strauss II and arranged by Antal Doráti.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xD5VNcWh79Q
1976 Olympic Free Skate - "Le Papillon" by Offenbach, "Oneiro demeno" - Instrumental by Stavros Ksarxakos, "Le reveil de Flore" by Drigo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs1pctlpfi0
1975 Moscow News EX - I Pagliacci: Act I: Recitar! Mentre preso; "Vesti la giubba;" by Ruggero Leoncavallo, performed by Placido Domigo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AGzo1lrl4M
1975 Skate Canada SP "Graduation Ball" by Johann Strauss II and arranged by Antal Doráti.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGDW0yNQDiY
1975 Worlds SP: "Sabre Dance" by Aram Khachaturian
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M83RfwpaOaA
1975 Worlds LP: Cinderella ballet by Sergei Prokofiev
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCF7zBOlIkg
1974 Worlds SP and LP
SP: "Sabre Dance" by Aram Khachaturian
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7AZboQ0R08
1974 Worlds LP - "Le Papillon" by Offenbach, "Oneiro demeno" - Instrumental by Stavros Ksarxakos, "Le reveil de Flore" by Drigo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9J4EJVoe-w
1974 Worlds EX
Toller is the bronze medalist, but he is called for not just his Ex, but TWO encores:
Satschem nje tebla polubil by Ivan Rebroff
And
I Pagliacci: Act I: Recitar! Mentre preso; "Vesti la giubba;" by Ruggero Leoncavallo, performed by Placido Domigo
And
"Bound Dream" by Yorghos Hristodoulou, from History of Bouzouki Recordings 1960 - 1965 Volume 3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYjmVYFCihg
1973 Skate Canada SP Polovtsian Dances by Alexandef Borodin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6w9hi2AdP0Y
1973 Worlds EX
I Pagliacci: Act I: Recitar! Mentre preso; "Vesti la giubba;" by Ruggero Leoncavallo, performed by Placido Domigo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvP0m7AOC3w
1971 Canadians LP (His first championship) - "Hungarian Rhapsodies"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jC7fizOwrDI
Toller in the 1960's (fancam)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2RvKaC_SPM
The whole Strawberry Ice Show
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpbnfL0CKdM
The whole of The Ice Show
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgt9hd6ZfqY
Magic Planet Part 2 (Toller arrives)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2o1tl2ji9E
Toller Cranston Video Compilation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTEnJf4x4rE
Whole Toller Tribute Show
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhRilAGEzY8
Ellen Burka, his coach, is interviewed about Toller
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOs7v-_oOl8
Interview with Edmonton TV
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLzzxkRE9XM
2007 Full Documentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URKahEXUdsU
2006 Toller Cranston, Best on Ice Part One
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NyCTKltCe0
A Week With Toller in San Miguel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGN2cNeXdG8
Books by Toller
Zero Tollerance : An Intimate Memoir by the Man Who Revolutionized Figure Skating
https://www.amazon.com/Zero-Tollera...ller+cranston&qid=1557210872&s=gateway&sr=8-1
When Hell Freezes Over: Should I Bring My Skates?
https://www.amazon.com/When-Hell-Fr...ller+cranston&qid=1557210872&s=gateway&sr=8-2
Ice Cream: Thirty of the Most Interesting Skaters in History
https://www.amazon.com/Ice-Cream-In...ller+cranston&qid=1557210872&s=gateway&sr=8-5
Toller by Elva Oglanby and Toller Cranston (a coffee table picture book)
https://www.amazon.com/Toller-Elva-...ller+cranston&qid=1557210872&s=gateway&sr=8-7
A Ram on the Rampage (a book for children)
https://www.amazon.com/Ram-Rampage-...ller+cranston&qid=1557210872&s=gateway&sr=8-4
THE TOLLER CRANSTON COLLECTION 2008 (THE AUTHORS PUBLISHED BOOK OF HIS DRAWINGS AND PAINTINGS.)
