Watch: Montreal legend Jean Béliveau on To Tell The Truth

Watch a vintage clip of Jean Béliveau on the classic TV show To Tell The Truth, circa 1957.

Author:
Allan Muir
Publish date:
Dec 3, 2014

Apparently Gordie Howe wasn't the only hockey legend to make an appearance on a game show back in the day. Check out this vintage clip of Jean Béliveau on the classic To Tell The Truth, circa 1957.

Jean Béliveau, the ultimate Canadien and Canadian

A four-person panel, including game-show staple Kitty Carlisle and Ralph Bellamy, was tasked with determining which of the three men dressed in full Montreal gear was the real Béliveau. The panel asked some pretty hardcore questions ("Where is McGill University located in relation to the Mount Royal Hotel?") and a couple that were cringe-worthy ("Is this the costume you wear when you perform?") but Bellamy failed to pose the one query everyone wanted to hear: "Why do you think the price of pork bellies is going to keep going down, William?"

Oddly, Béliveau wore Donnie Marshall's No. 22 jersey for the show instead of his famous No. 4.

That sweater was worn by contestant No. 3, who turned out to be Jean-Guy Gignac, a former teammate of Béliveau with the Quebec Citadelles. He was property of the Rangers, but never advanced beyond the junior ranks.

(s/t to Vassilios Bantourakis for the tip via Twitter)

GALLERY: Classic photos of Jean Béliveau

Classic Photos of Jean Béliveau

Untitled Image — Hy Peskin for Sports Illustrated

Jean Béliveau was the first hockey player to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated. This Jan. 23, 1956 cover was hardly a jinx, as Beliveau went on to win the Hart Memorial Trophy (MVP) and Art Ross Trophy (Top Point Scorer) following the season.

Jean Béliveau, playing with the Quebec Aces of the Quebec Senior Hockey League (QSHL), looks to shoot the puck into the net in Dec. 1952.

Jean Béliveau lies in bed reading Tolstoy's Anna Karenina with a cigar in his mouth in Dec. 1952.

Yale Joel/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images

Jean Béliveau greets young fans at an outdoor skating rink in Dec. 1952.

Jean Béliveau reads a newspaper at the counter of a diner in Montreal in Dec. 1952.

Jean Béliveau aka "Le Gros Bill" mixes it up with Red Wings left wing Terrible Ted Lindsay during a game in Montreal on Feb. 17, 1955.

Jean Béliveau flies through the air while shooting the puck against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 20, 1955.

Jean Béliveau checks Rangers defenseman Lou Fontinato into the boards during a game in New York on Nov. 27, 1955.

Jean Béliveau shoots the puck past Red Wings goalie Glenn Hall as Gordie Howe (9) and Henri Richard sprawl on the ice in the second period of Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final on April 10, 1956. Montreal won the game 3-1, taking the Cup.

The Canadiens' captain and conquering hero waves to the crowd at the Stanley Cup victory parade in Montreal in mid-April 1956.

Jean Béliveau looks to shoot the puck past Rangers defenseman Bill Gadsby during a game in New York on Oct. 24, 1956.

Jean Béliveau in the Canadiens' locker room before a game against the Chicago Blackhawks in Montreal on Jan. 25, 1958.

Jean Béliveau and Maurice Richard (left) smile in the dressing room with the Stanley Cup after defeating the Boston Bruins 5-3 in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals at the Boston Garden on April 20, 1958.

Jean Béliveau holds the Conn Smythe Trophy in the locker room after the Canadiens defeated the Blackhawks in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final on May 1, 1965. He became the first player to receive the trophy, which is awarded to the postseason's Most Valuable Player.

Jean Béliveau flicks the puck between the legs of Maple Leafs goalie Johnny Bower as defenseman Tim Horton looks on during a game on Feb. 22, 1967 in Toronto.

The Hockey Hall of Famer in 1970.

Jean Béliveau scores on Bruins goalie Eddie Johnston as Beliveau's teammate Yvan Cournoyer (12) looks on during Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Quarterfinals in Boston on April 8, 1971.

Jean Béliveau holds the Stanley Cup after his final game, a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals on May 18, 1971.

Jean Béliveau sits between Ted Lindsay (left) and Guy Lafleur as the two shake hands at an award ceremony in the late 1970s.

Jean Béliveau (front center) poses with former Canadiens (left to right) Dickie Moore, Don Marshall, Jean-Guy Talbot, Henri Richard and Tom Johnson during the "Salute to the Stanley Cup Legends" in Ottawa on June 1, 2007.

Jean Béliveau poses with his NHL Lifetime Achievement Award after the 2009 NHL Awards in Las Vegas on June 18, 2009.