Caddyshack star Michael O’Keefe is looking back at the wild drug culture that surrounded the 1980 comedy. The actor claims cocaine use became so common on the movie set that it was effectively built into production spending. O’Keefe also admitted that he used the drug while filming scenes and later regretted how it affected his work.
Michael O’Keefe recalls the drug culture surrounding “Caddyshack”
O’Keefe, who played Danny Noonan, opened up about the movie’s behind-the-scenes atmosphere in a recent interview. According to Page Six, the actor claimed cocaine was so prevalent during production that it was “budgeted.”
O’Keefe said the drug circulated freely while the cast and crew were filming in Florida in 1979. He also acknowledged using cocaine himself during production.
Looking back, however, O’Keefe said he dislikes some of his work in scenes filmed while he was high. He believes the drug hurt his concentration and performance. The stories are not entirely new.
For years, people involved with Caddyshack have described the shoot as a nonstop party. A behind-the-scenes documentary also examined the heavy drinking and drug use that surrounded production.
O’Keefe recently revisited the film’s chaotic history while discussing how the movie came together. He described the production as loose, improvisational and unlike more conventional movie sets.
The movie starred Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield and Ted Knight alongside O’Keefe. Murray’s role, in particular, became one of the film’s most recognizable performances.
O’Keefe said the darker side of that period eventually changed his relationship with drugs. He pointed to the death of co-writer and producer Doug Kenney in 1980 as a major turning point. O’Keefe has linked Kenney’s struggles to addiction and said the loss affected him deeply.
Despite the chaos behind the scenes, Caddyshack became a lasting comedy classic.
For O’Keefe, though, the memories now include a far less glamorous account of what happened away from the cameras.
