Michael O'Keefe stated in a recent interview that cocaine was included in the budget for the 1980 comedy "Caddyshack." The 71-year-old actor told Page Six that the drug was accounted for under a miscellaneous line item, reflecting the prevailing attitudes of the 1970s when such substances were treated with casual regularity. O'Keefe described the environment as one where people used cocaine frequently, comparing its perceived necessity to taking toothpaste twice a day to stay healthy.
The film, which starred Ted Knight, Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, and Rodney Dangerfield, was shot in 1979 and set at the fictional Bushwood Country Club. O'Keefe admitted to using cocaine before filming certain scenes. He described reviewing those performances recently, noting that they are not his favorite memories and that he is unhappy with them. He clarified that the period surrounding the production of "Caddyshack" marked the last time he used cocaine, citing a realization that the substance was harmful despite its initial appearance of being fun.
A significant factor in O'Keefe's decision to stop using drugs was the death of Doug Kenney, who co-wrote and produced "Caddyshack." Kenney died at age 33 in 1980 after falling from a cliff in Hawaii. O'Keefe characterized Kenney's death as a huge wake-up call. He recalled Kenney as an affable, intelligent, and funny person who struggled with depression and cocaine addiction. O'Keefe stated that Kenney's suicide was a direct result of drug addiction, a reality that solidified his own resolve to avoid such substances.
Before his role in "Caddyshack," O'Keefe achieved critical recognition for his performance in "The Great Santini," which earned him an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor. His subsequent filmography includes roles in "Ironweed" and "Frozen River," as well as a recent appearance in the Apple TV series "Your Friends & Neighbors," where he plays Ron Cooper, the father of Jon Hamm's character Andrew "Coop" Cooper. Despite these other works, O'Keefe acknowledged that his most recognizable role remains Danny Noonan in "Caddyshack."
In a separate 2020 interview with Yahoo, O'Keefe reflected on the challenge of not being pigeonholed by that single role. He expressed a desire for audiences to acknowledge his other contributions to film. However, he shared an anecdote about a wardrobe designer whose father watched "Caddyshack" with his family during the final weeks of his life after being diagnosed with leukemia. This interaction shifted O'Keefe's perspective on the film's cultural significance and his personal connection to it.