See ya later, alligator. There will never be another reptile like you in Hollywood.
Sad news. Morris, the famous 640-pound and 11-foot gator, who captured audiences’ hearts playing the hand-chomping menace in Happy Gilmore, passed away at the ripe old age of 80. And many are mourning his loss, including his former co-star, Adam Sandler.
“Goodbye, Morris. We are all gonna miss you,” the actor wrote in a tribute post on X. “You could be hard on directors, make-up artists, costumers - really anyone with arms or legs - but I know you did it for the ultimate good of the film.”
Sandler went on to describe how Morris always put his best foot forward while on set, reminding everyone what being a professional in the industry looks like.
“The day you wouldn’t come out of your trailer unless we sent in 40 heads of lettuce taught me a powerful lesson: never compromise your art. I will never forget at craft service that time when we split the Three Musketeers bar and you let me have the bigger half. But that’s who you were.”
The actor ended his loving tribute by telling Morris everything he will miss about him, now that he’s departed from this mortal coil.
“I will miss the sound of your tail sliding through the tall grass, your cold, bumpy skin, but, most of all, I will miss your infectious laugh. Thanks to Mr. Young for taking care of you all these years, and vaya con dios, old friend.”
The Colorado Gator Farm, which looked after the gator following his retirement from the limelight in 2006, broke the unfortunate news in a video posted to their Facebook page. According to his caretaker, Jay Young, the gator died from old age.
“He started acting strange about a week ago. He wasn’t lunging at us, and he wasn’t taking food,” Young said in the video, while tearfully stroking Morris’ head. “I know it’s strange to people that we get so attached.”
After Sandler uploading his tribute to Morris on social media, other users began to follow suit, sharing posts expressing their devastation over his loss.
“This is heartbreaking,” a Morris fan posted on X.
Others agreed, writing: “NOOO😭 we lost another legend...."
Rest in peace, Morris—you were a one of a kind gator. We hope you’re swimming through a swamp in heaven.
