Slap Shot actor Paul D'Amato dies at 75 as loved ones pay tribute

21 February 2024 , 23:38

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Paul D'Amato has died at age 75

Slap Shot actor Paul D'Amato has died at the age of 75.

Former cast mate and hockey player Steve Carlson paid tribute to the late actor on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Tuesday. He posted a picture of Paul from the film with the caption: "RIP Paul D'Amato Sending heart felt condolences to Family and fellow friends, actors #ripdrhook." Paul portrayed Tim "Dr. Hook" McCracken in the1977 sports comedy film.

According to multiple outlets, the actor died in East Brookfield, Massachusetts on Monday from a brain disease called progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). PSP is a rare brain condition that affects body movements and is caused by damage to the nerve cells in parts of the brain that help with movement.

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Paul suffered a four-year battle with progressive supranuclear palsy (Universal)

Paul told the Hollywood Reporter that he had been suffering from the disease for four years. His fiancée Marina Re told The Hollywood Reporter that her late fiancé was "the most wonderful, sweetest guy" who fought "so hard" against the disease.

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Paul was born in Worcester, Massachusetts and ice skated since he was a child. He served in the U.S. Army and graduated from Emerson College in Boston in 1973, where he acted in plays and was a member of the hockey team before graduating, according to Patch and a 2014 interview in Worcester Magazine.

Paul was best known for his role in the 1977 comedy hockey fim, Slap Shot (Getty Images)

Paul got his role on Slap Shot after telling his agent that he used to play hockey in college. He said: "About a month later I got a call from my agent, 'You play hockey right? Do you still skate?' I said I did." His agent told him that he had an audition at Sky Rink as Paul Newman was doing the film. He continued to say: "At the audition I look out, they're already on the ice but they can’t skate and my heart almost leapt out of my chest because I realized at that point I had a shot, that I was better than these guys."

Slap Shot was Paul's third onscreen role after appearing on Magnum Force in 1973 and on an episode of Code R. in 1977. In Slap Shot, he plays again Newman's team. He told Worcester Magazine: "I was a little nervous. Working with Newman was like working with a friend. He was great, he was accessible. He was that easy."

Jailene Cuevas