Harold Ramis’ film is nearly a half-century old and as quotable as ever.

Caddyshack cast: See what’s become of the slobs, snobs, and Cinderella boys 45 years later

Harold Ramis' film is nearly a half-century old and as quotable as ever.

By Randall Colburn

Randall Colburn

Randall Colburn is a former editor at **. He left EW in 2023.

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Published on July 25, 2025 01:38PM EDT

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(L-R) Chevy Chase, Ted Knight, and Rodney Dangerfield in 'Caddyshack'. Credit:

Orion Pictures/ Courtesy: Everett Collection

- *Caddyshack* celebrates its 45th anniversary this month.

- Harold Ramis directed the golf comedy, which stars Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, and Rodney Dangerfield in some of their funniest performances.

- While some of its stars have since passed, others continue to thrive in Hollywood and beyond.

It may turn 45 this month, but *Caddyshack* still thrums with the youthful, subversive energy that made it a hole-in-one upon its 1980 release in theaters.

*Caddyshack* was the directorial debut of influential filmmaker (and occasional actor) Harold Ramis, who would go on to star in 1984's *Ghostbusters* and direct enduring comedies like *National Lampoon's Vacation* (1983) and *Groundhog Day* (1993).

The snobs-vs-slobs classic centers on the hoity-toity Bushwood country club, with young caddy Danny Noonan (Michael O'Keefe) attempting to climb the social ladder with the help of Bushwood founder Elihu Smails (Ted Knight) and "nouveau riche" members like bored businessman Ty Webb (Chevy Chase) and gonzo real estate titan Al Czervik (Rodney Dangerfield).

When honoring the life and career of Ramis, who died in 2014, ** praised the sports comedy for "[trashing] the world of respectability... as brilliantly as the Marx Brothers’ comedies or Woody Allen’s early, funny films."**

We'll take any opportunity to revisit this film, so, in honor of its 45th anniversary, let's cue up some Kenny Loggins and see where the *Caddyshack* cast is now.

Chevy Chase as Ty Webb

Chevy Chase as Ty Webb in 'Caddyshack'; Chase at SNL50: The Anniversary Special in February 2025.

Courtesy Everett Collection; TheStewartofNY/WireImage

Chevy Chase was on the rise when he starred as Bushwood co-founder Ty Webb, the dry, would-be mentor to O'Keefe's Danny.

Speaking with EW in 2004, Chase took a moment to praise the performance of his *Caddyshack* costar Bill Murray, which is notable considering the pair had previously gotten into a fistfight backstage at *SNL*.

”With Billy, I felt nervous, because they say what makes him a great comedian is the danger in his comedy. You’re never sure what he’ll do," Chase said. "[Now] when I think of *Caddyshack*, I think of Billy. Incredible performance. Ty is just me with a tux on, being arrogant the way I was.”

Rodney Dangerfield's last line in 'Caddyshack' was a nonsense ad lib that somehow stuck

Watch Bill Murray channel 'Caddyshack' in exclusive clip for new baseball series

After generating fame on *Saturday Night Live* (1975–1976), Chase starred in the box office hit *Foul Play* (1978), which soon gave way to *Caddyshack*. The actor and comedian, known for his singular brand of straight-faced slapstick, remained a theatrical draw throughout the 1980s and 1990s. He's likely best known for playing hapless patriarch Clark Griswold in four *National Lampoon's Vacation* films (five if you count 2015's *Vacation*).

In 2009, Chase found success on the small screen with a supporting turn as Pierce Hawthorne on NBC's *Community* (2009–2014). Though he appeared in more than 80 episodes of the sitcom, he famously clashed with his costars and the show's creative team. It's alleged in a 2018 *New Yorker* profile of *Community* star Donald Glover that Chase repeatedly made racist jokes on set and would try to "disrupt" Glover's scenes during filming.

“I am saddened to hear that Donald perceived me in that light,” Chase said in response.

Speaking to his departure following *Community*'s fourth season, Chase told Marc Maron in 2023 that "the show wasn't funny enough for me, ultimately," adding, "I felt a little bit constrained a bit. Everyone had their bits and stuff, I thought they were all good, but it just wasn't hard-hitting enough for me."

In 2024, Cory Michael Smith played Chase in *Saturday Night*, a comedy about the making of the sketch show's premiere episode. After watching it for the first time, Chase reportedly told director Jason Reitman, "Well, you should be embarrassed."**

Rodney Dangerfield as Al Czervik

Rodney Dangerfield as Al Czervik in 'Caddyshack'; Dangerfield at the '50 First Dates' premiere in 2004.

