Caddyshack (1980)

Director:

Harold Ramis

Writers:

Brian Doyle-Murray (written by) &
Harold Ramis (written by) ...
(more)

Release Date:

25 July 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Sport

Tagline:

At last, a comedy that bites!

Plot:

An exclusive golf course has to deal with a brash new member and a destructive dancing gopher.

Plot Keywords:

Golf | Golf Course | Judge | Gopher | Caddy

Cast

Chevy Chase	...	Ty Webb
Rodney Dangerfield	...	Al Czervik
Ted Knight	...	Judge Elihu Smails
Michael O'Keefe	...	Danny Noonan
Bill Murray	...	Carl Spackler
Sarah Holcomb	...	Maggie O'Hooligan
Scott Colomby	...	Tony D'Annunzio
Cindy Morgan	...	Lacey Underall
Dan Resin	...	Dr. Beeper
Henry Wilcoxon	...	The Bishop
Elaine Aiken	...	Mrs. Noonan
Albert Salmi	...	Mr. Noonan
Ann Ryerson	...	Grace
Brian Doyle-Murray	...	Lou Loomis
Hamilton Mitchell	...	Motormouth
Peter Berkrot	...	Angie D'Annunzio
John F. Barmon Jr.	...	Spaulding Smails
Lois Kibbee	...	Mrs. Smails
Brian McConnachie	...	Drew Scott
Scott Powell	...	Gatsby
Ann Crilley	...	Suki
Cordis Heard	...	Wally
Scott Sudden	...	Richard Richards
Jackie Davis	...	Smoke Porterhouse
Thomas A. Carlin	...	Sandy McFiddish (as Thomas Carlin)
Minerva Scelza	...	Joey D'Annunzio
Kenneth Burritt	...	Mr. Havercamp
Rebecca Burritt	...	Mrs. Havercamp
Bobbie Kosstrin	...	Noble Noyes
Scott Jackson	...	Chuck Schick
Ron Frank	...	Pat Noonan
Patricia Wilcox	...	Nancy Noonan
Debi Frank	...	Kathleen Noonan
Tony Gulliver	...	Ray (Old Caddy)
Kim Bordeaux	...	Pre-deb
Lori Lowe	...	Pre-deb
Marcus Breece	...	Lifeguard
Mark Chiriboga	...	Terry the Hippie
Fred Buch	...	Angry Husband
Frank Schuller	...	Charlie the Cook
Mel Pape	...	Butler
Marge McKenna	...	Lady on Boat
Bruce McLaughlin	...	Old Crony
Dennis McCormack	...	Dennis Noonan
Violet Ramis	...	Noonan Child
Judy Arman	...	Beeper's Girlfriend
Dr. Dow	...	Mr. Wang
Paige Coffman	...	Little Girl at Pool
Donna M. Wiggin	...	Woman at Pool
James Hotchkiss	...	Old Crony
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Debbie Howard	...	Bathing Suit Girl (uncredited)
Douglas Kenney	...	Al Czervik's dinner guest (uncredited)
John Murray	...	Caddy (uncredited)
Ted Swanson	...	Golf Pro (uncredited)
Anna Upstrom	...	Blonde Bombshell (uncredited)

Directed by
Harold Ramis

Writing credits
Brian Doyle-Murray		(written by) &
Harold Ramis		(written by) &
Douglas Kenney		(written by)

Produced by
Douglas Kenney	....	producer
Donald MacDonald	....	associate producer (as Don MacDonald)
Jon Peters	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Johnny Mandel

Cinematography by
Stevan Larner		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
William C. Carruth		(as William Carruth)

Casting by
Wallis Nicita		(as Wally Nicita)

Production Design by
Stan Jolley

Art Direction by
George Szeptycki

Set Decoration by
Tom Coll
Don K. Ivey		(as Don Ivey)

Makeup Department
Diane Johnson	....	hair stylist
Elizabeth Lambert	....	makeup artist (as Beth Lambert)

