In Business This Week

DOROTHY HAMILL BAILS OUT ICE CAPADES

Former Olympic champion Dorothy Hamill is skating to the rescue of her employer, Ice Capades. Hamill, the 1976 Olympic figure-skating gold medalist, said on Mar. 3 that her company, Dorothy Hamill International, has agreed to buy the ice show for an undisclosed price. The deal will close in May or June, when control of Ice Capade's parent, International Broadcasting Corp., passes to National Westminster Bank as part of a bankruptcy reorganization. Hamill says she wants to "restore the luster" of the venerable show, emphasizing skating skills over glitzy costumes. But she faces heavy competition from other skating shows featuring more recent champions.EDITED BY KEITH H. HAMMONDS