Guido Tenesi dead at 71 — Slap Shot star who lived the role before Hollywood ever wrote it

Guido Tenesi, a former professional hockey defenseman best known for his role in the 1977 cult classic Slap Shot, has died at the age of 71. His passing was announced on Thursday, June 20, with tributes pouring in from across the hockey world.

Tenesi’s career bridged two unique worlds—he was a Calder Cup champion with the Hershey Bears and later gained pop culture recognition for his portrayal of Billy Charlebois in Slap Shot. While a cause of death was not immediately disclosed, his legacy as both an athlete and actor continues to resonate.

Guido Tenesi was a Calder Cup champion, hockey enforcer, and the real-life force behind Slap Shot’s most unforgettable role

Tenesi’s hockey journey began when he was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the fifth round of the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft. He spent two seasons with the Penguins' then-affiliate, the Hershey Bears, where he contributed to the team’s 1974 Calder Cup title. The Bears, now affiliated with the Washington Capitals, issued a statement on Thursday via social media:“We’re saddened to learn of the passing of Guido Tenesi, a member of our roster during the 1974 Calder Cup championship, and was known to many more for his role as Billy Charlebois in the classic hockey film Slap Shot,” the organization wrote.

“Our hearts are with his family, friends, and teammates.”

Tenesi also played for the Johnstown Jets, where he won the 1975 Lockhart Cup during the franchise’s North American Hockey League championship run. It was during his time with the Jets that he became indirectly involved in the creation of Slap Shot. In a 2016 interview with the Utica Observer-Dispatch, Tenesi explained how the movie was born out of real team experiences:“I played on the same team as Ned Dowd, Dave Hanson, and the Carlsons,” Tenesi said.

“Ned would walk around with a tape recorder, taking notes on everything that happened on one of our road trips. If someone tripped on the ice, or if a player broke their stick and threw it over the glass, Ned recorded it.”Dowd’s sister, Nancy Dowd, wrote the script, and Tenesi was cast in a supporting role alongside Paul Newman, who played player-coach Reggie Dunlop. The 1977 film became a cult favorite, cementing Tenesi’s place in hockey pop culture.Steve Carlson, who starred as one of the Hanson brothers, shared a tribute on June 20 on X, writing:“RIP Guido Tenesi ‘Pretty boy.’ Good guy gone too soon. On behalf of myself and Vicki, we send our heartfelt condolences. He always had HONOR and Class. Prayers for comfort to the entire family and my fellow teammates and co-actors who experience yet another loss of a teammate.”

Remembering Guido Tenesi: a true hockey original who left a mark on the game and the screen

After retiring from professional hockey in 1987, Tenesi stepped away from the public eye.

His only acting credit remained Slap Shot. He later worked as a swimming pool technician in Toronto and occasionally reflected on his time in film and hockey. In a 2020 retrospective, Tenesi called those years “the good old days” and described filming as “a time to remember.”Carlson, writing again on Friday, June 21, said Tenesi was “forever a Chief” — a nod to the fictional team in Slap Shot.“Whether you remember him for his on-ice grit, his international pride, or his silver-screen cool… Guido Tenesi stood for something rare: authenticity,” Carlson wrote.Tenesi’s name may never have been the most famous in the game, but his presence left a distinct impression on every arena he entered—whether it was on skates or on screen.Also Read: Rob Gronkowski shocks fans with unexpected hockey skills at Fanatics Fest NYC