Film, Motion Picture

1954 Hockey Playoffs

16mm black and white film "1954 Hockey Playoffs," produced by Tel Ra Productions for the Stroh Brewing Company. The film features highlights from both the 1953-1954 season semi-finals where the Red Wings faced the Toronto Maples Leafs in five games, and Stanley Cup playoffs between the Detroit Red Wings and the Montreal Canadiens, which extended to seven games. The highlights are recounted by Budd Lynch and Al Nagler over otherwise silent clips depicting some of the plays they cover. The film also contains segments promoting Stroh's Ice Cream at the beginning, middle, and end.

The reel appears to be missing part of its introduction and begins with a spokeswoman mid-sentence talking about Stroh's Ice Cream before introducing the film.

Following the Stroh's spot at the beginning, a brief credits sequence runs before coverage of game 1 against the Leafs at Detroit's Olympia Stadium on March 23, 1954. Terry Sawchuk, Gordie Howe, Ted Lindsay, Marcel Pronovost, Tony Leswick, Johnny Wilson, Bob Goldham, and Marty Pavelich are featured in the plays that follow from this game. The Wings beat the Leafs, 5-0.

Next is game 2 on March 25, 1954, again at Detroit. Here featured plays include those by Ted Lindsay, Gordie Howe, Red Kelly, Terry Sawchuk, Marcel Pronovost, Bill Dineen, Dutch Reibel, and Red Kelly. The Leafs are victorious 3-1.

Game 3 on March 27th, moves to Toronto. Plays by Tony Leswick, Marty Pavelich, Gordie Howe, Ted Lindsay, Alex Delvecchio, Benny Woit, Red Kelly, Bill Dineen, Johnny Wilson, Marcel Pronovost, Bob Goldham, Terry Sawchuk, Glen Skov, and Tony Leswick are all cited in the voiceover here. The game ends in the Red Wings favor, 3-1.

Game 4, against the Maple Leafs, again takes place in Toronto, on March 30th. Wings players Bill Dineen, Benny Woit, Terry Sawchuk, Gordie Howe, Alex Delvecchio, Glen Skov, Ted Lindsay, Metro Prystai, Johnny Wilson, Marcel Pronovost, Marty Pavelich, and Red Kelly are all cited in the narration at least once during this game's highlights. The Wings beat the Leafs 2-1.

The final game in the semi-final playoffs is back at Olympia Stadium on April 1st. Gordie Howe, Terry Sawchuk, Marcel Pronovost, Glen Skov, Ted Lindsay, Alex Delvecchio, Marty Pavelich, Bob Goldham, and Tony Leswick are all featured prominently in this game's highlights, which include several fights, two overtime periods, and a celebration on the ice after the Wing's victory, 4-3.

The woman from the film's opening then returns to further promote Stroh's ice cream, before the hockey highlights continue.

With the Wings victorious against the Leafs, the focus then turns to the first of seven games between the Wings and Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Finals on April 4th (incorrectly noted as April 1st in the film) at Olympia Stadium. Marcel Pronovost, Ted Lindsay, Tony Leswick, Alex Delvecchio, Bill Dineen, Dutch Reibel, Red Kelly, Glen Skov, Terry Sawchuk, and Benny Woit are named in the featured plays. The Wings defeat the Canadiens, 3-1.

Game 2 on April 6th at Olympia follows. Part of this portion is missing due to a repaired gap in the film. Terry Sawchuk, Ted Lindsay, Red Kelly, Dutch Reibel, Marty Pavelich, Alex Delvecchio, Gordie Howe, Benny Woit, Tony Leswick, and Glen Skov are all cited in highlights here, although the Canadiens emerge victorious, 3-1.

Game 3 takes place at the Montreal Forum on April 8th. The Wings win 5-2, with Terry Sawchuk, Alex Delvecchio, Gordie Howe, Ted Lindsay, Johnny Wilson, Glen Skov, Dutch Reibel, and Metro Prystai all being featured in the included highlights. The Wings win, 5-2.

The action at the Montreal Forum continues in game 4 on April 10th. Gordie Howe, Terry Sawchuk, Alex Delvecchio, Red Kelly, Benny Woit, Johnny Wilson, Bill Dineen, Bob Goldham, Marty Pavelich, and Metro Prystai are featured in this segment, and the Wings win 2-0.

The series returns to Detroit for game 5 on April 11th.
Ted Lindsay, Johnny Wilson, Gordie Howe, Jimmy Peters, Marty Pavelich, Tony Leswick, Red Kelly, Glen Skov, Metro Prystai, Alex Delvecchio, trainer Carl Mattson, and Bill Dineen are the Red Wings highlighted here. The game ends in overtime in Montreal's favor, 1-0.

Game 6 in Montreal on April 13th again ends in the Canadiens favor, 4-1, tying up the series. Marcel Pronovost, Gordie Howe, Alex Delvecchio, Bob Goldham, Glen Skov, Tony Leswick, Red Kelly, and Metro Prystai are featured here.

The final game took place at Olympia on April 16th. The noted Red Wings players in this segment are Marcel Pronovost, Ted Lindsay, Marcel Pronovost, Terry Sawchuk, Jimmy Peters, Bob Goldham, Metro Prystai, Red Kelly, Benny Woit, Johnny Wilson, Bill Dineen, Gordie Howe, Alex Delvecchio, and Glen Skov. Among the Canadiens recognized during the game is former Red Wings player Gaye Stewart. The celebration by the victorious Red Wings and cup ceremony on the ice is also shown.

The film ends by returning to the Stroh's ice cream spokeswoman, who gives one more pitch for the product.

The film is housed in a metal cannister with a adhestive Motion Picture Film Label marked:

Print No. 2
Title: 1954 Hockey Playoffs
Running Time 45 Minutes
Produced by: Al Nagler
For: Stroh's Ice Cream
Part: One Reel Only
Date: June 2, 1954
Please Return to: 909 E. Elizabeth, Detroit WO 15840

The cannister in inturn housed within a green mailing carton, with a label which reads:

Property of:
Ice Cream Office
Stroh's
909 E. Elizabeth
Detroit, Michigan
WO. 1-5840