Gary Thompson

President, Owner

Gary Thompson has been a key figure in the show ski world for more than five decades as a performer, boat driver, show director, promoter and manager for water ski shows, jet-ski shows, and live action stunt shows around the world. Thompson’s water ski career, which began in the 1960’s, included three-event, barefoot and show skiing on the national and world levels. His water ski talents landed him appearances on the highly popular TV programs the “Mike Douglas Show” and “Hollywood Squares” in the 1970’s– as well as commercials with First Bank and Coca-Cola of Japan.

Thompson has developed talent for many esteemed water sports venues, including Cypress Gardens, Oahu Water Ski Club, Sea World, and the Liz Allen Water Ski Center in the Netherlands. He has successfully directed and installed water ski and BMX shows throughout the United States and worldwide in Mexico, Germany, Japan, Italy, United Arab Emirates, and Korea. In 1997 Thompson purchased Water Ski Shows Inc. and turned it into the world’s largest producer of water ski shows, stunt shows, children’s shows and street entertainment. Over the past 19 years, Thompson has been actively involved with the management, direction, and production of many of the most notable live water ski and stunt shows in the world including Universal Studios, Six Flags, Magic Mountain, Marine World, Hopi Hari, and LEGOLAND.

gary thompson water ski hall of fame – florida

1960-1965	Three Event competition water skier Competed at National level
1965-1966	Show skier – Cypress Gardens, Cypress Gardens, FL Show skier – “McCulloch Show of Champions”
1967-1970	Show skier – Oahu Water Ski Club, Honolulu, HI Performed ski shows for special events Appeared in two commercials while flying a water ski kite. (One for First Bank and one for Coca-Cola of Japan.) Competed in open ocean boat racing and ski racing
1971-1972	Marine World Africa USA, Redwood City, CA Professional water skier, boat driver, and kite flyer
1972-1981	Sea World, San Diego, CA; Aurora, OH; and Orlando, FL Flew hang gliders as the finale act for the Shamu Show, Sea World California Show Director responsible for all aspects of managing and operating ski shows for Sea World Ohio and Sea World Florida Participated in the design of the Atlantic Theater, set, stage, and dock areas. Install and directed three themed ski shows for Sea World Ohio and Sea World Florida. The themed shows were “Roaring Twenties,” “Super Heros,” and “Almost Anything Goes”
1981	Liz Allan Water Ski Center, St. Maarten, Netherland Antilles Managed water skiing and parasailing operation at the Great Bay Beach Hotel
1982	Premier Water Ski Show, Myrtle Beach, SC Directed and managed the ski show Performed as a water skier, driver, and hang glider pilot
1983-1987	Show Director – Water Ski Shows, Inc. – Holiday Park, Hassloch, Germany Installed, managed, and operated the ski show Managed and operated “The Academy for Professional Show Skiers” (Ski school) Performed as a water skier, boat driver, and hang glider pilot
1988-1989	Vice President / Entertainment Produced, directed and operated the water ski show at WORLD EXPO ’88 – Brisbane, Australia, staffed, and managed the Dixie Stampede Dinner Attraction, installed numerous water ski and BMX shows worldwide. Six Flags Great Adventure, New Jersey Caneva Sport, Italy Holiday Park, Germany Adventure World, Japan Indiana Beach, Indiana Darien Lake, New York Bob-Lo Island, New York Sea World, California Sea World, Texas
1990-1994	Vice President / Operations Directed, staffed, managed and operated ski shows, BMX shows, jet ski shows, and extreme sports shows.

	Six Flags Great Adventure, New Jersey	Caneva Sport Uno, Italy
	Holiday Park, Germany	Caneva Sport Due, Italy
	Indiana Beach, Indiana	Adventure World, Japan
	Bob-Lo Island, New York	Lake Onondaga, New York
	Pacific National Expo, Canada	Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
	Darien Lake, New York	Michigan’s Adventure, Michigan
	Sport Live Stars, Germany	Miami Seaquarium, Miami
	Minnesota State Fair, Minnesota	New Mexico State, New Mexico
	Beijing Amusement Park, China	Wet ‘N Wild, Arlington, Texas
	Wet ‘N Wild, Garland, Texas	Raging Waters, California
	Expo ’93, Korea	Miyazu City, Japan
	Sea World, Texas	Sea World, California

1995-1996

Vice President / General Manager

Directed, staffed, managed and operated water ski shows, jet ski shows, and live action stunt shows.