https://www.amazon.com/TOLLER-CRANS...ller+cranston&qid=1557211261&s=gateway&sr=8-8
Toller, coached Christopher Bowman after Frank Carroll gave up on him, and did choreo and costume design for Chen Lu one season, 1994-1995. This site discusses his choreo for her at length.
https://morozombie.blogspot.com/2012/03/chen-cranston-genius.html
Chen Lu 1991 Worlds SP Mendelssohn's Piano Concerto No. 1:
https://youtu.be/B1i0T3GA720
Chen Lu 1991 Worlds FS The Last Emperor
https://youtu.be/ARd8UsQj_Ag
Toller produced choreography for Canadian ice dance champions Jacqueline Petr and Mark Janoschek. Here is their World debut fd to of all things, Peewee's Big AdventureAdventure, choreographed by Toller.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRgLOWLrJGE&app=desktop
After the Bowman debacle, Toller moved to San Miguel Mexico, which precluded further coaching activities
Here Toller is interviewed as is Christopher, followed by Christopher's LP.
Chris Bowman 1991 Worlds LP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNg7yvh4Rfo&app=desktop
I really enjoyed Toller's commentary for Canadian TV back in the day. CTV fired him for giving truthful commentary, which CTV said was negative to Canadian skaters. Toller sued and won. The story is in his book Zero Tollereance.
And here you can see how Toller got himself in trouble with CTV. He is commenting on Chris Bowman's programs at 1990 Worlds.
The SP. Toller talks about his personal view of SP choreography, revealing because Toller was consistently at his best in Short Programs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mf_NkIRbyJ0
The LP
This is the event after which Frank Carroll fired Chris.
You can see it all in their Kiss and Cry Interaction.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTPytY3CIms
CTV thought Toller was way too positive about Chris here. Toller got fired, but also I think he felt a kinship with Chris, and took him on. Big mistake. Huge.
.
Toller Cranston also created some of the most creative skating television shows ever made, including Strawberry Ice, Dreamweaver, and Magic Planet, and pro ice shows, including The Ice Show.
Toller's official website
https://www.toller-cranston.com
Toller's wikipedia entry
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toller_Cranston
VIDEOS
1997 Charity Ex in Nagano to "The Swan" by St. Saëns
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjsTVpM2EKM
1994 Vail Figure Skating Special - "Toller's Tango"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MH33KkQ-4Q
1992 Canadian SOI "Vienna, City of My Dreams" by Rudolf Sieczyński; performed by Richard Tauber
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-J1Ns-s__4
1989 "Tales From the Vienna Woods" by Ödön von Horváth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Vea3ne0UN0
1988-89 "Le Corsaire" by Adolphe Adam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_286dtRydao
1988 World Pro Artistic Program "They Are Coming to Get You Barbara" from the Night of the Living Dead soundtrack
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9NARUizht0
1985 World Challenge of Champions- I Pagliacci: Act I: Recitar! Mentre preso; "Vesti la giubba;" by Ruggero Leoncavallo, performed by Placido Domingo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4HmdJiceVk
1984 Evening of Championship Skating at Harvard- three numbers. The third is "Graduation Ball" by by Johann Strauss II and arranged by Antal Doráti.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QrhjR1iVvc
1984 World Pro "Waltz Triste" by Jean Sibelius
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWvc2-f6YA0
1983 Professional Figure Skaters Championships "The Firebird" by Igor Stravinsky
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cf_zI9Xo9o
1982 Pro Team competition, "The Firebird" by Igor Stravinsky
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yc0gCtyw_Gc
1982 Toller plays Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet on Ice, a TV movie. The music is by Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=032DwlgcNHo
1981 World Pro Artistic Program, "La Rondine" by by Giacomo Puccini
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otH4Ed1IjUQ
