Tomm Murstad was a Norwegian skier, coach and businessperson.

He was born in Fredrikstad

Fredrikstad

is a city and municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Fredrikstad....

 as a son of physician Hjalmar Murstad (1883–1940) and Elisabeth Korneliussen (1887–1968). He grew up at Vinderen

Vinderen

Vinderen is a neighbourhood in the Vestre Aker borough of Oslo, Norway. It was a separate borough until 1 January 2004, when it was incorporated into the newly established borough of Vestre Aker....

. He was married to Nathalia "Oja" Mustad, daughter of Hans Clarin Hovind Mustad

Hans Clarin Hovind Mustad

-Personal life:He was born in Vardal as the son of Hans Mustad and Marie Heyerdahl. On the maternal side he was a great-grandson of Hieronymus Heyerdahl, and on the paternal side he was a grandson of Ole Hovelsen Mustad, great-grandson of Hans Schikkelstad, nephew of Kristian Mauritz Mustad and...

 and granddaughter of Hans Mustad

Hans Mustad

Hans Mustad was a Norwegian businessperson. He was instrumental in shaping the company O. Mustad & Søn.He was born in Vardal as the son of Ole Hovelsen Mustad. He was a brother of Kristian Mauritz Mustad and uncle of Sigbjørn Mustad; both were jurists and politicians. Ole Hovelsen Mustad was a...

, from 1941 to 1969, and then to Nena Gretta Godfrey from 1970.

Murstad began skiing as a youngster, with emphasis on alpine skiing

Alpine skiing

Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...

 and ski jumping

Ski jumping

Ski jumping is a sport in which skiers go down a take-off ramp, jump and attempt to land as far as possible down the hill below. In addition to the length of the jump, judges give points for style. The skis used for ski jumping are wide and long...

. He learnt to become an alpine skiing instructor in France, and he spent summers at the Riviera

French Riviera

The Côte d'Azur, pronounced , often known in English as the French Riviera , is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France, also including the sovereign state of Monaco...

 where he held water skiing

Water skiing

thumb|right|A slalom skier making a turn on a slalom waterski.Waterskiing is a sport where an individual is pulled behind a boat or a cable ski installation on a body of water, skimming the surface.-History:...

 shows. He started a skiing school in Marka, Oslo

Marka, Oslo

Marka is the name of the forested and hilly areas surrounding Oslo, Norway. It includes areas within the municipality of Oslo, but also large areas in Hole, Ringerike, Jevnaker, Lunner, Nittedal, Bærum, Asker, and other municipalities in Oppland and Akershus counties.The name is actually just the...

 in late 1934. He eventually started travelling between Norway, the French Alps, and the United States to stage various shows, go on PR tours and run the skiing school. In the United States he visited New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

, Boston

Boston

Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...

 and Chicago

Chicago

Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...

, and reportedly, 100,000 people saw his indoor

Indoor ski slope

Indoor ski slopes are found in several countries, proving a climate controlled environment can be maintained in which snow can be manufactured using a snow cannon, enabling skiing and snowboarding to take place year-round.-Notable mentions:...

 ski jumping hill

Ski jumping hill

A ski jumping hill is a sports venue used for ski jumping. They vary in size from temporary hand-made snow structures to permanent competition venues. At the top is an in-run where the jumper runs down to generate sufficient speed, before reaching the jump. The skier is then airborne until landing...

 shows.

During the World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 his skiing school was suspended, but after the war he started kindergartens near Tryvann

Tryvann

Tryvann is a small lake in Nordmarka, the forest area just north of Oslo city, near the Holmenkollen ski jump. By the water lies a cabin called Tryvannstua, in which there is a café regularly open both during summer and winter...

. The children were brought there from downtown Oslo

Oslo

Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...

 in a separate tram car, embarking from Majorstua station

Majorstuen (station)

Majorstuen is a subway station on the Oslo Metro and a light rail station on the Briskeby Line of the Oslo Tramway. It is located in the Majorstuen neighborhood in the Frogner borough....

. Ahead of the 1952 Winter Olympics

1952 Winter Olympics

The 1952 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VI Olympic Winter Games, took place in Oslo, Norway, from 14 to 25 February 1952. Discussions about Oslo hosting the Winter Olympic Games began as early as 1935; the city wanted to host the 1948 Games, but World War II made that impossible...

 he was Norway's national team coach in alpine skiing, a team with Stein Eriksen

Stein Eriksen

Stein Eriksen is a former alpine ski racer and Olympic gold medalist.-Background:Stein Eriksen was born in Oslo, Norway. His parents were Marius Eriksen and Birgit Heien . Stein's father, Marius Eriksen competed in the 1912 Olympic Games as a gymnast...

 among others. Eriksen would later join Murstad in summertime water skiing shows. Murstad also ran a sports clothing store. In 1960 he started an eponymous summer camp

Summer camp

Summer camp is a supervised program for children or teenagers conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as campers....

 for youths, with emphasis on water sports and maritime safety. He used the moniker "Onkel Tomm", a direct translation of Uncle Tom

Uncle Tom

Uncle Tom is a derogatory term for a person who perceives themselves to be of low status, and is excessively subservient to perceived authority figures; particularly a black person who behaves in a subservient manner to white people....

.

In 1980 he was decorated with the HM The King's Medal of Merit

HM The King's Medal of Merit

The King's Medal of Merit is a Norwegian award. It was instituted in 1908 to reward meritorious achievements in the fields of art, science, business and public service. It is divided in two classes: gold and silver. The medal in gold is rewarded for extraordinary achievements of importance to the...

in gold. He died in January 2001 in Oslo. His ventures are now run by Tomm Murstad, Jr.