Happy Gilmore
Updated: 12/10/2025, 5:09:32 PM Wikipedia source
Happy Gilmore is a 1996 American sports comedy film starring Adam Sandler in the title role. Directed by Dennis Dugan and produced by Robert Simonds, the supporting cast includes Christopher McDonald, Julie Bowen, and Carl Weathers. The film follows Happy Gilmore, a boorish, failed ice hockey player with a unique talent for golf, who seeks to raise enough money to prevent the foreclosure of his grandmother's house. The screenplay was written by Sandler and his writing partner Tim Herlihy, in their second feature collaboration after the previous year's Billy Madison. This film also marks the first collaboration between Sandler and Dugan. Happy Gilmore was released in theaters on February 16, 1996, by Universal Pictures, and received mixed reviews from critics. The film was a commercial success, earning $41.2 million on a $12 million budget, and it won an MTV Movie Award for Best Fight for Sandler and Bob Barker. It has developed a cult following, especially in the golf community. A sequel, Happy Gilmore 2, was released on Netflix in 2025.
Infobox
Tables
| Year | Award | Category | Result |
| 1996 | MTV Movie Award | Best Comedic Performance - Adam Sandler | Nominated |
| 1996 | MTV Movie Award | Best Fight - Adam Sandler and Bob Barker | Won |
| 1996 | Stinkers Bad Movie Awards | Worst Actor - Adam Sandler | Nominated |
| 1997 | Golden Raspberry Awards | Worst Actor - Adam Sandler (also for Bulletproof) | Nominated |
| 1997 | Kids' Choice Awards | Best Movie | Nominated |
References
- Weathers reprises the role in Sandler's 2000 film Little Nicky, despite Little Nicky being produced by New Line Cinema.
- The character is unnamed in the film (although his name is revealed in a deleted scene and is listed in the end credits)
- Box Office Mojohttp://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=happygilmore.htm
- The Numbershttps://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Happy-Gilmore-(1996)#tab=summary
- "20 Things You Didn't Know About Happy Gilmore"https://www.vh1.com/news/pacove/things-you-didnt-know-about-happy-gilmore
- Burnie Burns Interviews Adam Sandler for Happy Gilmorehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ncvMh6bwbk
- Esquirehttps://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/a36632/tim-herlihy-adam-sandler-movies-stories/
- The Atlantichttps://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2019/05/saturday-night-live-adam-sandler-long-delayed-return/588748/
- InsideHookhttps://www.insidehook.com/article/arts-entertainment/50-best-judd-apatow-characters
- 'Happy Gilmore' was inspired by Adam Sandler's childhood friendhttps://mashable.com/2016/10/06/things-you-didnt-know-happy-gilmore/
- Screen Ranthttps://screenrant.com/best-facts-trivia-happy-gilmore/
- San Francisco Chroniclehttps://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Golf-comedy-is-mostly-hazardous-3158326.php
- The Ringerhttps://www.theringer.com/tv/2019/9/11/20857609/adam-sandler-chris-farley-90s-comedies-billy-madison-tommy-boy-snl
- HuffPost Australiahttps://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2016/02/16/happy-gilmore-turns-20_n_9249418.html
- "Happy 20th, Happy Gilmore!"https://www.pgatour.com/news/2016/02/16/happy-gilmore-20th-anniversary-main.html
- The Independenthttps://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/i-didnt-get-into-movies-to-please-the-critics-adam-sandler-interview-8742294.html
- Bustlehttps://www.bustle.com/articles/25455-adam-sandler-accepts-movies-based-on-their-amazing-locations-these-9-roles-prove-it
- Fort-Worth Star Telegramhttps://www.star-telegram.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/the-big-mac-blog/article115103618.html
- TV Guidehttps://www.tvguide.com/movies/happy-gilmore/cast/131307/