1979 Pro Ice Spectacular 79; "Malagueña" by Ernesto Lecuona
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yCZhPGR868
1978 Superskates benefit - Nocturne in D Flat Major by Frédéric Chopin, violinist Leonid Kolgan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2HP14semJ0
1978 Holiday on Ice - montage of his numbers in this show
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tljm1hMVru0
1977 The Loneliness of War -( The Bolt, Op. 27a: IV. Koselkov's Dance with Friends,performed by Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra, and "Bound Dream" by Yorghos Hristodoulou, from History of Bouzouki Recordings 1960 - 1965 Volume 3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IglCaWXULZs
1976 Worlds LP (partial) - Le Papillon" by Offenbach, "Oneiro demeno" - Instrumental by Stavros Ksarxakos, "Le reveil de Flore" by Drigo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSJAaFl6msY
1976 Olympics Short Program - "Graduation Ball" by by Johann Strauss II and arranged by Antal Doráti.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xD5VNcWh79Q
1976 Olympic Free Skate - "Le Papillon" by Offenbach, "Oneiro demeno" - Instrumental by Stavros Ksarxakos, "Le reveil de Flore" by Drigo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs1pctlpfi0
1975 Moscow News EX - I Pagliacci: Act I: Recitar! Mentre preso; "Vesti la giubba;" by Ruggero Leoncavallo, performed by Placido Domigo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AGzo1lrl4M
1975 Skate Canada SP "Graduation Ball" by Johann Strauss II and arranged by Antal Doráti.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGDW0yNQDiY
1975 Worlds SP: "Sabre Dance" by Aram Khachaturian
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M83RfwpaOaA
1975 Worlds LP: Cinderella ballet by Sergei Prokofiev
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCF7zBOlIkg
1974 Worlds SP and LP
SP: "Sabre Dance" by Aram Khachaturian
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7AZboQ0R08
1974 Worlds LP - "Le Papillon" by Offenbach, "Oneiro demeno" - Instrumental by Stavros Ksarxakos, "Le reveil de Flore" by Drigo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9J4EJVoe-w
1974 Worlds EX
Toller is the bronze medalist, but he is called for not just his Ex, but TWO encores:
Satschem nje tebla polubil by Ivan Rebroff
And
I Pagliacci: Act I: Recitar! Mentre preso; "Vesti la giubba;" by Ruggero Leoncavallo, performed by Placido Domigo
And
"Bound Dream" by Yorghos Hristodoulou, from History of Bouzouki Recordings 1960 - 1965 Volume 3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYjmVYFCihg
1973 Skate Canada SP Polovtsian Dances by Alexandef Borodin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6w9hi2AdP0Y
1973 Worlds EX
I Pagliacci: Act I: Recitar! Mentre preso; "Vesti la giubba;" by Ruggero Leoncavallo, performed by Placido Domigo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvP0m7AOC3w
1971 Canadians LP (His first championship) - "Hungarian Rhapsodies"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jC7fizOwrDI
Toller in the 1960's (fancam)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2RvKaC_SPM
SHOWS
The whole Strawberry Ice Show
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpbnfL0CKdM
The whole of The Ice Show
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgt9hd6ZfqY
Magic Planet Part 2 (Toller arrives)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2o1tl2ji9E
Toller Cranston Video Compilation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTEnJf4x4rE
Whole Toller Tribute Show
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhRilAGEzY8
INTERVIEWS, DOCUMENTARIES
Ellen Burka, his coach, is interviewed about Toller
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOs7v-_oOl8
Interview with Edmonton TV
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLzzxkRE9XM
2007 Full Documentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URKahEXUdsU
2006 Toller Cranston, Best on Ice Part One
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NyCTKltCe0
A Week With Toller in San Miguel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGN2cNeXdG8
COMPETITIVE RESULTS
Event | CF | SP | FS | Place (Points/Placings) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1975–76 | ||||
