Chevy Chase facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chevy Chase
Chase in 2010
Birth name	Cornelius Crane Chase
Born	(1943-10-08) October 8, 1943 (age 81) New York City, U.S.
Medium	Stand-up film television
Alma mater	Bard College (BA)
Years active	1967–present
Genres	Sketch comedy improvisational comedy physical comedy slapstick
Spouse	Suzanne Hewitt ​ ​ (m. 1973; div. 1976)​ Jacqueline Carlin ​ ​ (m. 1976; div. 1980)​ Jayni Luke ​ (m. 1982)​
Children	3
Relative(s)	Miles Browning (maternal grandfather) Frank Swift Chase (granduncle) Cornelius Vanderbilt Crane (adoptive maternal grandfather) Edward Leigh Chase (paternal grandfather)

Cornelius Crane "Chevy" Chase (born October 8, 1943) is a famous American comedian, actor, and writer. He first became well-known on the TV show Saturday Night Live (1975–1976). His funny "Weekend Update" news segment was a big hit. For his work on the show, he won two Primetime Emmy Awards.

After leaving Saturday Night Live, he became a movie star. He acted in many popular comedy films in the 1980s. Some of his most famous roles include Ty Webb in Caddyshack (1980) and Clark Griswold in the National Lampoon's Vacation movies. He also played Irwin "Fletch" Fletcher in Fletch (1985).

Chevy Chase hosted the Academy Awards twice. He also had his own talk show for a short time. Later, he became popular again playing Pierce Hawthorne on the TV show Community (2009–2014).

Early Life and Education

Family Background

Chevy Chase was born Cornelius Crane Chase in Lower Manhattan, New York, on October 8, 1943. He grew up in Woodstock, New York. He has an older brother named Ned Jr.

His father, Edward Tinsley "Ned" Chase, was a book editor and writer. His paternal grandfather, Edward Leigh Chase, was an artist. His mother, Cathalene Parker, was a concert pianist. Her father, Rear Admiral Miles Browning, was a naval officer in World War II. Cathalene was adopted by Cornelius Vanderbilt Crane, who was an heir to Crane Co..

Chevy was named after his adoptive grandfather, Cornelius. His grandmother gave him the nickname "Chevy." It came from an old English song called "The Ballad of Chevy Chase." She thought it was a good name because he was related to the Scottish Clan Douglas.

Growing Up and School

As a child, Chase spent summers at Castle Hill. This was his adoptive grandparents' large estate in Ipswich, Massachusetts. His parents divorced when he was four years old.

Chase went to Riverdale Country School in New York City. He was later expelled from this school. He then graduated from the Stockbridge School in Massachusetts in 1962. At Stockbridge, he was known for playing jokes.

He attended Haverford College for a year. There, he was known for his funny physical comedy. This included his famous pratfalls. He then transferred to Bard College in New York. He studied science and graduated in 1967 with a degree in English.

Chase played drums in a college band called The Leather Canary. Two members of this band later formed the famous group Steely Dan. Chase also played drums and keyboards for a rock band called Chamaeleon Church.

Comedy Career

Early Comedy Work (1967–1974)

Chevy Chase started his comedy career in 1967. He helped create a comedy group called Channel One. He also wrote a funny page for Mad magazine in 1970.

By 1973, he was working in comedy full-time. He became a writer and performer for The National Lampoon Radio Hour. This radio show featured other comedians like John Belushi and Gilda Radner. These comedians later joined him on Saturday Night Live. Chase also appeared in the movie The Groove Tube.

Saturday Night Live (1975–1976)

The original cast of Saturday Night Live with President Gerald Ford in 1976

Chevy Chase was one of the first cast members of Saturday Night Live (SNL). The show started in October 1975. In the first season, he often started the show by saying, "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!" He often did a funny fall, called "The Fall of the Week," before saying it.

Chase was known for his great physical comedy. He often made fun of President Gerald Ford by acting clumsy. This helped create the idea that Ford was a clumsy person. Chase later became friends with President Ford.

He was the first anchor for the "Weekend Update" news segment on SNL. His opening line, "I'm Chevy Chase… and you're not," became very famous. He also wrote comedy for "Weekend Update." He won two Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award for his work on SNL.

