Gary Beacom

**Aussie Willy** · 06-01-2011, 04:11 AM

Back in 2006 for an IJS judging seminar they used Gary Beacom as an example of excellent skating skills, just because of the control he had.

**leafygreens** · 06-01-2011, 02:33 PM

Originally Posted by aliceanne

Yes but he refused to pay income tax and went to jail for 2 years. From what i have read he has had trouble getting work in shows since then. That was many years ago. I would guess he is living in Canada, he can't enter the U.S.

This is bizarre! But why would he move to Canada, taxes are more there.

**LilJen** · 06-01-2011, 03:20 PM

He's Canadian/a Canadian citizen.

**Vash01** · 06-02-2011, 07:46 PM

I watched Gary Beacom skate in Sun valley years ago, and also on TV many times after that. He was an incredible, unique, entertaining skater.

**overedge** · 06-02-2011, 07:56 PM

Originally Posted by leafygreens

This is bizarre! But why would he move to Canada, taxes are more there.

IIRC his dispute in the US was not with the amount of tax but with how US tax law was designed/administered - I think he was a proponent of the argument that the constitutional amendment creating income tax was never properly ratified, although I could be wrong. Anyway, I don't think he has ever expressed any negative opinions about Canadian taxes.

**emason** · 06-03-2011, 02:13 AM

Originally Posted by leafygreens

This is bizarre! But why would he move to Canada, taxes are more there.

IIRC, after he served his US time for the tax charges, he was deported from the US back to his country of origin.

**Yazmeen** · 06-03-2011, 02:42 AM

True, and I believe he cannot return to the US to skate (nor does he want to as far as I know).

**snoopysnake** · 06-03-2011, 03:08 AM

Gary Beacom was a brilliant show skater and quite a scholar too, having degrees in physics and philosophy. He was also the tour skate-sharpener for COI for quite a few years. IIRC he did defended his own case on his tax evasion trial, which wasn't the best decision but would appear to be not inconsistent with his attitude about evading the taxes in the first place. Also I seem to recall reading that his job while in prison involved education for other inmates.

Going your own way on ice is one thing, but it doesn't always carry over so well in real life!

**Mafke** · 06-03-2011, 09:35 AM

Would it be possibe for the moderators to change the name of this thread to his actual name?

**floskate** · 06-03-2011, 10:30 AM

I just did it actually because every time I saw the title it confused me!

**Mafke** · 06-03-2011, 10:41 AM

Thanks!

As for Beacom, he was easily my favorite pro in the early 90's one of the most creative and innovative skaters ever. His baggy pants program was some of the most interesting stuff ever done on skates without a single conventional jump or spin. I'm still in awe.

**Aussie Willy** · 06-03-2011, 11:44 PM

Thanks for changing the thread title too. It confused me.

Nice to see some Gary Beacom love.

**DORISPULASKI** · 06-06-2011, 08:50 AM

I had heard that Gary once did a pro routine to recorded bird calls. Does anyone have a copy of it?

He was memorable as an amateur skater, too. I still recall his performances at Worlds in Ottawa 1984! I couldn't find them on youtube, so I didn't link them.

**Jasmar** · 06-08-2011, 12:49 AM

"Malevolent Landscapes," performed under darkened lights in Sun Valley, just took my breath away. I skated and judged in SV for a bunch of summers while he was there, saw the skates on ice in person, "I'm Your Man," and lots of others. He was pure genius, although Frank Nowosad did work with him on choreo quite a bit.

I've loved everything he's done on the ice.

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