Orion Pictures/Courtesy: Everett Collection; SGranitz/WireImage

The great Rodney Dangerfield was a successful comedian throughout the 1960s and 1970s. But his profile skyrocketed thanks to his sublime turn as the loud-mouthed Al Czervik, a real estate developer who runs afoul of Knight's square Smails. "Hey baby, you must've been something before electricity," he memorably cracks to the judge's wife.

Cindy Morgan, who played bombshell Lacey Underall, recalled to *Sports Illustrated* in 2010 that, funny as Dangerfield was, the comic was nervous about his performance. "I remember having lunch with Rodney one day and he's tugging on his collar just like he does in his act, going, 'Am I O.K.? It's my first movie.' It's amazing how someone that funny could be insecure."**

Dangerfield went on to lead several comedies, including *Easy Money* (1983), *Back to School* (1986), and *Ladybugs* (1992), along with a deeply scary, dramatic turn in Oliver Stone's *Natural Born Killers* (1994). He won a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album for his 1980 release *No Respect*, and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2002.

He also proved instrumental to many younger comedians, as both an influence and an advocate. Dangerfield, for example, often worked with a young Jim Carrey. “He was always there for me, always supported me, even when I was experimenting and didn’t know what the hell I was doing,” Carrey said on a 2020 episode of the *Howard Stern Show*. “He sat in the wings with his balls hanging out of his, you know, frigging robe on the side of the stage just howling with laughter, and I’d get off and he’d say, ‘Man, they’re looking at you like you’re from another f---ing planet.’”

In 2004, Dangerfield died at age 82 from complications after heart valve replacement surgery.**

Michael O’Keefe as Danny Noonan

Michael O'Keefe as Danny Noonan in 'Caddyshack'; O'Keefe at the 'Your Friends & Neighbors' premiere in April 2025.

Courtesy Everett Collection; John Nacion/Variety via Getty

Michael O'Keefe plays Danny Noonan, the caddy who tries to worm his way into the country club's inner sanctum. According to O'Keefe, Danny was even more central to the story in early drafts of the script, but his role was diminished to shine a larger spotlight on the supporting ensemble.

Not that O'Keefe is complaining. In a 2024 interview with *Cracked*, he discussed how Chase, Dangerfield, Knight, and Murray deserved the extra attention. “None of those characters had the place in the [script] that they have in the final version,” he said. “But very quickly, within a week, it was so clear that Rodney was going to hit home runs every time he opened his mouth, and that Ted was absolutely insane in the right way in the role, and that Chevy was going to bring a lot to the table. And then once Bill came, he started doing his thing. That’s when they realized we’ve got to abandon this ‘Danny Noonan grows up and learns his lesson’ [plot].”

O'Keefe was already an Academy Award nominee for his work in 1979's *The Great Santini *when he appeared in *Caddyshack*. The actor went on to lead films like *Split Image* (1982) and *The Slugger's Wife* (1985).

Though he failed to become a box office draw, O'Keefe established himself as a reliable supporting player in movies (*Ghosts of Mississippi, Michael Clayton*) and TV (*Roseanne, Homeland*) over the last 40 years. Most recently, he appeared opposite Jon Hamm on Apple TV+'s *Your Friends and Neighbors *(2025).

The actor got serious about writing poetry in later years and received an MFA in writing from Bennington in his 50s. He's also deeply spiritual, having been ordained as a Zen priest in 1994, though he later renounced his vows. Now, as detailed in his chat with *Cracked*, O'Keefe studies in a sect "that combines Buddhism, Daoism and Confucianism."**

Ted Knight as Elihu Smails

Ted Knight as Elihu Smails in 'Caddyshack'; Knight circa 1980s.

Everett Collection; Ralph Dominguez/MediaPunch via Getty

We're big fans of Ted Knight's boisterous, bug-eyed performance as Elihu Smails, with EW's own Dalton Ross routinely summoning it in articles.

Knight, beloved for his turn as Ted Baxter on *The Mary Tyler Moore Show* (1970–1977), was nearing the end of his career when he appeared in *Caddyshack*, which turned out to be his final film role.

He chased *Caddyshack* with numerous appearances on *The Love Boat* (1980–1983), as well as a starring role on the ABC sitcom *Too Close For Comfort* (1980–1986), which was renamed *The Ted Knight Show* after a 1986 retooling.

