Did the groundhog/gopher/whatever ever have a name?
I know in the movie itself he doesn’t. I’m thinking more along the lines of the mechanical shark in Jaws being called Bruce by the crew.
Answering my own question, Wikipedia says the guy was in the credits as “Chuck Rodent”. No, I ain’t makin’ a cite.
Not quite right.
The character of Mr. Gopher was played by Chuck Rodent, as listed in the credits. In reality, the gopher (and his tunnels) were constructed by FX wiz John Dykstra.
Why do I know this? Because Caddyshack is one of my all-time favorite flicks. I’ve seen it too many times to count (well over 100, perhaps over 200), and can recite the entire movie from start to finish.
I also was there when they blew up parts of Rolling Hills Golf & Tennis Club in Davie, FL. I grew up in nearby Plantation, FL.
What I always wondered was, why did the gopher sound like Flipper?
What’s a gopher supposed to sound like?
I would assume not like a sea mammal…
Chuck Rodent did a lot of voice-over work before he appeared in front of the cameras in Caddyshack. His performances were never limited by race or species.
So, barking or meowing would be OK?
Isn’t it bad enough that he sounds like Kenny Loggins? 