History of Chevy Chase in Timeline
Chevy Chase, born Cornelius Crane Chase, is a celebrated American comedian, actor, and writer. His career took off as a cast member on the inaugural season of Saturday Night Live (1975–1976). Chase's 'Weekend Update' segment became a popular feature, solidifying his status as a breakout star. His contributions as a performer and writer on SNL earned him two Primetime Emmy Awards from four nominations, highlighting his comedic talent and influence on the show.
1919: Birth of Edward Tinsley "Ned" Chase
In 1919, Edward Tinsley "Ned" Chase, Chevy Chase's father, was born.
1923: Birth of Cathalene Parker
In 1923, Cathalene Parker, Chevy Chase's mother, was born.
October 8, 1943: Chevy Chase's Birth
On October 8, 1943, Cornelius Crane "Chevy" Chase was born. He would later become a famous comedian, actor, and writer.
1962: Graduation as Valedictorian
In 1962, Chevy Chase graduated as valedictorian from the Stockbridge School.
1963: Attendance at Haverford College
During the 1962-1963 term, Chevy Chase attended Haverford College, where he was noted for his slapstick comedy.
1967: Co-founding Channel One
In 1967, Chevy Chase co-founded an early underground comedy ensemble called Channel One.
1967: Graduation from Bard College
In 1967, Chevy Chase graduated from Bard College with a Bachelor of Arts in English.
1970: Mad Magazine Contribution
In 1970, Chevy Chase wrote a one-page spoof of Mission: Impossible for Mad magazine.
February 23, 1973: Marriage to Susan Hewitt
On February 23, 1973, Chevy Chase married Susan Hewitt in New York City.
1973: The National Lampoon Radio Hour
In 1973, Chevy Chase became a writer and cast member of The National Lampoon Radio Hour.
1974: The Groove Tube Movie Appearance
In 1974, Chevy Chase appeared in the movie "The Groove Tube", which was directed by Ken Shapiro, another co-founder of Channel One.
October 1975: Saturday Night Live Premiere
In October 1975, Chevy Chase became one of the original cast members of Saturday Night Live (SNL).
1975: "The funniest man in America"
In 1975, a New York magazine cover story dubbed Chevy Chase "The funniest man in America," and NBC executives saw him as a potential successor to Johnny Carson.
1975: Writing for The Smothers Brothers TV Show
In the spring of 1975, Chevy Chase was a writer for the short-lived Smothers Brothers TV show comeback.
February 1, 1976: Divorce from Susan Hewitt
On February 1, 1976, Chevy Chase and Susan Hewitt divorced.
December 4, 1976: Marriage to Jacqueline Carlin
On December 4, 1976, Chevy Chase married Jacqueline Carlin.
1976: Departure from SNL
In 1976, Chevy Chase departed from Saturday Night Live as a full-time cast member, later returning as a host, where a fistfight with Bill Murray occurred.
1976: Writers Guild and Primetime Emmy Awards
In 1976, Chevy Chase won a Writers Guild of America Award for "Writing for a Variety Series" as part of The Smothers Brothers Show's writers room and won an Emmy Award for his work on "Saturday Night Live".
1976: Weekend Update and Emmy Wins
In 1976, Chevy Chase's Weekend Update segment became a staple of Saturday Night Live, earning him two Primetime Emmy Awards.
1976: Tunnel Vision Release
In 1976, Chevy Chase's early film roles included Tunnel Vision.
1976: Departure from Saturday Night Live
In late 1976, Chevy Chase left Saturday Night Live to move to Los Angeles with his girlfriend, Jacqueline Carlin, becoming the first original cast member to leave the show.
May 4, 1977: The Tonight Show Appearance
On May 4, 1977, Chevy Chase appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson to promote a prime-time special for NBC.
1978: First SNL Hosting Gig
In 1978, Chevy Chase hosted Saturday Night Live for the first time after leaving the show.
1978: Foul Play Release
In 1978, Chevy Chase starred in "Foul Play", a box-office hit that earned him a Golden Globe nomination.
1978: Fistfight with Bill Murray
In 1978, while filming Saturday Night Live, Chevy Chase had a fistfight with Bill Murray in John Belushi's dressing room.
November 14, 1980: Divorce from Jacqueline Carlin
On November 14, 1980, Chevy Chase and Jacqueline Carlin divorced; they had no children together.
1980: Reconciliation with Bill Murray in Caddyshack
In 1980, Chase and Murray reconciled and starred together in Caddyshack.
1980: Residence in Pacific Palisades Begins
In 1980, Chevy Chase began residing in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, in a Tudor-style home.
1980: Near-Death Electrocution
In 1980, Chevy Chase narrowly escaped death by electrocution during the filming of Modern Problems, leading to a period of deep depression.