- And So It Begins..http://www.andsoitbeginsfilms.com/2013/05/full-interview-with-christopher-mcdonald.html
- "Explore All Sides Of The Putting Green With These 'Happy Gilmore' Film Locations - Travel Noire"https://travelnoire.com/happy-gilmore-filming-locations
- Happy Gilmorehttps://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/happy_gilmore/
- Metacritichttps://www.metacritic.com/movie/happy-gilmore
- CinemaScorehttps://web.archive.org/web/20181220122629/https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/1996/film/reviews/happy-gilmore-1200444951/
- Chicago Sun Timeshttps://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/happy-gilmore-1996
- Entertainment Weeklyhttps://ew.com/article/2016/02/16/happy-gilmore-ew-review/
- Empirehttps://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/happy-gilmore-review/
- Consequence of Soundhttps://consequence.net/2021/02/happy-gilmore-shooter-mcgavin/
- Golf Digesthttp://www.golfdigest.com/story/shooter-mcgavin-is-still-winning-tournaments-is-now-officially-the-best-villain-ever
- Golf.comhttp://www.golf.com/tour-and-news/tiger-woods-takes-selfie-shooter-mcgavin-christopher-mcdonald
- "Happy Gilmore - European Tour"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2sSyFl82HI
- Padraig Harrington demonstrates his Happy Gilmore shot at The Open Zonehttps://www.skysports.com/golf/the-open/news/14866/10500863/padraig-harrington-demonstrates-his-happy-gilmore-shot-at-the-open-zone
- Sport Science Happy Gilmorehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wguFY0DDoAU
- GolfChannel.comhttp://www.golfchannel.com/article/golf-channel-digital/sponsored-meet-real-life-version-happy-gilmore/
- CBS19.tvhttps://web.archive.org/web/20130609053712/http://www.cbs19.tv/story/22302818/lee-trevino-talks-education-at-ut-tyler-2013-patriot-golf-classic
- Yahoo Sportshttps://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/golf-devil-ball-golf/lee-trevino-wishes-never-done-happy-gilmore-cameo-161847862.html
- "Scottie Scheffler to Travis Kelce: Every athletes' cameo in 'Happy Gilmore 2'"https://www.espn.com.au/golf/story/_/id/45818931/happy-gilmore-2-athlete-cameos-golf-football-basketball-wrestling
- "Shooter McGavin From Happy Gilmore Stars In New PGA Tour 2K21 Video And He Throws A Fit"https://web.archive.org/web/20210311025401/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/shooter-mcgavin-from-happy-gilmore-stars-in-new-pg/1100-6481114/
- "How To Play As Christopher McDonald In PGA Tour 2K25"https://www.thegamer.com/pga-tour-2k25-play-as-shooter-mcgavin-christopher-mcdonald-how-to/
- Entertainment Weeklyhttps://ew.com/tv/bob-barker-bold-and-the-beautiful-cameo-happy-gilmore/
- USA Todayhttps://eu.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2015/03/05/adam-sandler-bob-barker-happy-gilmore-fight-night-of-too-many-stars/77593794/
- "Movie Release Schedule"https://www.the-numbers.com/movies/release-schedule
- "'Happy Gilmore' is being re-released in theaters ahead of the Netflix sequel"https://www.yardbarker.com/entertainment/articles/happy_gilmore_is_being_re_released_in_theaters_ahead_of_the_netflix_sequel/s1_13132_42056818
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/14/arts/morris-alligator-dead-happy-gilmore.html
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/2022/film/awards/adam-sandler-hustle-snl-waterboy-sequel-podcast-1235387290/
- "Happy Gilmore 2: Cast, Release Date, Photos, Plot of Adam Sandler Sequel"https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/happy-gilmore-2-release-date-photos-news
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/2024/film/news/adam-sandler-happy-gilmore-2-cast-travis-kelce-benny-safdie-1236113739/
- Deadline Hollywoodhttps://deadline.com/2025/02/happy-gilmore-2-star-conor-sherry-signs-anonymous-content-1236288065/