A BELOVED alligator that has appeared alongside Steve Irwin and starred in various TV shows and films has died.
Morris the alligator’s Hollywood career lasted from 1975 to 2006 – and heartfelt tributes have now poured in from film industry giants including Adam Sandler.
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The renowned reptile famously starred alongside Sandler in the 1996 comedy Happy Gilmore.
Morris also appeared alongside Steve Irwin and Eddie Murphy in the 2001 Hollywood movie Dr Dolittle 2.
He retired in 2006 after being sent to the Colorado Gator Farm in the tiny town of Mosca, in southern Colorado.
His experienced career also saw him land roles in Interview with the Vampire and Blues Brothers 2000.
The croc also was seen on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, again with Irwin.
His most famous role was in the aforementioned 1996 comedy Happy Gilmore – a film about a failed and short-tempered hockey player who discovers a talent for golf.
Sandler’s character interacts with Morris in the film, when the Hollywood icon confronts the gator after hitting a golf ball which lands in his mouth.
Morris was about 80 years old when he died, according to his growth rate and tooth loss.
The Colorado Gator Farm confirmed his tragic passing on Facebook on Sunday.
At the time of his death he was nearly 11ft long and weighed 920kg.
The farm’s owner and operator Jay Young tearfully stroked Morris’ head at an enclosure while he spoke in a video.
The grieving animal keeper said: “He started acting strange about a week ago.
“He wasn’t lunging at us and wasn’t taking food, I know it’s strange to people that we get so attached to an alligator, to all of our animals. … He had a happy time here, and he died of old age.”
Hollywood icon Adam Sandler paid tribute to the iconic animal on Instagram on Wednesday.
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