It’s not often you see a Hollywood star fondly remember a colleague’s ”cold, bumpy skin” in a tribute shared in the wake of their death.
Then again, Morris was no ordinary co-star.
The tribute in question has been shared by Adam Sandler following the death of an alligator that appeared in his 1996 comedy Happy Gilmore.
Morris, who appeared in numerous TV and movie roles over three decades, died at a US gator farm.
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In Happy Gilmore, the title character (Sandler) confronts Morris after hitting a golf ball that ends up in the gator’s mouth.
The comedian posted a photo of the scene on Instagram, sharing some hilarious memories of the reality of working with an alligator – with some classic Sandler absurdity mixed in.
“Goodbye, Morris. We are all gonna miss you,” Sandler began.
“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.
“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.
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“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.”
Based on his growth rate and tooth loss, Morris the alligator was at least 80 years old when he died, the Colorado Gator Farm said in a Facebook post Sunday. He was nearly 11 feet (3.3 meters) long and weighed 640 pounds (290 kilograms).
“He started acting strange about a week ago. He wasn’t lunging at us and wasn’t taking food,” Jay Young, the farm’s owner and operator, said in a video as he tearfully stroked Morris’ head in an animal enclosure.
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“I know it’s strange to people that we get so attached to an alligator, to all of our animals. … He had a happy time here, and he died of old age.”
Morris, who was found in the backyard of a Los Angeles home as an illegal pet, started his Hollywood career in 1975 and retired in 2006, when he was sent to the farm.
He appeared in several films, including Interview with the Vampire, Dr. Dolittle 2 and Blues Brothers 2000. He also appeared on Coach, Night Court and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno featuring the late Steve Irwin.
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