CABIN ESSENTIALS | HAPPY GILMORE

Posted by Oak and Oar on June 15, 2011

When the rains come forcing you indoors putting a damper on your weekend tee times, wakeboard sessions and frisknock tournament, playing Monopoly and Poker can only get you so far. If there is any video or DVD you should have on hand for miserable days it’s Happy Gilmore.

It’s hard to believe this video came out over 15 years ago (February 16, 1996). What’s even more astounding is its 59% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. I could ramble about the plot or hilarous one liners but instead here are a few tidbits on the film so that next time you’re storm stayed you can put a wager out and win a few bucks.

Happy Gilmore was directed by Dennis Dugan who also starred in Night Call Nurses in 1972. He also plays The President of the tour, Doug. Dennis’s son Kelly Dugan was drafted 75th overall by the Philadelphia Phillies in the ’09 MLB Draft.

The movie was written by Adam Sandler.

One of the most hilarious product placement efforts including Diet Pepsi, Pepsi, Pepsi Max, Subway sandwich shops, Budweiser (in bottles, cans, and Bud-dispensing helmets), Michelob, Visa cards, Bell Atlantic, AT&T, Sizzler, Wilson, Golf Digest, the ESPN sports network, and Top-Flite golf balls.

Happy Gilmore’s caddy, played by Allen Covert, name is never mentioned in the film but it’s Otto.

Happy Gilmore’s caddy for the Waterbury Open is played by Jared Van Snellenberg who was born and raised in Vancouver, BC. In 2002 who left acting to pursue a career in academic psychology.

Happy’s car is a 1973 Plymouth Duster.

During scenes involving Richard Kiel, he had to stand still or lean on items. In one scene it’s a fence, in another it’s another actor. This was due to a severe automobile accident he had in 1992 where he suffered head trauma, losing his ability to balance without aid.

Happy Gilmore was filmed entirely in British Columbia including Burnaby, Furry Creek, Surrey, Richmond and Vancouver.

Virginia was played by Julie Bowen who now plays Claire Dunphy on Modern Family as well as Lisa on Weeds.

The custom hockey stick putter given to Happy by his coach Chubbs was manufactured by Odyssey golf. 1,000 putters were manufactured as promo for the film. From time to time to show up on eBay usually bringing in between $750 – $1,000.

The evil nursing home guy, Hal, played by Ben Stiller is uncredited in the film.

If you look in the background during one of the tournaments, you will see a few of Happy’s fans holding cut out signs of his face. This is the same but blown up picture that is used in Billy Madison to mark what grade he was in.

Bob Barker got paid more for his cameo in the movie than Virginia did for the whole production.

Though credited on IMDB Vincent Lecavalier and Joe Sakic do not appear in the opening hockey try out scene.

J. Capen “Grizzly” Adams (died October 25, 1860) was a famous mountain man and trainer of grizzly bears

Rating: PG-13 for language and some comic sexuality
Run Time: 92 minutes