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Anton Schwarzkopf
Born (1924-07-08)8 July 1924
Bahlingen, Weimar Republic
Died 30 July 2001(2001-07-30) (aged 77)
Nationality German
Occupation Founder and president, Schwarzkopf Industries GmbH
Years active 1957–1995
Known for roller coaster designer
Notable work
Revolution, Shockwave, The Mindbender, Olympia Looping, Whizzer, Shuttle Loop

Anton Schwarzkopf (8 July 1924 – 30 July 2001) was a German engineer who founded Schwarzkopf Industries GmbH, a German manufacturer of roller coasters and other amusement rides that were sold to amusement parks and travelling funfairs around the world.

Early years

Anton Schwarzkopf, born (1924-07-08)8 July 1924 in Bahlingen, Germany, began as an apprentice in his father's business, which focused on the design of specialised trailers used to transport circus equipment. By 1954, his father's company had transitioned into creating amusement rides.

Career

In 1957, Schwarzkopf built his first attraction, the Düsenspirale, which was a roller coaster that traveled around Germany with funfair showman Löffelhardt. He took over his father's company in 1960 and created his first full-scale steel roller coaster, The Wildcat, in 1964. In 1970, the first Jet Star II model was built for German showman Rick. The model became popular for its electric spiral lift hill, and many of this type were built. In 1976, Schwarzkopf partnered with ride engineer Werner Stengel to create a ground-breaking attraction, the Revolution roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain in California. It was the first roller coaster in the modern era to feature a vertical loop. The vertical loop became a signature element used in many of Schwarzkopf's designs, including King Kobra at Kings Dominion in 1977, one of the first Shuttle Loop designs, and Shock Wave at Six Flags Over Texas in 1978, which featured consecutive vertical loops.

Shockwave coaster sfot
'Shockwave', Schwarzkopf's first double loop roller coaster.

Schwarzkopf Industries GmbH experienced rapid growth throughout the 1970s, as its rides were well received and in high demand. In the 1980s, the company produced several transportable rides for travelling funfairs, particularly those in Western Europe, with a notable example being the Alpina Bahn in 1983. Dreier Looping (meaning triple loop in English) was built in 1984, and Thriller was built in 1986. Outside of Germany, the company partnered with Intamin, and many older rides credited to Intamin were actually designed and created by Schwarzkopf. Schwarzkopf suffered several business setbacks and suffered through several bankruptcies, with the first occurring in late 1983, leading to the abandonment of several upcoming designs and installations. While dormant during the mid-1980s, Peißenberg and Zierer stepped in to construct several of Schwarzkopf's designs, including Bavarian Mountain Railroad in 1987.

The company continued to produce flat rides and assist with roller coaster design for a number of years, and some popular releases during this time included the Bayern Kurve, the Enterprise, and the Monster. Schwarzkopf retired from the industry in 1995 and died on 30 July 2001(2001-07-30) (aged 77) after battling Parkinson's disease for several years.

Legacy

There are a number of notable people from the amusement industry who have either worked with, or have relations to Anton Schwarzkopf. His brother, Franz Schwarzkopf, was also a ride designer around the same time as Anton, and designed many staples of both amusement parks and carnivals alike, such as the Wave Swinger. Anton's son Wieland Schwarzkopf also became involved with the industry, starting out at Schwarzkopf, and later starting his own business in 1984. Wieland's company mostly provided parts and services for his father's rides, but had a few of its own attractions, such as the 'Sound Factory', a short-lived version of the popular 'Monster' ride with looping cars. Werner Stengel got his start with the Schwarzkopf company, and later went on to become one of the most prestigious designers of roller coasters and amusement rides. He was still heavily involved with most of Schwarzkopf's attractions. Hubert Gerstlauer, founder and namesake of Gerstlauer Amuesment Rides GmbH, was an employee of Schwarzkopf, before starting his own company in 1982. Gerstlauer's manufacturing is still carried out at the former Schwarzkopf facility in Münsterhausen, Bavaria.

Despite their age and shrinking numbers, Schwarzkopf rides remain popular. New Revolution at Six Flags Magic Mountain, Whizzer at Six Flags Great America, and Montezooma's Revenge at Knott's Berry Farm have all received the American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE) Coaster Landmark award signifying their importance to the industry.

List of notable roller coasters

As of 2019, Schwarzkopf has built 149 roller coasters around the world.

