Movie Star Alligator Morris, Featured in Happy Gilmore, Dies At Age 80: ‘We Are Very Saddened’

Morris, the alligator observed in different motion pictures, together with Happy Gilmore and Dr. Dolittle 2, died on Sunday, May 11. He was once over 80 years outdated.

Morris resided on the Colorado Gator Farm in Mosca, Colo. The farm introduced by way of Facebook that its oldest alligator died on Sunday, explaining that Morris lived on the park for 19 years.

“Morris was known for his work in many movies and TV shows from 1975 to 2006, when he retired to live out his days at Colorado Gators,” the Facebook announcement learn.

The farm couldn’t give you the famous person reptile’s precise age, however estimated, in line with his dimension and tooth, that he was once between 80 and 100 years outdated. 

“His exact age was unknown, but he was 9 feet long in 1975 and by his growth rate and tooth loss, we can estimate his age at over 80 years,” the Facebook announcement persisted. “While we knew this was inevitable, we are very saddened by his passing to old age. RIP Morris.”

Farm proprietor and operator Jay Young spoke of Morris’ existence and legacy as he held the deceased’s animal head in a video accompanying the announcement.

“He started acting strange a week ago. He wasn’t looking at us and wasn’t taking food,” Young mentioned. “I realize it’s abnormal to folks that we get so hooked up to an alligator. To all our animals, we like our cats and canine, too.”

“It’s the worst part of what we do, losing animals,” Young persisted. “But this isn’t as tragic as some of the things we’ve experienced in the past. He had a happy time here, and he died of old age, and it’s not as tragic as some of the family members we’ve lost here. But that’s part of life. Everything that lives must die.”

Morris was once found out as an unlawful puppy in a Los Angeles yard when he was once round 10 to 20 years outdated, in keeping with CBS News Colorado. He was once then taken to the one particular person in L.A. with the best allows to accommodate an alligator, and that particular person took place to paintings within the movie trade.

Morris had a notable occupation and starred in motion pictures and TV displays from 1975 to 2006, showing in Happy Gilmore, Dr. Dolittle 2, Interview with the Vampire, Eraser, Blues Brothers 2000, and episodes of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Night Court and Coach. After retiring from Hollywood in 2006, Morris moved to Colorado.

Never pass over a tale — join PEOPLE’s unfastened day by day e-newsletter to stick up-to-date on the most efficient of what PEOPLE has to provide​​, from famous person information to driving human passion tales.

“Morris [will be] taxidermied so that he can continue to scare children for years to come,” Colorado Gator Farm said in an update on Monday, May 12. “It’s what he would have wanted.”