Toughie
24.8.10
Thought it was popular...but went uncracked at Litweek...anyways...
X and Y were two Swiss skaters who came to the U.S. in 1937 and joined the original Ice Follies show as comedy ice skaters. "X" was Werner Groebli (April 21, 1915 - April 14, 2008), born in Basel. "Y" was Hansruedi (Hans Rudolf) Mauch, (May 4, 1919 - June 4, 1979), also born in Basel. X and Y were known for skating in Alpine Lederhosen and performing eccentric tricks on ice, including the "cantilever spread-eagle", created by Groebli, and Mauch's "rubber legs", twisting and bending his legs while skating in a spread eagle position. Only a few skaters have successfully performed the duo's routines since.
X took his name from a small village in Switzerland; Y is a Swiss-German word for a frock coat, which my father used to wear in the early days of their skating act. They put the words together as a typical Swiss joke.
X and Y found fame with the Follies, a revue promoted by Eddie Shipstad and his brother Roy, which began in 1936 and ran for almost 50 years. They also reached a worldwide audience when they began appearing in films, including the Monogram Pictures production "Lady, Let's Dance" in 1944. Their association lasted so long, and they were at one time so well known, that their names became a household term in many languages.
"X and Y" has become an English slang term used to refer two people so closely associated as to be indistinguishable;
Give "X and Y".
X and Y were two Swiss skaters who came to the U.S. in 1937 and joined the original Ice Follies show as comedy ice skaters. "X" was Werner Groebli (April 21, 1915 - April 14, 2008), born in Basel. "Y" was Hansruedi (Hans Rudolf) Mauch, (May 4, 1919 - June 4, 1979), also born in Basel. X and Y were known for skating in Alpine Lederhosen and performing eccentric tricks on ice, including the "cantilever spread-eagle", created by Groebli, and Mauch's "rubber legs", twisting and bending his legs while skating in a spread eagle position. Only a few skaters have successfully performed the duo's routines since.
X took his name from a small village in Switzerland; Y is a Swiss-German word for a frock coat, which my father used to wear in the early days of their skating act. They put the words together as a typical Swiss joke.
X and Y found fame with the Follies, a revue promoted by Eddie Shipstad and his brother Roy, which began in 1936 and ran for almost 50 years. They also reached a worldwide audience when they began appearing in films, including the Monogram Pictures production "Lady, Let's Dance" in 1944. Their association lasted so long, and they were at one time so well known, that their names became a household term in many languages.
"X and Y" has become an English slang term used to refer two people so closely associated as to be indistinguishable;
Give "X and Y".
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frick, frack??