List of roller coasters from Anton Schwarzkopf
Name Model Amusement park
former park(s)
Country Year built Status refs
Greased Lightnin'
formerly Tidal Wave
Shuttle Loop Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
California's Great America
United States United States unknown
1977–2002
Removed
Düsenspirale Unknown Wiener Prater Austria Austria 1957 Removed
Jet Star Jet Star Casino Pier United States United States 1970 Removed
Jumbo Jet Jet Star 3 / Jumbo Jet Six Flags Great Adventure United States United States 1975 Removed
Whizzer
formerly Willard's Whizzer
Speed Racer /
Extended Jumbo Jet
Six Flags Great America United States United States 1976 Operating
Whizzer
formerly Willard's Whizzer
Speed Racer /
Extended Jumbo Jet
California's Great America United States United States 1976 Removed
Jet Star 2 Jet Star 2 Lagoon
Riverfront Park
United States United States 1976
1974
Operating
Alpen Blitz Alpenblitz II Six Flags Great Adventure United States United States 1976 Removed
Jumbo Jet Jet Star 3 / Jumbo Jet Morey's Piers United States United States 1976 Removed
New Revolution Unknown Six Flags Magic Mountain United States United States 1976 Operating
SooperDooperLooper Looping Speedracer Hersheypark United States United States 1977 Operating
Wild Rider Wildcat 54m Six Flags Great Adventure United States United States 1978 Removed
The Riddler Mindbender Unknown Six Flags Over Georgia United States United States 1978 Operating
Shock Wave Unknown Six Flags Over Texas United States United States 1978 Operating
Montezooma's Revenge Shuttle Loop Knott's Berry Farm United States United States 1978 Closed
Wildcat Wildcat 65m Cedar Point United States United States 1979 Removed
Shuttle Loop Shuttle Loop Nagashima Spa Land Japan Japan 1980 Operating
Nessie Looping Racer Hansa Park Germany Germany 1980 Operating
Scorpion Silverarrow Busch Gardens Tampa United States United States 1980 Operating
Looping Star Looping Star Nagashima Spa Land Japan Japan 1982 Operating
Psyké Underground
formerly Sirocco
formerly Turbine
Shuttle Loop Walibi Belgium Belgium Belgium 1982 Operating
Colossus the Fire Dragon Double Looping Lagoon United States United States 1983 Operating
Tig'rr Coaster
formerly Jet Star
Jet Star Indiana Beach
Holiday Beach
United States United States 1984
1976–1983
Operating
Mindbender Dreier Looping Galaxyland Amusement Park Canada Canada 1985 Removed
Silver Bullet Looping Star Frontier City United States United States 1986 Operating

Lisebergbanan Unknown Liseberg Sweden Sweden 1987 Operating
Jetline
formerly Berg- och Dalbanan
Unknown Gröna Lund Sweden Sweden 1988 Closed
Viper
formerly Jet Scream
Looping Star Six Flags AstroWorld
Six Flags St. Louis
United States United States 1989
1981–1988
Removed
Golden Loop
formerly White Lightnin'
Shuttle Loop Gold Reef City
Carowinds
South Africa South Africa 1989
1977–1988
Operating
Turbo Mountain
formerly Geronimo
Jet Star 2 Adventure World
Luna Park
Australia Australia 1991
1982–1988
Removed
Cannonball Express
formerly Enigma
formerly Super Figure Eight
formerly Jumbo 5
Jumbo V Pleasurewood Hills
Funland Park
Meli Park
United Kingdom United Kingdom 1995
1985–1995
1983–1984
Operating

Nightmare at Crack Axle Canyon
formerly Nightmare at Phantom Cave
formerly Starchaser
Jet Star Great Escape
Six Flags Darien Lake
Kentucky Kingdom
Beech Bend
United States United States 1999
1996–1998
1987–1995
unknown
Removed


Katapul
formerly Thunderlooper
formerly King Kobra
Shuttle Loop Hopi Hari
Alton Towers
Jolly Roger Amusement Park
Kings Dominion
Brazil Brazil 1999
1990–1996
1987–1989
1977–1986
Operating


Montaña Rusa
formerly Zambezi Zinger
Speed Racer /
Extended Jumbo Jet
Parque Del Café
Worlds of Fun
Colombia Colombia 1999
1973–1997
Operating
Jet Star Jet Star Luna Park La Palmyre
Morey's Piers
Knoebels Amusement Park & Resort
France France 2000
1993–1999
1977–1992
Operating

Tornado
formerly Glissade
Jet Star 3 / Jumbo Jet Selva Mágica
La Feria Chapultepec Magico
Busch Gardens Williamsburg
Mexico Mexico 2002
1993–2001
1975–1985
Closed

Knightmare
formerly BMRX
formerly Bavarian Mountain Railroad
Unknown Camelot Theme Park
Kobe Portopialand
United Kingdom United Kingdom 2007
1987–2006
Removed
Tsunami
formerly Zonga
formerly Texas Tornado
formerly Taz's Texas Tornado
formerly Thriller
Unknown Isla San Marcos Parque Temático
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Six Flags AstroWorld
Gröna Lund
Mexico Mexico 2008
2003–2004
1998–2000
1996
In storage