Knight died that same year at age 62 due to "complications from the surgical removal of a cancerous growth from his urinary tract," per the *New York Times*. The year before his death, he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.**

Cindy Morgan as Lacey Underall

Cindy Morgan as Lacey Underall in 'Caddyshack'; Morgan at the 1st Annual PopCon LA in 2012.

Orion Pictures/Getty; Albert L. Ortega/Getty

Cindy Morgan beguiled caddies (and audiences) as *Caddyshack*'s Lacey Underall, the promiscuous niece of Judge Smails.

A former weather forecaster, Morgan found success as a model after moving to Los Angeles. *Caddyshack* was her film debut, and she followed it with a leading role in the sci-fi favorite *Tron* (1982).

"I was nervous when I went in to read for Lacey Underall, but I told myself, I just need to focus on one thing — whoever I'm reading with, I have to make him sweat," Morgan told *Sports Illustrated* in 2010. "I read with [co-writer and producer] Doug Kenney, and when I saw a little trickle of sweat come down the side of his face, I knew I got the job."

Throughout the 1980s, she appeared on several popular series, including *CHiPs* (1981), *The Fall Guy* (1986), and *Matlock* (1988–1989), and enjoyed a memorable arc as Gabrielle Short on the CBS soap *Falcon Crest* (1987–1988).

Morgan mostly stepped back from acting by the end of the 1990s. But she used her *Caddyshack* notoriety to help organize the Caddyshack Reunion Golf Tournament, raising money for families of National Guard members and reservists called to active duty.**

In January 2024, Morgan, who was living in Lake Worth Beach, Fla., died of natural causes at age 69.**

Bill Murray as Carl Spackler

Bill Murray as Carl Spackler in 'Caddyshack'; Murray at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2025.

Orion Pictures Corp/Courtesy Everett; Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty

Bill Murray was wrapping up his Emmy-winning stint on *Saturday Night Live* (1977–1980), and fresh off a leading role in the screwball camp comedy *Meatballs* (1979), when he stole scenes in *Caddyshack* as twisted groundskeeper Carl Spackler, who's tasked with disposing of a gopher that's tearing up the greens.

"There were no scripted lines for Bill in the whole movie," Ramis told *Sports Illustrated* in 2010. "Everything we shot with him, he would just riff. That's how he worked."

"My part just kept growing like a mushroom," Murray added. "I'd go back to New York and work on *SNL*, and they'd call me up and ask if I wanted to come back down and do some more. I was good back in those days. Improvising about golf was easy for me."

Murray has achieved a fascinating career in the decades since *Caddyshack*, leading a slew of hit comedies — *Ghostbusters* (1984), *What About Bob?* (1991), *Groundhog Day* (1993) — before gaining traction as a dramatic actor with an affecting turn in Wes Anderson's *Rushmore* (1998).

He went on to appear in nine more Anderson films — with leading roles in *The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou* (2004) and *Moonrise Kingdom* (2012) — and also starred in works from Jim Jarmusch (*Broken Flowers, The Dead Don't Die*) and Sofia Coppola (*On the Rocks*). For his vulnerable performance as an actor whose career is in decline in Coppola's *Lost in Translation,* Murray was nominated for an Academy Award.

In 2001, Murray and several of his brothers, including *Caddyshack* co-writer Brian Doyle-Murray, opened up Murray Bros. Caddyshack Bar & Grill in St. Augustine, Fla. They opened a second location in the Chicago suburbs in 2018.

Scott Colomby as Tony D’Annunzio

Scott Colomby as D'Annunzio in 'Caddyshack'; Colomby at The Hollywood Show in January 2013.

Orion Pictures/Courtesy: Everett Collection; Albert L. Ortega/WireImage

Scott Colomby costarred in *Caddyshack* as the slick, sleeveless Tony D'Annunzio, Danny's fellow caddy (and occasional nemesis).

Colomby was already a seasoned performer before *Caddyshack*, having appeared on episodes of *Baretta *(1976), *Charlie's Angels* (1977), and *One Day at a Time *(1977–1978)*. *

Following his memorable turn in *Caddyshack*, Colomby played Brian Schwartz in Bob Clark's hit sex comedy *Porky's* (1981), as well as its 1983 and 1985 sequels. He would later appear in films like *Timemaster* (1985) and *Desperate Measures* (1998), as well as episodes of *The A-Team* (1986), *Dragnet* (1991), and *Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman* (1994), among many others.