	Six Flags Great Adventure, New Jersey	Universal Studios, California
	Holiday Park, Germany	Lake Compounce, Connecticut
	Indiana Beach, Indiana	New Elitch Gardens, Colorado
	Beijing Amusement Park, China	Emerald Point, North Carolina
	Walibi Flevo, Ski Show, Netherlands	Arrowhead Pond/Jet Jam, California

	-Awarded consulting contract with Universal Studios Hollywood to assist in the design and production of the largest live action water stunt show in the world. Later that year, Universal Studios Hollywood awarded WSSI a contract to provide and manage the talent for the show. The show opened in October, 1995. -Awarded a three-year contract with Six Flags Great Adventure to install, manage, and operate a new live action water stunt show, Lethal Weapon. -Performed exhibition skiing and freestyle jet skiing for Jet Jam, a special event presented at Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, CA -Water World won the Themed Entertainment Association award for “Most Outstanding Achievement.”

1997-Present	President Purchased Water Ski Show, Inc. Responsible for marketing, sales, promotions, manage and operate water ski shows, jet ski shows, and live action stunt shows.

2002-2011	Holiday Park – continues to be our longest running park association, now entering our 29th year of shows in Germany Universal Studios Hollywood – including (Waterworld) and (T2:3D) continue to be the top rated shows in the park. (15 years with USH) Nashville Shores –( 2002 / 2003) presented a water ski show Tomb Raider – (2003) stunt show, produced and operated a traveling stunt show for Paramount Parks. (appeared in 5 parks) Cypress Gardens – (2004 / 2005) – produced, installed, and operated all new water ski show Fear Factor Live – (2005 to 2008) – USH, live show based on the popular TV series Zorro – (2005 to 2011) – Street show, featuring sword fighting Guyana, South America – (2006)- presented a water ski show, in a very special place Universal Studios Orlando – (2007) – presented a water ski and jet ski exhibition in the lagoon Hopi Hari, Brazil – (2008) – presented a water ski / jet ski show Halloween events, Fright Fest, Slaughter World, Bill and Ted’s, Sliders, shows for USH and Magic Mountain

2011-2012	LEGOLAND Florida – The Battle of Brickbeard’s Bounty – Water ski show – Provide and manage the talent Holiday Park – celebrating our 30th anniversary show season

At present – In the water ski show business for 47 years – (1965-2012)

	Six Flags Great Adventure, New Jersey	Universal Studios, California
	Holiday Park, Germany	Mulwala, Australia
	Indiana Beach, Indiana	The New Marine World, California
	Arrowhead Pond/Jet Jam, California	Hopi Hari, Brazil
	Walibi Flevo, Ski Show, Netherlands	Slaughter World, Universal Studios
	BTT50’s Ski Show	King Solomon’s Mines Stunt Show
	Magic Circus Show	Street Entertainment Show
	Six Flags New England	Six Flags Darien Lake
	Jungle Theatre, Six Flags Marine World	T2:3D, Universal Studios Hollywood
	Captain Cannonball, Six Flags Marine World

Achievements
1964	2^nd Place, Boys Jumping National Water Ski Championships
1974	3^rd Place, World Kite Championships, Cypress Gardens, FL Broke world multiple barefoot water skiing record, Aurora, Ohio
1975	Appeared on “Mike Douglas Show” (hang gliding segment), filmed in San Diego, CA
1976	Coordinated water skiing elephant segment for Walt Disney’s film “Freaky Friday.”
1977	Broke world multiple water ski record, Orlando, FL
1977-1981	Judged Regional and National Amateur Water Ski Show Championships
1978	Broke world multiple backward barefoot record, Orlando, FL
1979	Appeared on “Mike Douglas Show” hang gliding from the “Navy Pier,” filmed in Chicago, IL.
1981	Appeared on front cover and featured in Superstar segment of March, 1981 edition of “Spray” magazine Appeared on “Hollywood Squares” with John Davidson, performed hang gliding flight over the beach and hotel in Fort Lauderdale, FL
1996	10^th Place in the East Coast Hang Gliding Championships 10^th Place in International Competition – Valle De Bravo, Mexico
1997	2^nd Place in the Eastern US Team Competition