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Happy Gilmore is a sports comedy movie released in 1996, directed by Dennis Dugan and produced by Robert Simonds. Starring Adam Sandler, the movie also features Christopher McDonald, Julie Bowen, and Carl Weathers.
The story follows a name-sake poor ice hockey player who attempts to raise the money needed to stop the foreclosure of his grandmother's home. Happy finds a talent for golf and begins competing in paid tournaments, causing a stir in the golf world as he develops a following for his abilities and his obnoxious character.
Viewers can also be on the lookout for Happy Gilmore 2, an upcoming sports comedy directed by Kyle Newacheck and written by Tim Herlihy and Adam Sandler.
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A sequel to the 1996 hit, it reunites Adam Sandler, Julie Bowen, Christopher McDonald, Ben Stiller, and Dennis Dugan, while introducing Benny Safdie and Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio to the cast. It is slated to hit theaters on July 25, 2025.
Happy Gilmore is filled with behind-the-scenes details that often go unnoticed. From surprise cameos and unexpected stunt choices to subtle nods to golf history and pop culture, the movie has plenty of hidden touches that add to its charm.
Here is a list of seven details you probably didn’t know about Happy Gilmore.
Disclaimer: The following list is ranked in no particular order, and the opinions expressed belong solely to the author.
Ben Stiller’s secret cameo and 6 other details one probably didn’t know about Happy Gilmore
1) Ben Stiller’s secret cameo as ‘Hal L.’
Ben Stiller, one of the movie's most familiar faces, appears as an orderly resident in Happy's grandmother's assisted living center.
He delivers some memorable lines, responding to Happy's grandmother with remarks like, "Could I trouble you for a warm glass of shut the hell up?" His handlebar mustache and exaggerated persona, which he adopts whenever Sandler is near, enhance the character’s image.
Interestingly, Ben Stiller remains uncredited in the movie, and his character is never explicitly named, despite wearing a name tag reading “Hal L.”
Stiller is set to reprise the role in the upcoming sequel.
2) Ed McMahon almost fought Happy instead of Bob Barker
Although the Bob Barker fight scene is now iconic, he wasn't the original choice for the role. Ed McMahon was initially approached but declined after reading the script, citing the irreverent tone and the fact that his character would lose the fight.
The filmmakers then turned to Barker, adapting the scene to suit him. Years later, Barker and Adam Sandler restaged the memorable fight for Comedy Central’s Night of Too Many Stars benefit special.
Following the film’s release, Happy Gilmore notably boosted ratings for The Price Is Right, and Barker later remarked that he was asked about the brawl almost daily.
3) Bob Barker insisted on doing his own fight stunts
One of the movie’s most memorable sequences features Happy teaming up with The Price Is Right host Bob Barker for a celebrity golf tournament. After a disastrous round, during which Barker relentlessly mocks him, tensions escalate into a full-fledged brawl complete with punches and tackles.
In a comedic twist, Barker even appears to rise from the dead during the scuffle. Director Dennis Dugan initially planned to use a stunt double for Barker, but the television icon insisted on performing the fight himself.
Barker, a longtime neighbor of actor and martial arts expert Chuck Norris, had trained with Norris for years. Upon learning this, Adam Sandler revised the scene to ensure Barker emerged victorious in the fight.
4) The gold jacket was a clever Masters parody
The gold coat that Shooter, Happy, and the other players compete for in the final competition is intended to replicate the mythical green coat awarded to the winner of The Masters.
In the original script, Happy was meant to win The Masters at the movie’s conclusion. However, Mark Lye, a professional golfer and consultant on the production, advised against it, noting that it mocked Augusta National and the tournament too heavily.
As a result, Tim Herlihy and Adam Sandler created a fictional tournament, replacing the iconic green jacket with a gold one.
It is difficult to imagine golf fans embracing a scene where Shooter McGavin wreaks havoc while wearing one of the sport’s most revered symbols of achievement. Whether Augusta National will play any role in the upcoming sequel remains to be seen.
5) Golf legend Lee Trevino later regretted his cameo
Lee Trevino is one of the three Hall of Fame golfers with three major championships and 29 PGA Tour wins. He was competing on the Senior PGA Tour when he made his cameo appearance for Happy Gilmore.
Trevino has more than an occasional cameo. He appears to be showing up at about the worst possible times for Happy, as he comes in to provide a wide-eyed look whenever something terrible occurs.
His cameo serves as a subtle nod to the real PGA Tour. However, Trevino later expressed that he was uncomfortable with the amount of profanity in the movie and was unhappy with his involvement. Despite his reservations, his brief appearances remain a humorous element for many viewers.
6) Verne Lundquist brought real golf credibility
When Verne Lundquist signed on to play the golf announcer in the movie, he was an experienced and established sports broadcaster. He went on to have a legendary career covering golf, football, and basketball with his time at CBS Sports. Lundquist retired from broadcasting in 2024 after calling his final Masters Tournament for the network.
Lundquist, who appeared in the movie, continues to receive residual payments from the Screen Actors Guild for his role. Despite initial concerns that Augusta National might take issue with his participation, it was never raised as a problem. It remains unclear whether he will return for the sequel.
7) Chubbs’ wooden hand was a fun Predator Easter egg
Carl Weathers portrayed Chubbs Peterson, a former professional golfer who spots Happy at the driving range. Impressed by Happy's ability to hit the ball so far, Chubbs approaches him with a proposal to become his coach and mentor.
Even when Happy resists, Chubbs assures him that he will win and get paid financially with his assistance. That is where the team is put together. But most notable about Chubbs is that he has a wooden hand because he lost his actual hand when he got into a fight with an alligator at a tournament.
Adam Sandler and Tim Herlihy were keen to include Carl Weathers in the movie as a subtle reference to his role in Predator. In that movie, Weathers’ character is injured in a memorable scene where his arm is severed but continues firing a weapon.
Weathers enjoyed a distinguished career, with two of his most recognizable roles being Apollo Creed in the Rocky series and Chubbs Peterson in Happy Gilmore.
Interested viewers can watch Happy Gilmore on Netflix, Apple TV+, and Amazon Prime Video.
