It Was the Original Winter Classic. Two Teams Facing

HY DOES THE MOVIE HOWARD BALDWIN: There Austin Powers movies. It was af- Mystery, Alaska reso- is this famous story about at the end of my career. I ter the second one that we did nate with fans two de- wentteam into Manchester,Canmore at ChristEngland,- Mystery, Alaska. He asked me cades later? Perhaps Wbecause it is one of the few mov- Jackhow DempseyShelby, Montana, to revitalize hosted the brother-in-law was working like a good challenge. I grew up ies that gets its hockey right. town.a heavyweight That evolved fight into featuring what onmastime the special-effects to visit family. crew My into Wisconsindo this film, and and knew it seemed hockey With all due respect to The Mystery, Alaska became. to get the ice right during but had never played it. I was Mighty Ducks and Youngblood, pre-production. He suggested there are no silly knuckle-pucks Kelley, who was a writer and that I get involved, so I met game of hockey. or ludicrous stick-swinging creator of TV shows such as L.A. with the production company. definitely not intimate with the Law and Ally McBeal, collabo- TURNER: Within the week, I with deep hockey roots were rated with friend Sean O’Byrne with Jay Roach. They needed a was teaching Russell Crowe involvedduels in thisin the film. making Many ofpeople Mys- The next day, I’m having coffee and Burt Reynolds how to tery, Alaska – and it shows. Pro- ducers Howard and Karen Elise training camp, and I was Baldwin were the owners of the thrownskate. They right ran into a five-weekthe mix Pittsburgh Penguins at the time to get these guys skating. I and had previously owned the was on an outdoor pond in Hartford Whalers. Scriptwriter Canmore, pushing around a David E. Kelley was the son of hockey net with Burt Reyn- an NHL executive and the cap- olds, which was cool. He was a tain of his hockey team at Princ- pretty tough old guy, he stayed out there for hours. assistant hockey co-ordinator andeton. hockey Brad Turner,double forthe Russell film’s TRAVIS STEPHENSON (Hockey double for Michael Buie, who played Connor New York Islanders and had an Banks): I auditioned for a speak- eight-yearCrowe, played career briefly in the minors.for the Several former players from the Connolly. It was an open invita- University of Calgary also con- tioning part, for local for the talent. role I of had ‘Tinker’ never tributed as Rangers players or acted before, but I just thought, as hockey doubles for the Mys- what the heck? Cameron tery characters. involve hockey was the Jean- hockeyBancroft resume got the and role suggested of ‘Tinker.’ I The Baldwins’ first film to tryAnd out then to theybe a hockeylooked atdouble. my Sudden Death. It came out in 1995Claude and Van had Damme a hearty action serving flick DARREN MORRISON (Hockey of hockey action. But in Mystery, double for Cameron Bancroft, who played Alaska, hockey was the main ‘Tinker’ Connolly): I was playing my course. Oddly enough, the idea last year of college hockey with the University of Calgary Dinos, but I got a concussion playing KARENfor the film ELISE came BALDWIN during a meal. rugby right before the season (Co-producer): It really started at a started. One of the hockey lunch that we had with writer guys from the movie called David E. Kelley. my coach, looking for players. He recommended me, since I HOWARD BALDWIN (Producer): - on the Mystery, Alaska script, So, I went to these tryouts to be which was quickly picked up by DOUBLE DUTY awasn’t hockey playing player for in the season.movie. We’ve always been close. Da Disney. Director Jay Roach and Former pro player Turner was There were a bunch of actors andvid’s later dad, theJack president Kelley, was of the cinematographer Peter Dem- the movie’s assistant hockey - Penguins.coach and WeGM were of the at Whalers Delmo- ing, who had previously worked director – and Crowe’s double. ure skates and mittens on their together on Austin Powers and hands,there, skating with borrowed around with hockey fig about doing a movie that took Austin Powers 2, were brought sticks. They were trying to hockeynico’s in back L.A., to and its we roots. talked on board. Mystery, Alaska was local hockey co-ordinator, and audition as hockey players, but mainly filmed in Canmore, Al- he said I looked a little bit like KAREN ELISE BALDWIN: berta, a town of 12,000 people ran us through some drills, IT WAS THE ORIGINAL WINTER