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In the late 1940s, impresario Morris
Chalfen took "Holiday On Ice" to Mexico, Cuba, and Latin America, followed by an eight-month tour of Europe in 1950. Electric current was different from country to country, as were languages and currencies, and transportation costs were higher. But audiences were
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players, the Lakers won the NBL championship in that 1947-48 season and joined four other NBL teams in jumping to the
Basketball Association of America, where they promptly won the 1948-49 BAA championship. The NBL and BAA merged to become the
210:, then began the hunt for players. As the Gems had by far the worst record in the NBL, the Lakers had the first pick in the 1947 dispersal draft of players from the Professional Basketball League of America, which they used to select
154:, Chalfen's Holiday on Ice could set up anywhere in the world and perform independent of permanent standing ice rink facilities. As a result, Chalfen became the only international American ice show, the first to play behind the
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162:, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Princess Grace and Prince Rainier of Monaco; King Constantine of Greece; King Carlos and Queen Sophia of Spain; the King of Thailand; and
158:(during the Cold War), China, and around the globe. International elite and world leaders flocked to the American production wherever they played, including Soviet Premier
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242:. Chalfen himself died at the age of 72 in 1979. He was survived by his second wife, Beverly Nesler; and two sons, Richard and John. Services were held at
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130:. He founded a bowling alley and a billiards parlor called Lincoln Recreation. In 1935, he founded and produced a roller‐skating show called
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attended a performance at the height of his fame, in 1958 in
Germany while serving with the U.S. military. In 1965, he sold 80% of
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recovering from the devastation of World War II and hungry for the glamour, thrill, athleticism, and grandeur of his
American
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of
Milwaukee – who was producing ice skating shows at local hotels – and joined him in producing a larger ice show called
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spectacle. And ice shows knew no language barrier. Having invented the ability to create a portable
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In 1960, Chalfen's wife Marty
Collins Chalfen and three children were killed in the crash of
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which toured nationally for a decade. In 1945, he joined fellow impresario
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of the
National Basketball League for $ 15,000 and relocated it to
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American sports executive and international impresario (1907-1979)
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With Mikan, new coach John Kundla and an infusion of former
226:(NBA) in 1949. In 1957, he and Berger sold the team to
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show, and later purchased and relocated a near-extinct
102:(June 3, 1907 – November 4, 1979) was an international
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214:, later to become the greatest center of his time.
106:and sports entertainment executive. He founded the
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339:National Basketball League (United States) owners
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278:"Morris Chalfen, 72, Impresario, Is Dead"
298:"Obituary for Chalfen Morris (Aged 72)"
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71:Owner of the Minnesota Lakers (later
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354:20th-century American businesspeople
240:Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 710
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176:The Madison Square Garden Company
114:(NBL) franchise which became the
276:Ennis, Thomas W. (Nov 6, 1979).
202:. They hired a general manager,
224:National Basketball Association
334:American sports businesspeople
190:and Morris Chalfen bought the
186:The Lakers began in 1947 when
63:Sports entertainment executive
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54:Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
83:Marty Collins (predeceased)
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329:20th-century American Jews
112:National Basketball League
324:Los Angeles Lakers owners
51:November 4, 1979 (age 72)
164:Diana, Princess of Wales
219:University of Minnesota
40:Minneapolis, Minnesota
303:The Minneapolis Star
126:Chalfen was born in
306:. November 5, 1979.
198:and renamed it the
283:The New York Times
116:Los Angeles Lakers
73:Los Angeles Lakers
160:Nikita Khrushchev
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68:Known for
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36:June 3, 1907
349:1979 deaths
344:1907 births
208:John Kundla
196:Minneapolis
142:in arenas.
128:Minneapolis
318:Categories
250:References
204:Max Winter
188:Ben Berger
104:impresario
60:Occupation
228:Bob Short
122:Biography
80:Spouse(s)
152:ice rink
148:ice show
90:Children
166:. Even
200:Lakers
182:Lakers
42:, U.S.
48:Died
29:Born
174:to
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93:5
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