Production Management
Mark Canton	....	executive in charge of production
Rusty Lemorande	....	executive in charge of production
Ted Swanson	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ricou Browning	....	second unit director
Charles Persons	....	second assistant director
David Whorf	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Larry Goodwin Sr.	....	assistant property master (as Larry Goodwin)
Jack Johnson	....	property master
John Balling	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Holly Bird	....	storyboard & sketch artist (uncredited)
Joe Garlington	....	propmaker (uncredited)
Martin A. Kline	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Michael Evje	....	production sound
D.G. Fisher	....	production sound (as D.G. Fischer)
Bob Minkler	....	sound re-recordist (as Robert Minkler)
Clive Smith	....	sound editor
Richard Tyler	....	sound re-recordist
Ray West	....	sound re-recordist

Visual Effects by
Pat Brymer	....	special animator
Jeffrey Burke	....	special animator
John Dykstra	....	special effects supervisor
Rocco Gioffre	....	matte paintings
Grant McCune	....	special animator
Robert Shepherd	....	effects production supervisor
Michael Douglas Middleton	....	visual effects still photographer (uncredited)
Denise Shurtleff	....	crew member: Apogee (uncredited)

Stunts
Tom Bahr	....	utility stunts
Ricou Browning Jr.	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
Oscar Barber	....	camera operator
Donald Carlson	....	assistant camera
William Carr	....	grip
Stanley E. Gilbert	....	additional photographer (as Stanley Gilbert)
Ed Knott Jr.	....	grip (as Edward Knott Jr.)
Calvin Maehl	....	gaffer
John McGowan	....	assistant camera
Michael McGowan	....	camera operator
James Pergola	....	additional photographer
William Smaling	....	electrician (as Bill Smalling)
William Swan Jr.	....	electrician
Stephen Wever	....	still photographer (as Steve Wever)
Dean Williams	....	still photographer
John Winner	....	assistant camera (as John Louis Winner)
William D. Barber	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Pierre Roseman	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Marian Polan	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Vivian Cocheo	....	costumer: women
Andre Lavery	....	costumer: men
Eric Seelig	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
David Bretherton	....	supervising editor
Mellissa Bretherton	....	apprentice editor
Rachel Igel	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Bruce Botnick	....	music production supervisor
Michael Dilbeck	....	music coordinator
Kenny Loggins	....	music coordinator
Roy Prendergast	....	music editor (as Roy M. Prendergast)
Jack K. Tillar	....	music editor (as Jack Tillar)

Transportation Department
Hank Scelza	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Trevor Albert	....	assistant: Harold Ramis
Sam Bernstein	....	production auditor
Mary Lou Byrd	....	production secretary
Matthew Cokee	....	production assistant
Jonathan Fairbanks	....	production assistant
Vic Heutschy	....	unit publicist
Susan Montgomery	....	assistant auditor
Diane Morrison	....	production secretary
John Murray	....	production assistant
Dan Perri	....	title designer
Susana Preston	....	script supervisor
Hillary Anne Ripps	....	assistant: Jon Peters (as Hillary Ripps)
Mimi Stacey	....	production secretary
Peter Tors	....	production assistant
Dee Dee Winner	....	production secretary
Tom Bahr	....	marine coordinator (uncredited)
Shirley Bird	....	on-set nurse (uncredited)

Thanks
Janet Davidson	....	special acknowledgment
Mel Howard	....	special acknowledgment
Ed Murray	....	special acknowledgment
David Price	....	special acknowledgment
Herman Ripps	....	special acknowledgment
Dick Wetzel	....	special acknowledgment

Production Companies

• Orion Pictures Corporation

Distributors

• Orion Pictures Corporation (1980) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Pictures (1980) (USA) (theatrical) (through)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1982) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. / Columbia Pictures (1981) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (theatrical) (HD-DVD)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1990) (Finland) (TV) (MTV1)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (1999) (Finland) (DVD)
• Scanvideo (????) (Finland) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video
• Warner Home Video (Italy) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1990) (USA) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (1997) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD) (Special Edition)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Apogee Productions

Other Companies

• Glen Glenn Sound  sound re-recording
• Neiman-Tillar Associates  creative sound

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Glen Glenn Sound)

Certification:

Iceland:L | Canada:14A | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16 | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Boca Raton Resort & Club - 501 East Camino Real, Boca Raton, Florida, USA

Company:

Orion Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The movie's line "So I got that going for me, which is nice." was voted as the #49 of "The 100 Greatest Movie Lines" by Premiere in 2007.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Tony D'Annunzio and Danny Noonan are arguing about the price of a coke, Tony's hair is obviously being blown by an unseen fan to his left - in the camera angle shot from behind Tony. In the shot from Danny's perspective - Tony's hair does not move.

