Snapshots from Slap Shot

Local Sports

Discussion

February 25, 2007

BY MIKE MASTOVICH The Tribune-Democrat Sun Feb 25, 2007, 12:36 AM EST

Thirty years later, players and actors who appeared in “Slap Shot” recall their time in Johnstown as if it happened this hockey season.

They now work and live in places such as New York City, Pittsburgh, Quebec, Kenosha, Wisc., Burlington, Vt., and Tillsonburg, Ontario.

But for one season in the movies, they were a part of Johnstown.

Here are their stories – tidbits to ponder the next time you pop “Slap Shot” in the VCR or DVD player:

Andrew Duncan

Character: Charlestown Chiefs broadcaster Jim Carr

On a bad hair day: “I remember watching the local sportscaster in Johnstown and studying him. That was the guy I was playing. When I went for the wig, (director) George Roy Hill said, ‘I don’t care what you get, just get something outrageous.’

“I went to Glosser’s and went to the wig department. The stylist started showing me wigs that made it look like you didn’t have a wig. I said, ‘No.’ Then I saw one she pushed aside and I said, ‘That’s the one.’ I stuck it on my head and looked in the mirror and started laughing. George looked at me and started laughing. He said, ‘If you dare, I dare.’ ”

Yvon Barrette

Character: Denis Lemieux

On how he landed the role of the likeable Chiefs goalie: “I played hockey for fun as an amateur, but I am an actor (not a hockey player). I had to audition in Montreal. There was something like five other people. They were looking for a short French Canadian.

“We had a lot of fun doing that. The character was funny. It was fantastic for a young actor, 29, to work with an actor like Paul Newman and a great director like George Roy Hill.”

Paul D’Amato

Character: Tim “Dr. Hook” McCracken

On acting with Newman and hockey players: “That set was so comfortable between the actors and the hockey players. We had all gone to hockey practice, we had all played for many years. It was second nature. The acting, I had studied for years and had gone to college for it.

“While I was in college studying acting, I played hockey. It was taking some of the things I did best and putting them together. I wasn’t the only one. Everybody else was like that.

“It was not intimidating. It could have been intimidating, but Paul Newman was such a good guy, Strother Martin was such a good guy.”

Christopher Murney

Character: Long Island Ducks goaltender Tommy Hanrahan

On an impromptu college reunion: “I grew up in New England and I played pond hockey. I went to the University of New Hampshire with (“Slap Shot” actor) Mike Ontkean. He used to watch me do plays in the Theater Deptartment and I used to watch him play.”

John Gofton

Character: Presidents forward Nick Brophy

On getting wet in the infamous boarding scene: “That’s 30 years ago. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for people like us who never get that opportunity. The scene – you just tried to let it happen. The boarding scene, we did it 13 times before they picked what they needed. The real big part was when I got rammed into the boards and came off the boards crossing my legs like I peed my pants.”

Allan Nicholls

Character: Chiefs captain Johnny Upton

On saying good-bye to Johnstown: “I got to know a lot of the people in Johnstown. We had created kind of a mini “Slap Shot” society and we formed bonds with a lot of the citizens there.

“It was a celebration of a style of hockey and some hockey renegades, but also was a celebration of small-town minor league hockey. I remember when we left town, we left in a bus. People were standing outside the hotel and waving good-bye. It was a nice little send off. On those little signs at the hotel it said, ‘Good bye Slap Shot.’”

Steve Carlson

Character: Steve Hanson

On a hockey player’s approach to filmmaking: “That’s when I was 19 or 20. I got a nice paycheck. You look at it that way. They offer for you to do a film. You don’t realize how big it is until 10, 20, 30 years later. You don’t realize that as you’re making the film. You’re saying, ‘We’ll do it. Why not?’ ”

Dave Hanson

Character: Jack Hanson

On life in the movies: “We didn’t think it was going to be huge at all. That wasn’t even a thought in our mind when we were filming.

“At the time it was a fun summer thing to do. They offered us a seven-year movie contract after that. We said, ‘We’re not movie actors, we’re hockey players.’ We turned them down.”

Text Only | Photo Reprints

Local Sports

T-D Sports Podcast 2/11/12
Sports editor Chris Morelli and staffer Shawn Curtis bounce across the Pittsburgh sports landscape as they discuss reports that the Pittsburgh Steelers won’t be bringing back Hines Ward, Jordan Staal’s return to the Pittsburgh Penguins’ lineup and the ongoing battle of wills in a prospective trade that would bring pitcher A.J. Burnett to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

February 11, 2012
Boiling over: Boiling Springs hands Bedford a defeat in Class AA semis
Friday started well for Bedford’s wrestling team.

February 11, 2012 1 Photo
Ferndale captures win in Jess Ambroe Classic
The listed opponent for Northern Cambria in Friday night’s Laurel Mountain varsity hockey game at Cambria County War Memorial was Ferndale.
What the Reapers encountered was an emotional and purple-clad Jess’ Army.
The Yellow Jackets were able to cultivate the emotion and high spirits to a 7-1 win in the second Jess Ambroe Classic.

February 11, 2012 1 Photo
[VIDEO] Muha hits milestone in Shade's loss
As the lone senior on a Shade girls basketball squad that also doesn’t have any juniors, Becca Muha has learned to lead by example.

February 11, 2012 1 Photo
Rams roll past Blue Jays
It had been a while since the Richland Rams had played a varsity hockey game. Though the Rams’ last action came on Jan. 12, Richland showed little rust as it trounced Conemaugh Valley 12-1 Friday evening at Cambria County War Memorial.
Richland (7-3-2) posted four goals in the game’s first 4:33 as it buried the Blue Jays (1-14) early.

February 11, 2012
High school basketball in brief
A closer look at Friday's boys and girls high school basketball games:

February 11, 2012
Mountain Cats look to get Pecora closer to No. 500
In some ways, it’s the perfect time for Pitt-Johnstown wrestling coach Pat Pecora to be reflective.
After all, his eighth-ranked Mountain Cats will be holding their final home match this evening when Anderson visits at 7 p.m. Pecora will be saying goodbye to six seniors, which is always an emotional time for him.
But he’s not ready to look back on his legendary career, even as he closes in on his 500th career win.

February 11, 2012
Judge sets May trial date in Sandusky abuse case
A judge said Friday he would decide soon whether to grant former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky greater freedom – and visits from his young grandchildren – while he awaits trial on child sex-abuse charges, but prosecutors countered that Sandusky’s home is not a safe place for children.
Judge John Cleland set a tentative trial date of May 14 for Sandusky and promised to rule quickly on a number of other issues, including dueling requests for changes to his bail restrictions.

February 10, 2012
Jordan Staal expected to return to Pens’ lineup today
Jordan Staal’s left knee is fine. His face, however, could use some work.
The Pittsburgh Penguins center plans to play today against Winnipeg in his first game since injuring the knee in a loss to the New York Rangers on Jan. 6.
The road back has gone smoothly enough until Staal started practicing with his teammates this week.

February 10, 2012 1 Photo
UPDATED Bedford advances in PIAA wrestling in odd way
It’s not often that a team can win a match at the PIAA Class AA Dual-Meet Championships while giving up two forfeits, but that’s exactly what Bedford did this afternoon at the Giant Center.

In fact, the Bisons won 30-29 over Pen Argyl because they forfeited.

February 10, 2012 1 Photo
More Local Sports Headlines

Local Sports

Search Results

Discussion

Snapshots from Slap Shot

Do you support Gov. Tom Corbett’s proposed state budget for fiscal year 2012-13?

Contact Us