Tornado
formerly Space Mountain
formerly New Beast
formerly Alton Beast
Jet Star 3 / Jumbo Jet Salitre Magico
Divertido
Alton Towers
Colombia Colombia 2010
1998–2004
1992–1997
Removed

Rocket
formerly Black Hole
formerly Black Hole II
formerly New Black Hole
Jet Star 2 Furuvik
Alton Towers
Sweden Sweden 2011
1983–2005
Removed
Jumbo Jet Jet Star 3 / Jumbo Jet Chelyuskintsev Park
Dreamland
Beoland
Malmö Folkets Park
Palace Playland
Cedar Point
Belarus Belarus 2015
2010–2014
2003–2006
1985–1989
unknown
1972–1978
Operating




Wildcat
formerly Rails
formerly Wild Rails
Wildcat 65m Jolly Roger Amusement Park
Valleyfair
Cedar Point
United States United States 2015
1999–2001
1979–1998
1970–1978
Operating &


Big Blue
formerly Twist and Shout
formerly Looping Star
formerly Tower of Terror
Silberpfeil
Silverarrow Fun Park Mirnovec
Loudoun Castle
Dreamland
Camelot Theme Park
Ocean Beach Amusement Park
OK Corral
Croatia Croatia 2017
2003–2010
2001–2002
1989–2000
1986–1988
1980–1985
Operating




Bobsleigh
formerly Course De Bobsleigh
formerly Jumbo Jet
City Jet / Jet 400 Parc de la Vallée
Nigloland
Drayton Manor
France France 2018
1995–2017
1981–1983
Operating

Looping Star
formerly Thunder Loop
formerly Looping Star
formerly Superachtbaan Looping Star
Looping Star Parko Paliatso Luna Park
Attractiepark Slagharen
Cyprus Cyprus 2018-2023
1979–2016
Removed
Teststrecke
formerly Laser
formerly Colossus
Double Looping Wiener Prater
Dorney Park
Playcenter São Paulo
Austria Austria 2019
1986–2008
1981–1986
Removed

Super Jet
formerly Montanha Russa
Wildcat 54m Diego's Park
Mirabilandia
Brazil Brazil 2019/20
1994–1998
Operating
Texas Wildcat
formerly Raptor Attack
formerly Rat Ride
Wildcat 45m Cotaland
Lightwater Valley
United States United States 2021
1987–2019
Operating
Olympia Looping Unknown Wiener Prater Austria Austria 2022
2018
2016
Operating

All American Triple Loop
formerly Quimera
formerly Montaña Triple Loop
formerly Montaña Infinitum
formerly Magnum Force
formerly Triple Loop Coaster
Unknown Indiana Beach
La Feria Chapultepec Magico
Flamingo Land
Sunway Lagoon
United States United States 2024
2007–2019
2000–2005
1997–1999
Operating

&



Unknown
formerly Cascabel
formerly Laser Loop
Shuttle Loop Niagara Amusement Park & Splash World
La Feria Chapultepec Magico
Kennywood
United States United States TBA
1994–2019
1980–1990
In
Storage


local ride name Anton Schwarzkopf
model type
amusement / theme park location
(current, or last operating)
former park(s)
location country
(current / last)
latest date
opened
(former dates)
current
status
refs

List of other attractions

  • Giant wheel – a 41.5 metres (136 feet) diameter ferris wheel at Six Flags Great Adventure and Cedar Point.
  • Orbit (Enterprise) – Six Flags Great America, formerly the Orleans Orbit upon opening of Marriott's Great America, operated from 1976 to 2016.
  • Orbit (Enterprise) – California's Great America.
  • Wheelie (Enterprise) – Six Flags Over Georgia, operated from 1977 to 2012, removed to make room for SkyScreamer. Now at Funspot in Orlando.
  • Enterprise – Attractiepark Slagharren.
  • Bayern Kurve – Kennywood.
  • Berserker (Bayern Kurve) – California's Great America.
  • Centrifuge (Calypso III) – California's Great America.
  • Fiddler's Fling (Calypso III) – Six Flags Great America.
  • The Lobster (Monster III) – Six Flags Great America.
  • A Shuttle Boat ride (Santa Maria) at Bobbejaanland, defunct.
  • Apollo (Apollo 14) – Attractiepark Slagharen, one of two originally built at the park, both were converted to swing rides at some point, and one of the sides ended up at Loudoun Castle.
  • Octopus (Monster II) – Attractiepark Slagharen.
  • Sky Tower (Zeppelin II) – Attractiepark Slagharen, later converted into an observation tower.
  • Monorail – Attractiepark Slagharen.
  • Riesenrad (Ferris Wheel 50m) – famous Oktoberfest ferris wheel, owned by showman Willenborg.
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