World Championships | 5 | 1 | 2 | 4th (186.26/34) |
Winter Olympics | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3rd (187.38/30) |
Canadian Championships | 1st | |||
Skate Canada International | 1st | |||
1974–75 | ||||
World Championships | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4th (29) |
Canadian Championships | 1st | |||
1973–74 | ||||
World Championships | 8 | 1 | 1 | 3rd (227.86/26) |
Canadian Championships | 1st | |||
Skate Canada International | 1 | 1st | ||
1972–73 | ||||
World Championships | 6 | 1 | 5 | 5th (336.50/54) |
Canadian Championships | 1st | |||
1971–72 | ||||
World Championships | 22 | 9 | 1 | 5th (2566.1/45) |
Winter Olympics | 12 | - | 5 | 9th (2517.2/80.5) |
Canadian Championships | 1st | |||
1970–71 | ||||
World Championships | 15 | - | 6 | 11th (90) |
Canadian Championships | 1st | |||
North American Championships | 2nd | |||
1969–70 | ||||
World Championships | 5 | - | 12 | 13th (114) |
Canadian Championships | 2nd | |||
St. Gervais/Coupe des Alpes | 3rd | |||
1968–69 | ||||
Canadian Championships | 3rd | |||
North American Championships | 6th | |||
1967–68 | ||||
Canadian Championships | 4th | |||
1963–64 | ||||
Canadian Championships | 1st J. | |||
1962–63 | ||||
Canadian Championships | 3rd J. |
Books by Toller
Zero Tollerance : An Intimate Memoir by the Man Who Revolutionized Figure Skating
https://www.amazon.com/Zero-Tollera...ller+cranston&qid=1557210872&s=gateway&sr=8-1
When Hell Freezes Over: Should I Bring My Skates?
https://www.amazon.com/When-Hell-Fr...ller+cranston&qid=1557210872&s=gateway&sr=8-2
Ice Cream: Thirty of the Most Interesting Skaters in History
https://www.amazon.com/Ice-Cream-In...ller+cranston&qid=1557210872&s=gateway&sr=8-5
Toller by Elva Oglanby and Toller Cranston (a coffee table picture book)
https://www.amazon.com/Toller-Elva-...ller+cranston&qid=1557210872&s=gateway&sr=8-7
A Ram on the Rampage (a book for children)
https://www.amazon.com/Ram-Rampage-...ller+cranston&qid=1557210872&s=gateway&sr=8-4
THE TOLLER CRANSTON COLLECTION 2008 (THE AUTHORS PUBLISHED BOOK OF HIS DRAWINGS AND PAINTINGS.)
https://www.amazon.com/TOLLER-CRANS...ller+cranston&qid=1557211261&s=gateway&sr=8-8
Toller's TV Commentator, Coach, and Choreographer Careers
Toller, coached Christopher Bowman after Frank Carroll gave up on him, and did choreo and costume design for Chen Lu one season, 1994-1995. This site discusses his choreo for her at length.
https://morozombie.blogspot.com/2012/03/chen-cranston-genius.html
Chen Lu 1991 Worlds SP Mendelssohn's Piano Concerto No. 1:
https://youtu.be/B1i0T3GA720
Chen Lu 1991 Worlds FS The Last Emperor
https://youtu.be/ARd8UsQj_Ag
Toller produced choreography for Canadian ice dance champions Jacqueline Petr and Mark Janoschek. Here is their World debut fd to of all things, Peewee's Big AdventureAdventure, choreographed by Toller.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRgLOWLrJGE&app=desktop
After the Bowman debacle, Toller moved to San Miguel Mexico, which precluded further coaching activities
Here Toller is interviewed as is Christopher, followed by Christopher's LP.
Chris Bowman 1991 Worlds LP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNg7yvh4Rfo&app=desktop
I really enjoyed Toller's commentary for Canadian TV back in the day. CTV fired him for giving truthful commentary, which CTV said was negative to Canadian skaters. Toller sued and won. The story is in his book Zero Tollereance.
And here you can see how Toller got himself in trouble with CTV. He is commenting on Chris Bowman's programs at 1990 Worlds.
The SP. Toller talks about his personal view of SP choreography, revealing because Toller was consistently at his best in Short Programs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mf_NkIRbyJ0
The LP
This is the event after which Frank Carroll fired Chris.
You can see it all in their Kiss and Cry Interaction.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTPytY3CIms
CTV thought Toller was way too positive about Chris here. Toller got fired, but also I think he felt a kinship with Chris, and took him on. Big mistake. Huge.
.
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