CLASSIC. TWO TEAMS FACING OFF AND GETTING BACK TO THEIR ROOTS, PLAYING SHINNY OUTDOORS ON A FROZEN POND Both Howard and David, as that’s located about 50 miles taller. So, I was also hired to tookthey reallysome photoscouldn’t and skate. thought They UNDER A GREY, WINTRY SKY. ONLY IN THIS STORY, ONE TEAM IS THE NEW YORK RANGERS AND THE OTHER IS A GROUP OF AMATEURS FROM A SMALL TOWN. boys, played hockey on the west of Calgary. doubleRussell forCrowe, Russell. though I was I’m off a tobit I matched up pretty well with MYSTERY, ALASKA, THE CLASSIC UNDERDOG STORY OF PROS VERSUS JOES, TURNS 20 THIS FALL BY SAL BARRY lake when growing up, so they a pretty fast start. Cameron Bancroft. They called began reminiscing about that, BRAD TURNER (Assistant hockey me back, and I spent the next and how it would be cool to director and hockey double for Russell Crowe, PETER DEMING (Cinematographer): I three months in Canmore, XXXXX PREVIOUS DISNEY; PAGE: CURRENT COURTESY PHOTO BRAD PAGE: TURNER make a movie like that. who played John Biebe): I played for a had worked with Jay on the two working on this movie. | 64 | THE HOCKEY NEWS NOVEMBER 25, 2019 NOVEMBER 25, 2019 THE HOCKEY NEWS | 65 | STEPHENSON: was the boring part. Once we like we did in university. Well, shooting was done for the day. MORRISON: We (hockey JAY ROACH & JIM WHEATCROFT There were 120 or 130 people then it got a little more glamor- walk in the door and there so we had to get up at 5 a.m. trying out for ous.started We filming had our in own Canmore, trailers. sothere’s he slams Russell, his stickstanding on the there, ice wereHe rented these this big house,garbage and cans you’d Theredoubles) were weren’t no labor in the laws union, for these doubling We got to hang out with the and yellsno one’s at me, passing “Hey! to Fake him, Tin - full of ice and beer. us. Russell only had to work a positions, and I actors and do the plays and be certain number of hours, and got one of them. on the set all day. want to pass the puck too hard STEPHENSON: Oh yeah, we got then he would be done for the I was a stunt becauseker! Pass if me he themoves puck!” too Imuch, didn’t bent with Russell Crowe a few double, and I STEPHENSON: I would say that kept going until 2 or 3 in did all the skill that some of the hockey dou- WE GOT BENT WITH the puck over to him, and he you. We had a few pops, as you day. So, we’d be at his parties, and skating bles were picked more because trieshe’d fall.to get So, it...and I kind of courseshuffle he wouldnights. say.I’m Inot remember going to stayinglie to work for the they resembled the actors they falls down. the morning, and then we’d get movie as well. were doubling for than for RUSSELL CROWE three or four times. He had that afternoon.up at 5. Russell didn’t have to I was used for their actual hockey skill, if you TURNER: Russell worked real- band,at Russell’s 30 Odd house Foot probably of Grunts, get up and film until 1 in the any below-the- know what I mean. A FEW NIGHTS. ly, really hard, going from zero and he would sit there with his TURNER: The 1998 Winter head shots they to becoming a guy who was guitar and jam for us. Olympics were going on at needed, closeup MORRISON: Team Two was I’M NOT GOING TO stickhandling kind of a mix. There were a or some couple of us that played col- footwork they lege hockey. The rest were LIE TO YOU. WE wanted to show guys who played beer league. off. I spent a lot There was a difference in the HAD A FEW POPS levels of playing. So, when they skill stuff for had these complex passing - TRAVIS STEPHENSON extraof time shots. filming plays that they made us do, Big Dipper on the arm. He over and over, and the director spent his own money to make SETTING UP THE SHOT wouldsometimes get pissed we’d have off because to do it us feel like a team because we Director Roach needed extras were hanging around for three who could actually play hockey. are supposed to be performing months together. But first, they waited around. andwe’re playing. the hockey experts that HOWARD BALDWIN: Russell DEMING: Sometimes you have The actors had to learn how - brilliant actor, but he loves get- to skate, the hockey players had posed to be playing at a high tingCrowe people was fantastic.together, He’sworking a to learn specific plays…and the people in the film that are sup on getting everybody to like town of Mystery had to be built.

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