Quotes:

Dr. Beeper: I thought you'd be the man to beat this year.
Ty Webb: I guess you'll just have to keep beating yourself.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Time of the Apes (#4.6)" (1991)

Soundtrack:

Summertime Blues

One Of The Funniest Comedies Of All Time!

Crudeness doesn't come much more, well, crude, than 1980's sublime "Caddyshack". In fact, this crazy quilt takes the slob groundwork laid by "National Lampoon's Animal House" and one-ups that collegiate comedy classic by having a carelessly mean, anarchic spirit a mile wide and a foot deep.

It's little surprise that writer/director Harold Ramis and co-writer Douglas Kenney were also scribes on that 1978 John Belushi hit. As "Caddyshack" shows, there's gold in them 'thar poop jokes.

But this is not just a crass comedy, it's a HAPPILY crass comedy, that does just about whatever it wants as it casually wanders through it's 90-odd minutes. The DNA of "Caddyshack" resides somewhere in the cinematic in-between world of the aforementioned "Animal House" and a Three Stooges or W.C. Fields picture. There's a giddiness to its nose-thumbing, and a general pleasure in its coarse eagerness to offend.

The screenplay forms a functional spine for what actually amounts to a comedy collision course of witty asides, broad physical comedy, dirty jokes, varied comedic styles and big explosions.

But is there really a screenplay here? The film has such a loose and free-wheeling timbre to it that it would be hard not to fault the viewer in thinking that the film was largely improvised, or at least rewritten by committee on set, scene by scene.

This film was widely *rumoured* to be "under the influence" during shooting, but whatever the cast and crew were "using" seemed to work very much in favor of movie, as the flick turned out to be editorially messy and open-structured, yet well-paced and coherent enough to embrace the variety of comedic opinions squeezed into the picture. This is what you get - a smörgåsbord of laughs. You get a Chevy Chase doing his ironic bit, you have one Bill Murray essaying a bizarre-o mental case, good old Ted Knight going into slow-burn histrionics every scene, and Rodney Dangerfield stealing every scene with large chunks of his stand-up act. This shouldn't work, this mix - but it does. Very well.

Again, the looseness of the pace and tone of the film forgive some of the storytelling framework featuring young go-getter Michael O'Keefe's attempt to get a college scholarship during one crazy summer caddying for Bushwood Country Club's weirdest members. Instead, Ramis, Kenney and (Bill's brother) Brian Doyle Murray set each of these comedians up with sketch-like scenarios for some of their finest and funniest work.

The movie is mean in all the right places - It's the snobs against the slobs, as the advertising says. "Caddyshack" takes barbed pot-shots at the class system, at sex, at religion, at bodily functions. No joke is too risqué, no candy bar too gross to eat from the bottom of a empty pool. It has lots of swearing, nudity for nudity's sake, and insults for the pompous and pathetic. Even through its R-rated mean-spiritedness, it's hard to truly be turned off of the film's antagonistic spirit - it earns it's laughs because it's breathlessly paced and damned funny. This is the thematic mold that the Farrellys and Adam Sandler rarely get right.

"Caddyshack" is endlessly quotable, and surely if you sat around with a few friends anytime in the last 25 years, you could probably spend a good hour reciting lines and scenes that still hold all their glorious funny these many years later.

The movie's best scene? My award goes to the "Night Putting" sequence where Chevy Chase's Ty Webb and Bill Murray Carl the Greenskeeper finally meet up when Chase fires a Titleist through the window of Murray's lean-to shed-slash-residence. This never fails to get big laughs, and it's a real meeting of the minds. A great sequence for the Comedy Hall of Fame, I'd say.

Kenny Loggins' catchy songs ("I'm Alright" anyone?) and the jazzy Johnny Mandel (!) orchestral score add a unexpectedly lovely sheen that spit-shines the crudity of subject and filmmaker's style. They're nice touches.

You can put "Caddyshack" next to "Casablanca" or "Citizen Kane" - not just in the "C" section of your local video store, but as in "Classic". Comedies don't come much funnier than this.

BTW - skip "Caddyshack II". Everything that this one is, that one isn't.