Hanson Brothers

{{About|characters from the 1977 movie Slap Shot|the late-1990s band|Hanson (band)|the Nomeansno side project|The Hanson Brothers (band)}}

{{Infobox character

| name = Hanson Brothers

| franchise = Slap Shot

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| creator = Nancy Dowd

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| occupation = Ice hockey players

| lbl1 = Team

| data1 = Charlestown Chiefs

| lbl2 = League

| data2 = {{Unbulleted list|Federal League|Iron League}}

| lbl3 = Based on

| data3 = Carlson Brothers

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{{Infobox character

| name = Dave

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| portrayer = {{unbulleted list |David Hanson}}

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| full_name = Dave Hanson

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| position = Left wing

| lbl1 = Age

| data1 = 19

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| data2 = #16

| lbl3 = Based on

| data3 = Jack Carlson

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{{Infobox character

| name = Steve

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| portrayer = {{unbulleted list |Steve Carlson}}

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| full_name = Steve Hanson

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| position = Centre

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| data1 = 20

| lbl2 = Number

| data2 = #17

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| data3 = Steve Carlson

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{{Infobox character

| name = Jeff

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| portrayer = {{unbulleted list |Jeff Carlson}}

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| full_name = Jeff Hanson

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| position = Right wing

| lbl1 = Age

| data1 = 18

| lbl2 = Number

| data2 = #18

| lbl3 = Based on

| data3 = Jeff Carlson

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The Hanson Brothers are a fictional trio of siblings who played for the fictional minor league ice hockey team the Charlestown Chiefs in the 1977 movie Slap Shot and its two sequels.{{cite news |last1=Hamill |first1=Sean D. |title=A Dispute Over the Icons of 'Slap Shot' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/12/sports/hockey/12slapshot.html |access-date=16 July 2024 |work=New York Times |date=11 April 2010}} The characters – Dave, Steve, and Jeff Hanson – were based on real-life siblings Jack, Steve, and Jeff Carlson, who played for the 1974-75 Johnstown Jets in the North American Hockey League. Characters Steve and Jeff Hanson were portrayed by their real-life namesakes, Steve and Jeff Carlson. Jack Carlson was unavailable at the time of filming, so the role of Dave Hanson was portrayed by fellow Johnstown Jets teammate David Hanson. David Hanson was himself the inspiration for another character in the movie, Dave "Killer" Carlson, who was portrayed by Jerry Houser.{{cite news |last1=Mastovich |first1=Mike |title='Hockey family' comes through for Hanson Brother |url=https://www.tribdem.com/sports/hockey-family-comes-through-for-hanson-brother/article_176ef75c-38ec-11eb-9c9a-b3a4890399f0.html |access-date=15 July 2024 |work=The Tribune-Democrat |date=7 December 2020}} The original screenplay was written by Nancy Dowd, sister of Johnstown Jets teammate Ned Dowd, who also appeared in the movie as the character Ogie Ogelthorpe.{{cite news |last1=Klemesrud |first1=Judy |title=Author Says Her 'Slap Shot' Talk Is Realistic |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1977/03/03/75042347.pdf |access-date=15 July 2024 |work=The New York Times |date=3 March 1977}}

The movie is an R-rated comedy starring Paul Newman as player-coach Reggie Dunlop. It follows the struggling Charlestown Chiefs in what is rumoured (and later confirmed) to be the team's last season, due to low ticket sales.{{cite news |last1=Canby |first1=Vincent |title=Hot Time on Ice, Newman's 'Slap Shot' |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1977/02/26/75040577.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&ip=0 |access-date=16 July 2024 |work=New York Times |agency=New York Times |date=26 February 1977}} The Hansons are a mid-season cut-rate acquisition by the team's general manager, Joe McGrath.{{cite web |title=Carlson Brothers |url=https://history.vintagemnhockey.com/page/show/810797-carlson-brothers- |website=vintagemnhockey.com |access-date=17 July 2024}} They are initially looked at with scorn by their teammates and coach, due to their childlike immaturity, thick black-rimmed glasses, and propensity for brawling. Team captain, Johnny Upton, sarcastically mused, "Jesus, what did the old man trade for these assholes, a used puck bag?"{{cite web |title=Slap Shot Quotes |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076723/quotes/?item=qt0378767&ref_=ext_shr_lnk |website=imdb.com |access-date=20 July 2024}} The brothers eventually prove their worth and generate a renewed enthusiasm with their violent playing style.{{cite web |title=Minnesota Hockey & Hollywood |url=https://history.vintagemnhockey.com/page/show/3784499-minnesota-hockey-and-hollywood |website=vintagemnhockey.com |access-date=17 July 2024}}

Public appearances

File:Hanson bros19980131.jpg

The idea of a Hanson Brothers reunion was first pitched to Steve Carlson in 1993 as a way to increase ticket sales for the Memphis Riverkings, a Central Hockey League team that he was then the coach of. The arena sold out. A few weeks later, they held a second reunion at a home game for the AHL Capital District Islanders where Dave Hanson was the general manager. That event sold out too. Sixteen years after the film's release, the Hansons began appearing in character at charity and promotional events at arenas throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. At their peak, they were making about 90 appearances per year and had a sponsorship deal with Budweiser.{{cite news |last1=Proteau |first1=Adam |title=Slap Shot's Hanson Bros. Made Fans Everywhere They Went |url=https://thehockeynews.com/news/thn-archive-slap-shots-hanson-bros-made-fans-everywhere-they-went |access-date=16 July 2024 |work=The Hockey News |publisher=Roustan Media |date=14 December 2023}}

Screenplay writer Nancy Dowd has been critical of the appearances, claiming they diminished the value of Slap Shot and violated her author's rights. In response, Dave Hanson contended, "I’m so sorry she’s mad at us. I don’t know what dirty-old-man jokes she means. When we come out, we talk to kids about how they’re doing in school and how their grades are. We’re colorful and lighthearted. There’s nothing insulting about what we do. If anything, to my mind, we’re helping to prolong the legacy of Slap Shot.”

