Beloved Slap Shot actor Stephen Mendillo passes away

The hockey world and especially in the franchise movie Slap Shot world are struck by grieving as the death of actor Stephen Mendillo, who played Chiefs’ alternate captain, laundry critic, and reluctant fashion show participant Jim Ahern, has passed away at age 84.

While his obituary was shared online on Friday morning, posts from fans across the world were more moving, with one from The Making of Slap Shot on Facebook shared:

“It’s a sad day in Slap Shot world as we say goodbye and thank you to actor Stephen Mendillo, who played Chiefs’ alternate captain, laundry critic, and reluctant fashion show participant Jim Ahern. He passed away this week at the age of 84.

Steve grew up playing hockey in his hometown of New Haven, where his first coach was New York Rangers iron man Murray Murdoch, and where his father, a surgeon and a professor at Yale, was the team doctor with the New Haven Blades of the Eastern Hockey League.

He was a graduate of the Yale School of Drama, where he became close friends with classmate Henry Winkler, and he enjoyed a long career as a character actor on both stage and screen.

Surprisingly, though, he was never hired to do endorsements for Downy fabric softener. Missed opportunity.”

According to his obituary, Mendillo passed away on September 3rd.

When people talk about hockey movies, Slap Shot is always the first one that comes up. Released in 1977, the film is a raunchy, hilarious, and surprisingly sharp look at minor league hockey in a struggling mill town. Among its colourful cast of characters was Jim Ahern, the Chiefs’ alternate captain, laundry critic, and reluctant fashion show participant, played by Mendillo.

May he rest in peace. Our thoughts and prayers got out to his loved ones, family and fans.