Colomby is also a musician and stage actor. In the mid-1990s, he co-founded Big Elvin & the Professor's Blues Theatre in the Studio City neighborhood of Los Angeles.**

Brian Doyle-Murray as Lou Loomis

Brian Doyle-Murray as Lou in 'Caddyshack'; Doyle-Murray at the 'Groundhog Day' Broadway premiere in August 2017.

Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection; Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic

Brian Doyle-Murray, the older brother of Bill, stars in *Caddyshack* as the droll Lou Loomis, manager of the caddies. He also co-wrote the film with Ramis and Kenney, while Doyle-Murray and his brothers served as the inspiration for Danny and his large family.

"Doug and Brian Doyle-Murray had started talking about a country club comedy because Brian and his younger brother Bill had been caddies," Ramis explained to *Sports Illustrated*.

Doyle-Murray acted alongside Bill in movies like *The Razor's Edge* (1984), *Scrooged* (1988), and *Groundhog Day* (1993). You may also recognize him (and his gruff voice) from some of the last century's most enduring comedies, like *National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation* (1989), *Wayne's World* (1992), and *Waiting for Guffman* (1996).

In recent years, Doyle-Murray had a recurring role on the AMC cult hit *Lodge 49* (2018–2019) and voiced the Flying Dutchman in multiple *SpongeBob* projects (2021–2023).

Sarah Holcomb as Maggie O’Hooligan

Sarah Holcomb as Maggie and Michael O'Keefe as Danny in 'Caddyshack'.

Warner/Orion/Kobal/Shutterstock

Sarah Holcomb costarred in *Caddyshack* as Maggie O'Hooligan, Danny's Irish girlfriend who's none too pleased by his dalliance with Lacey.

*Caddyshack* was the final film featuring Holcomb, who had previously played a memorable role in *National Lampoon's Animal House* (1978).

While the exact circumstances of Holcomb's departure from Hollywood are unclear, it's been said that she reportedly withdrew from public life due to the hard-partying culture of the industry at the time.

According to Michael A. Smith, the author of *Jaws 2: The Making of the Hollywood Sequel, *Holcomb declined to speak with him when he attempted to interview her about nearly starring in *Jaws 2*. He did, however, speak with her brother, who confirmed that, at the height of her acting career, Holcomb had "found herself going down a path she did not want to travel."

Writing on The Daily Jaws, he continued, "Despite her best efforts, she would invariably end up in situations she did not want to be a part of."**

Dan Resin as Dr. Beeper

Dan Resin as Dr. Beeper in 'Caddyshack'.

Orion Pictures/Courtesy: Everett Collection

The Indiana-born Dan Resin costarred in *Caddyshack* as Dr. Beeper, the snobby, in-demand doctor who serves as a flunky of sorts for Judge Smails.

Resin was a regular both on and off-Broadway, but he's remembered by many for being one of several actors to portray the elegant Ty-D-Bol Man in ads for the toilet bowl cleaner.

Prior to *Caddyshack*, Resin appeared in several films, including two from the brilliant Larry Cohen: *God Told Me To *(1976) and *The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover *(1977).* *He later worked with Brian De Palma on *Wise Guys* (1986) and Tony Randall on the mockumentary *That's Adequate* (1990).

Resin died in July 2010 at age 79 of complications from Parkinson's disease. Per his obituary, he spent most of his life in Secaucus, N.J., "where he was a communicant and Eucharistic Minister at Immaculate Conception Church."

Henry Wilcoxon as Bishop Fred Pickering

Henry Wilcoxon as Bishop Fred Pickering in 'Caddyshack'.

Henry Wilcoxon enjoyed a long, fruitful career in show business prior to joining *Caddyshack *as Bishop Fred Pickering. In one of the film's most surprising sequences, his character golfs the best game of his life during a terrifying storm, misses a putt, curses God, and gets struck by lightning. "Rat farts," indeed.

Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, Wilcoxon worked closely with famed director Cecil B. DeMille. He starred in and produced many of DeMille's films, including *The Greatest Show on Earth* (1952) and *The Ten Commandments* (1956). He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960.

He only appeared in one film after *Caddyshack*, the slasher *Sweet Sixteen* (1983). He also guested on a handful of TV series, including a 1983 episode of *Pvt. Benjamin*.

Wilcoxon died in March 1984 at age 78 after a struggle with cancer, per the *New York Times*.**

Where can I watch Caddyshack?

*Caddyshack* is available for rental or purchase via Amazon Prime Video or Apple.

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Source: “AOL Movies”