Summary

• Adam Sandler's career includes a mix of classic comedies and more recent dramatic roles, showcasing his versatility as an actor.
• Sandler's memorable lines and comedic moments have solidified his status as one of the most prolific comedic actors of his time.
• From Happy Gilmore to Uncut Gems, Sandler has left a lasting impact on the film industry and continues to entertain audiences with his unique performances.

Adam Sandler has dozens of great lines from starring in classic comedies and modern dramas throughout his celebrated career. The comedian and actor has appeared in over 80 films and television series, including his breakthrough role as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1990 to 1995. Sandler's acting career took off with a series of successful comedy movies including Airheads (1994), Billy Madison (1995), Happy Gilmore (1996), Bulletproof (1996), The Wedding Singer (1998), The Waterboy (1998), and Big Daddy (1999).

Sandler essentially created his own sub-genre of comedy movies in Hollywood during the mid and late 1990s, solidifying his status as one of the most prolific comedic actors coming into the turn of the century. Sandler courageously signed on to Paul Thomas Anderons' (Boogie Nights, Licorice Pizza, The Master) off-the-wall comedy Punch Drunk Love in 2002 in what would be his first dramatic role. Sandler has continued his impressive run of comedy movies for well over two decades and has recently appeared in more dramatic roles such as the sports drama Hustle (2022) and the exceptional Uncut Gems (2019).

20 "You’re Gonna Die, Clown!"

Happy Gilmore

Happy Gilmore is one of if not the funniest Sandler movies, chronicling his titular character as he goes from ex-hockey player to PGA Tour Champion. The road toward victory was a long one for Happy, who was convinced by former pro golf player Chubbs (Carl Weathers) to give golf a try. Chubbs takes Happy to the mini golf course to get a feel for his putting when Happy's anger takes over, whacking a mechanical clown's red nose off its face because it wouldn't stop laughing, much like the audience.

19 "T-T-T-Today Jr!"

Billy Madison

Before Sandler's Billy Madison character eventually graduated from high school to "prove to his dad that he's not a fool", he had to start in elementary school, where he quickly assumed the role of class clown and bully. This memorable line from Billy Madison, which goes hand in hand with the classic comedy genre seen in Happy Gilmore, reveals Billy's immaturity even as a grown man. It also gets him in trouble with his teacher and eventual love interest Veronica Vaughn (Bridgette Wilson-Sampras).

18 "Get That Fireplace Poker Over There And Just Whack My Foot."

Mr. Deeds

Mr. Deeds is often overlooked in of classic Sandler comedies, but the scene where Sandler's Longfellow Deeds reveals his nerveless frostbite-ridden black foot is the most memorable scene of the movie by a long shot. Deeds tells his butler Emilio Lopez (John Turturro) to whack his foot with a fire poker to prove that it really can't feel anything. Lopez does some damage on Deeds' foot, hammering it with the fire poker before impaling it and giving Deeds the perfect opportunity to prank him.

17 "I Feel Pretty, Oh So Pretty!"

Anger Management

This 2004 comedy starring Sandler and Jack Nicholson features Nicholson as an anger management coach named Dr. Buddy Rydell with unorthodox methods who instructs Sandler's Dave Buznik. Over time, the tension between Dave and Buddy reaches a head, resulting in a hilarious dynamic and many funny scenes. In one scene, Buddy makes Dave stop traffic to sing "I Feel Pretty" from West Side Story as an unusual technique to calm him down.

16 "You Better Not Kill Me, Man. I've Got S–t To Do Tomorrow!"

Bulletproof

One of Sandler's earliest comedies was 1996's Bulletproof starring Damon Wayans and James Caan. The film wasn't as celebrated as some of other Sandler's works but certainly has its moments, especially for fans of that '90s era of action comedies. Sandler's Moses and Wayans' Keats were once partners in crime until Keats reveals himself to be an undercover cop. Moses and Keats reunite when Keats is assigned to protect Keats as a witness.

15 "Will Somebody Get This Kid A Happy Meal?!"

Big Daddy

Big Daddy is another Sandler comedy classic with many laughs throughout. Sandler plays an unlikely and initially reluctant father figure of Julian, aka Frankenstein, who is played by both Cole and Dylan Sprouse. When Sandler's Sonny Koufax has no idea how to get Julian to stop crying in McDonald's, he yells out with hilarious desperation for somebody to get the kid a Happy Meal.

14 "Stop Looking At Me, Swan!"

Billy Madison

Billy Madison is up there with Happy Gilmore in of most quotable Sandler movies and this classic line is among the most unforgettable. Sandler gives his one-of-a-kind performance as the titular character, having two bottles of shampoo and conditioner debate about which is more important while taking a bubble bath. In what appears to be a burst of improvisation, Billy turns to the golden swan faucet and hilariously tells it to get its eyes off of him.

13 "This Is Me. This Is How I Win."

Uncut Gems

If there were any doubt beforehand, Uncut Gems proved how versatile of an actor Sandler is in both comedy and drama. In what could arguably be the best performance of his career, Sandler's Howard Ratner is one of the most likable scumbags to ever appear onscreen. Despite his over-the-top appearance and his inability to keep his word to his debt collectors, Howard is convinced of his risky methods of making money, telling Kevin Garnett in the film, who plays himself, that he knows how to win.

12 "Guys In Their 50s Don’t Have Dreams. They Have Nightmares And Eczema."

Hustle

Another great dramatic role by Sandler is seen in Netflix's Hustle, which also features real-life NBA players like Uncut Gems. Sandler's Stanley Sugerman is a basketball wizard and NBA scout who becomes a mentor to the up-and-coming star Bo Cruz (Juancho Hernangomez). Throughout the film, Stanley offers many words of wisdom and inspiration, such as this line that uses his own life situations to encourage Bo to seize the opportunity before him while he still can.

11 The Price Is Wrong B–ch!

Happy Gilmore

One of the funniest moments in Happy Gilmore is when chaos ensues in the form of a fistfight between Happy Gilmore and TV personality Bob Barker during a friendly Pro-Am tournament. Happy and Bob Barker, who plays himself in the film, end up last in the rankings, which leads Bob to start talking trash to Happy. In a surreal scene, Happy turns around and punches Bob in the face, leading to an all-out brawl between them. Happy headbutts Bob and says the line, only for Bob to hilariously knock Happy unconscious.