Caddyshack (1980)

Caddyshack is a 1980 American sports comedy film directed by Harold Ramis, written by Brian Doyle-Murray, Ramis and Douglas Kenney, and starring Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight, Michael O'Keefe and Bill Murray with supporting roles by Sarah Holcomb, Cindy Morgan, and Doyle-Murray. It tells the story of a caddie, vying for a caddie scholarship, who becomes involved in a feud on the links between one of the country club's founders and a nouveau riche guest. A subplot involves a greenskeeper who uses extreme methods against an elusive gopher.

Caddyshack was the directorial debut of Ramis and the film boosted the career of Dangerfield, who was then known primarily as a stand-up comedian. The film was produced by Orion Pictures and released by Warner Bros. on July 25, 1980. Grossing nearly $40 million at the domestic box office (the 17th-highest of the year), it was the first of a series of similar "slob vs. snob" comedies.

The film received mixed reviews from critics upon its release, but it has since garnered a cult following and was described by ESPN as "perhaps the funniest sports movie ever made." A sequel titled Caddyshack II (1988) followed, although only Chase reprised his role; it was panned by critics and a box-office bomb.