Life Immitating Art.

David J. Hanson (born April 12, 1954) played 10 seasons of professional hockey for the Detroit Red Wings and Minnesota North Stars of the National Hockey League, and the New England Whalers, Minnesota Fighting Saints and Birmingham Bulls of the World Hockey Association.

Hanson was born in Cumberland, Wisconsin, and grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he eventually starred in football, baseball and hockey at Humboldt Senior High School. He continued playing hockey for the St. Paul Vulcans and for Herb Brooks' University of Minnesota college team.

He was cast as "Jack Hanson", one of the Hanson Brothers in the 1977 film Slap Shot when Jack Carlson was unable to perform because his team was in the playoffs.

The real-life inspirations for the Hanson Brothers are Jeff Carlson (born July 20, 1953), Jack Carlson (born August 23, 1954), and Steve Carlson (born August 26, 1955). The brothers were born in Virginia, Minnesota, and first played together on the Marquette Iron Rangers hockey team in Marquette, Michigan.

Jack Carlson was unable to act in the film as the Edmonton Oilers called him up for the WHA playoffs. In his place, Dave Hanson (born April 12, 1954, in Cumberland, Wisconsin) fulfilled the role.

While the film's 'Hanson Brothers' were based on the real Carlson Brothers, the character of "Killer Carlson" is based on Dave Hanson-whose real hockey nickname was "Killer" Hanson. Thus, Dave Hanson filled in for Jack Carlson as one of the fictional Hanson Brothers - while another actor played a character modeled after Dave Hanson. Jack Carlson, the man Dave "played" in the movie, was also was very well known throughout his career as an enforcer, and did pick up the real hockey nickname "Killer" Carlson.