As of 2020, the group does not tour together due to personal differences.https://www.nhl.com/news/hanson-brother-steve-carlson-talks-cancer-fight-with-nhl-com

Cultural legacy

{{Tweet

| name = Steve Carlson #17

| username = Hanson_Brothers

| text = It has been brought to our attention that the broken cd of #SlapShot was found at the wreck of the #HumboltStrong team bus.

We wish "putting on the foil or "buying a soda after the game" could help but instead we will reflect and pray God gives peace and comfort during this time.

| translation =

| date = 9 April 2018

| ID = 983357241100308480

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The Hansons (and Slap Shot) have an enduring cultural following. They receive more than 300 requests per year to make appearances.{{cite news |last1=Roarke |first1=Shawn P. |title=40 years later, Hanson Brother embraces 'Slap Shot' |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/40-years-later-hanson-brother-embraces-slap-shot-287115832 |access-date=16 July 2024 |work=nhl.com |publisher=National Hockey League |date=26 February 2017}} The film is standard viewing for young ice hockey players on road trips, including Christian Hanson, son of David Hanson, who saw the film for the first time when he was 11 years old during a hockey road trip with his team.{{cite news |last1=Warsinskey |first1=Tim |title='Slap Shot' movie descendant Christian Hanson loses role with Lake Erie Monsters |url=https://www.cleveland.com/monsters/2014/10/slap_shot_movie_descendant_chr.html |access-date=22 July 2024 |work=cleveland.com |publisher=Advance Local Media |date=2 October 2014}} After the Humboldt Broncos bus crash in 2018, a broken Slap Shot DVD was found at the crash site.{{cite news |last1=Slingerland |first1=Calum |title='Slap Shot' Stars the Hanson Brothers Pay Tribute to Humboldt Broncos Bus Crash Victims |url=https://exclaim.ca/film/article/slap_shot_stars_hanson_brothers_pay_tribute_to_humboldt_broncos_bus_crash_victims |access-date=22 July 2024 |work=exclaim.ca |publisher=Exclaim! |date=8 April 2018}}{{cite news |title=What was left behind: Photos of the Humboldt crash scene |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/humboldt-crash-scene-photos-1.4614876 |access-date=22 July 2024 |work=CBC News |publisher=CBC/Radio-Canada |date=11 April 2018}} Steve Carlson met with some of the survivors.{{cite news |last1=Chidley-Hill |first1=John |title=Bespectacled Hanson brothers still popular decades after 'Slap Shot' |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/entertainment/bespectacled-hanson-brothers-still-popular-decades-after-slap-shot-1.4305820 |access-date=22 July 2024 |work=CTV News |agency=Canadian Press |date=20 February 2019}}{{cite news |title=Hanson Brothers honour Humboldt Broncos after seeing shattered 'Slapshot' DVD |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/4134267/hanson-brothers-humboldt-broncos-slapshot-dvd/ |access-date=22 July 2024 |work=Global News |agency=Canadian Press |date=9 April 2018}}

Trivia

The Cleveland Monsters of the American Hockey League employ a trio of Hanson lookalikes known as the Mullet Brothers, who sport long black hair and black-rimmed glasses. The "brothers" shovel snow out of the net area during breaks in full uniform and pads.
Extreme Championship Wrestling characters The Dudley Brothers were based on the Hanson brothers. Two members of this stable, Bubba Ray & D-Von, would later shed the comedic elements of the gimmick and go on to become the Dudley Boyz tag team.
At the June 2011 NHL Awards, the Hanson Brothers appeared in a spoof sketch based on the television series Pawn Stars, in which they try to sell the Stanley Cup to proprietor Rick Harrison at his pawn shop.[http://nhlbruins.tumblr.com/post/6811162375/bruins-highlights-from-the-nhl-awards "Bruins Highlights From the NHL Awards"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131128153352/http://nhlbruins.tumblr.com/post/6811162375/bruins-highlights-from-the-nhl-awards |date=2013-11-28 }}. Boston Bruins. Retrieved January 15, 2012.
In 2015 the Hanson Brothers were inducted into the Fictitious Athlete Hall of Fame.{{cite web|last1=Wallace|first1=Fred|title=Hansons Headline Hall Inductees|url=http://www.bayshorebroadcasting.ca/news_item.php?NewsID=80855|website=Bayshore Broadcasting|date=January 4, 2016|access-date=October 25, 2016|archive-date=October 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025113858/http://www.bayshorebroadcasting.ca/news_item.php?NewsID=80855|url-status=dead}}
In addition to the original film, Slap Shot (1977), all three actors reprised their roles as the Hanson Brothers in two sequels, Slap Shot 2 (2002) and Slap Shot 3 (2008).
A trio of hockey players all named Jim in Shoresy are based on the Hanson Brothers.

Hanson Brothers

Public appearances

Cultural legacy

Trivia

References

Further reading