Film Stardom (1976–1989)

Chevy Chase at the premiere of A Star Is Born, December 1976

In late 1976, Chase was the first original cast member to leave SNL. He wanted to star in movies. He moved to Los Angeles and was replaced by Bill Murray on SNL.

Chase hosted SNL eight times after leaving. He also made guest appearances on the show. For example, he appeared in a Caddyshack skit with Bill Murray. He also returned for the show's 25th and 40th anniversary specials.

Chevy Chase at the premiere of Seems Like Old Times, December 10, 1980

His early movies included Foul Play, which was a big success. He turned down a role in National Lampoon's Animal House to do Foul Play. Chase wanted to do "real acting."

In 1980, he starred in the comedy Caddyshack. This movie was very popular and is now considered a classic. That same year, he reunited with Goldie Hawn in Seems Like Old Times, which was also successful.

During the filming of Modern Problems in 1980, Chase had a scary accident. Lights he was wearing for a scene malfunctioned, and he got an electric shock. This experience led to a period of sadness for him.

Ronald Reagan and Chevy Chase, 1985

In 1983, Chase starred in National Lampoon's Vacation. This movie was a huge hit. In 1985, he starred in Fletch, which was also very successful. He then co-starred with Dan Aykroyd in Spies Like Us.

In 1986, Chase joined SNL friends Steve Martin and Martin Short in Three Amigos. He said making this movie was the most fun he had on a film. This movie was also very popular.

Gerald Ford with Chase before a conference in 1986

At the peak of his career in the late 1980s, Chase was a very famous actor. He earned a lot of money for his films. He hosted the Academy Awards in 1987 and 1988. He also made two more successful Vacation movies: National Lampoon's European Vacation (1985) and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989). Christmas Vacation became a holiday favorite.

Career Changes (1990–2009)

In the 1990s, some of Chase's films were not as successful. These included Nothing but Trouble and Memoirs of an Invisible Man. In 1993, he hosted The Chevy Chase Show, a late-night talk show. However, it was canceled after only five weeks.

He found success again with movies like Man of the House (1995) and Vegas Vacation (1997). He also appeared in Snow Day (2000) and Orange County (2002), which were successful.

In 1993, Chase received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from The Harvard Lampoon in 1996.

He returned to mainstream movies in 2006 with Zoom. He also made guest appearances on TV shows like Law & Order and Brothers & Sisters. In 2009, he played Ted Roark on the TV show Chuck.

Donald Glover, Danny Pudi, Gillian Jacobs and Chase at the San Diego Comic Con in 2010

Return to Television (2009–2014)

In 2009, Chase joined the cast of the NBC sitcom Community. He played Pierce Hawthorne, an older businessman. The show was praised for its acting and writing. It became very popular with fans.

In 2010, Chase appeared in a short online Vacation film called Hotel Hell Vacation. He also played President Ford again in a comedy sketch called "Presidential Reunion". He appeared in the movie Hot Tub Time Machine that same year.

During his time on Community, Chase became unhappy with his character. He left the show after disagreements with the show's creator. His character, Pierce, was written out of the show.

Recent Work (2015–Present)

In 2015, Chase played Clark Griswold again in the movie Vacation. In this film, his role was smaller but important. The movie was a financial success.

In 2019, Chase starred in the Netflix movie The Last Laugh with Richard Dreyfuss. In 2024, he appeared in the film The Christmas Letter.

Personal Life

Chase in 1990

Marriages and Family

Chevy Chase has been married three times. His first marriage was to Susan Hewitt in 1973. They divorced in 1976. His second marriage was to Jacqueline Carlin in 1976. They divorced in 1980 and had no children.

He married his third wife, Jayni Luke, in 1982. They have three daughters: Cydney, Caley, and Emily. The family lives in Bedford, New York.

Interests and Views

Chevy Chase is interested in protecting the environment. He also supports many charities. He has supported political figures like Bill Clinton and John Kerry.

Disagreement with Bill Murray

In 1978, while filming an episode of Saturday Night Live, Chase had a disagreement with Bill Murray. This happened when Chase returned to host the show. The two later worked together in the movie Caddyshack in 1980.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and Recognition

Chevy Chase has received several awards for his work in comedy and acting.

On September 23, 1993, Chevy Chase received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His star is located at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.

See also

In Spanish: Chevy Chase para niños