The Story Behind Caddyshack’s Iconic Last Line, And Why It Was ‘Par For The Course’ (Even Though It Made ‘Absolutely No Sense’)

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This year marks the 45th anniversary of the beloved golf comedy “Caddyshack,” and for most of my life, I’ve cherished reading about its various anecdotes that celebrate this cult classic. Over the years, I’ve watched the movie so frequently that I can practically quote it verbatim, even the less humorous parts. One line from the film that not only stands out as one of the best quotes in “Caddyshack,” but is something I often joke about in real life, comes at the end and is delivered by Rodney Dangerfield as Al Czervik:

“I’ve got a bad feeling about this…

Hey everybody! We’re all gonna get laid!

The famous quote isn’t as intended, according to the movie’s co-writer and director, the late Harold Ramis. Instead, there was an entirely alternative ending planned. Here’s the whole backstory.

Ramis Didn’t Think The Line Made Any Sense, But Kept It Anyway

In the end, given the film’s unconventional production process marked by drugs, chaos, and frequent partying on set – not to mention its heavy emphasis on improvisation, particularly among the lead actors – it shouldn’t be a shock that Ramis chose an unscripted, outrageous line from Dangerfield to conclude the movie.

In the film’s creation story, “Caddyshack: The Making of a Hollywood Cinderella,” as detailed in the book, I, Ramis, was not the brains behind the famous final line, and I hadn’t planned for it to appear in the movie at all. Surprisingly enough, it wasn’t my intention for it to be the last word uttered in the film.

It was a totally improvised line that I can’t even believe I left in the movie.

Though I disagree with Ramis’ assessment of the line, of which he said,

It makes absolutely no sense, which at that point was pretty much par for the course.

It’s entirely fitting for Dangerfield’s character to deliver such an arrogant line, and concluding the comedy any other way would seem forced. Instead, the ending matches the casual, unscripted feel of the film perfectly.

A ‘Casablanca-Like’ Ending Was The Original Idea

In Ramis’ initial concept, Ty Webb (Chevy Chase) and Lacey Underall (the late Cindy Morgan) were envisioned to have a Casablanca-like ending, strolling off together into the sunset. Additionally, there was a scripted scene where Danny (Michael O’Keefe) would have chosen to accompany a woman to Jamaica instead of pursuing higher education.

It’s hard to envision the movie concluding with either of these scenes, but enthusiasts of Chevy Chase might notice a resemblance between this proposed ending and how Fletch (1985) concluded several years later. In that film, Fletch (played by Chase) and Gail Stanwyk (portrayed by Dana Wheeler-Nicholson) are walking on the beach at sunset, discussing basketball rules. It’s worth pondering if this ending was inspired by the same source. Although it’s an excellent conclusion for Fletch, it doesn’t align with how Caddyshack ends, and that’s a positive aspect.

In my opinion, “Caddyshack” truly shines as a masterpiece. It’s compact yet bursting with laughter, and it showcases four outstanding comedic performances by legends in their field: Dangerfield, Chase, Bill Murray, and Ted Knight. Among these giants, Dangerfield, the undisputed ruler of one-liners, delivers the film’s absurdly memorable final line with his signature charm.

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2025-08-22 22:38