The puppeteer behind the Caddyshack gopher is dead.
Pat Brymer died at the age of 70 on April 12, according to a statement from family friend Stephen Dolainski given to The Hollywood Reporter.
Brymer was well known as a puppeteer, but perhaps his most recognized role was as the pesky gopher driving Bill Murray to madness in the 1980 comedy Caddyshack.
Movie wizard: Pat Brymer, the puppeteer who held Caddyshack’s pesky gopher, has died aged 70. Above, the character is seen with lead Bill Murray in a still from the 1980 film
The puppeteer – born James Patrick Brymer – died at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, Calif., after a battle with cardiomyopathy, a condition that can lead to heart failure.
While it was Star Wars special effects genius John Dykstra who led the team that designed the cunning animatronic rodent, Brymer gave the furry antagonist a real personality as the main puppeteer.
Brymer made his mark in the world of children’s television when he helped famed puppeteer and ventriloquist Shari Lewis update her beloved character Lambchop for the 1990s.
He worked with Lewis on the PBS shows Lamb Chop’s Play-Along and The Charlie Horse Music Pizza in addition to collaborating with her on Lamb Chop On Broadway, which was a five-day special engagement in 1994, according to Playbill.
Brymer conducted his behind-the-scenes work as the main puppeteer for South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s Team America: World Police in 2004.
RIP: He died at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, Calif., after a battle with cardiomyopathy, a condition that can lead to heart failure
Showing his chops: Brymer made his mark in the world of children’s television when he helped famed puppeteer and ventriloquist Shari Lewis (above 1986) update her beloved character Lambchop for the 1990s
In the bawdy comedy, he also pulled the strings for the character of Baxter, the house of paramilitary puppets. bartender/limousine driver.
He also lent his talents to Short Circuit in 1986, My Stepmother Is An Alien in 1988, So I Married An Ax Murderer in 1993, Extreme Movie in 2008 and Carving A Life in 2017.
Outside of film, Brymer worked on a 1995 episode of The Nanny as well as a McDonald’s ad campaign dubbed McDonaldland.
The production professional – originally from Highland Park, Illinois – first studied acting at Illinois State University before moving to St. Louis, where he took a job at Sid and Marty Krofft’s puppet theater at Six Flags Over Mid-America.
Pulling the strings: Brymer pushed his work to the top while serving as the primary puppeteer for South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s Team America: World Police in 2004
In 1983, he opened Pat Brymer Creations, a company that designs puppets and characters for commercials, TV shows and promotions.
Brymer was a prominent member of the puppeteering community, serving as a board member and treasurer of the Los Angeles Guild Of Puppertry.
Encouraging new generations to embrace the art, he also taught puppet-making workshops through the Guild.
Brymer is survived by her partner of 47 years, her husband James T. McDermott.
Beloved: Brymer is survived by her partner of 47 years, her husband James T. McDermott