1980: Caddyshack and Seems Like Old Times Release
In 1980, Chevy Chase portrayed Ty Webb in "Caddyshack" and starred in "Seems Like Old Times" with Goldie Hawn.
1980: Caddyshack and Seems Like Old Times Success and Record Album
In 1980, Chevy Chase portrayed Ty Webb in Caddyshack, reunited with Goldie Hawn for Seems Like Old Times, and released a self-titled record album.
1980: Oh! Heavenly Dog Release
In 1980, Chevy Chase starred in "Oh! Heavenly Dog".
June 19, 1982: Marriage to Jayni Luke
On June 19, 1982, Chevy Chase married Jayni Luke in Pacific Palisades.
1982: Ernie Kovacs Documentary
In 1982, Chevy Chase appeared in the documentary "Ernie Kovacs: Television's Original Genius" and spoke of Kovacs's influence on his work.
1983: National Lampoon's Vacation Release
In 1983, Chevy Chase played Clark Griswold in "National Lampoon's Vacation", his most successful movie at the time.
1985: Fletch and European Vacation
In 1985, Chevy Chase starred in "Fletch" and appeared in "National Lampoon's European Vacation".
1985: Fletch and Spies Like Us Release
In 1985, Chevy Chase starred in "Fletch" as Irwin "Fletch" Fletcher and appeared in "Spies Like Us" with Dan Aykroyd.
1986: ¡Three Amigos! Release
In 1986, Chevy Chase starred in "¡Three Amigos!" alongside Steve Martin and Martin Short.
1986: ¡Three Amigos! Release and Music Video Appearance
In 1986, Chevy Chase starred in "¡Three Amigos!" and appeared in Paul Simon's "You Can Call Me Al" music video, lip-syncing all the lyrics.
1986: Admission to Betty Ford Center
In 1986, Chevy Chase was admitted to the Betty Ford Center for treatment of prescription painkiller addiction.
1986: Honorary Mayor of Pacific Palisades
In 1986, Chevy Chase was named the Honorary Mayor of Pacific Palisades.
1987: Warner Bros. Deal and Academy Awards Hosting
In 1987, Chase's company, Cornelius Productions, signed a deal with Warner Bros. to develop feature projects and he hosted the Academy Awards.
1987: Academy Awards Hosting
In 1987, Chevy Chase hosted the Academy Awards.
1988: Academy Awards Hosting
In 1988, Chevy Chase hosted the Academy Awards for a second time.
1988: Academy Awards Hosting and Film Releases
In 1988, Chevy Chase hosted the Academy Awards for the second consecutive year and starred in the movie "Funny Farm", which was a box office success. He also appeared in "Caddyshack II", which was considered a flop.
1988: End of Honorary Mayor Term
In 1988, Chevy Chase's term as the Honorary Mayor of Pacific Palisades ended.
January 1989: Appearance on The Pat Sajak Show
In January 1989, Chevy Chase appeared as the first guest on "The Pat Sajak Show" and claimed he avoided the military draft by falsely claiming "homosexual tendencies".
1989: Starring in Sequels and High Earnings
In 1989, Chase starred in "Fletch Lives", a sequel to Fletch, and "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation", another installment in the Vacation film series. By this point in his career, Chase was earning around $7 million per film.
1989: Fletch Lives Release
In 1989, Chevy Chase starred in "Fletch Lives", continuing his role as Irwin "Fletch" Fletcher.
1991: Central Park Concert and Film Releases
In 1991, Chase played saxophone at Paul Simon's free concert in Central Park and appeared in the music video "Voices That Care." In the same year, his film "Nothing but Trouble" was released, receiving a Razzie Award nomination.
1992: Film Release: Memoirs of an Invisible Man
In 1992, Chevy Chase's film, "Memoirs of an Invisible Man", was released, contributing to a string of film flops.
September 1993: The Chevy Chase Show Launch and Cancellation
In September 1993, Chevy Chase hosted "The Chevy Chase Show" on Fox, which was canceled after only five weeks, despite high expectations.
September 23, 1993: Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
On September 23, 1993, Chevy Chase received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.
1993: The Chevy Chase Show
In 1993, Chevy Chase briefly had his own late-night talk show, "The Chevy Chase Show".
1993: Hasty Pudding Man of the Year and Hollywood Walk of Fame Star
In 1993, Chevy Chase was named Hasty Pudding's Man of the Year and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
1994: Film Release: Cops & Robbersons
In 1994, the movie "Cops & Robbersons", starring Chevy Chase, was released, and was considered a flop.
1995: End of Pacific Palisades Residence
In 1995, Chevy Chase ended his residence in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles.
1995: Man of the House Release
In 1995, Chevy Chase starred in "Man of the House", which was relatively successful at the box office.
1996: Harvard Lampoon's Lifetime Achievement Award
In 1996, Chevy Chase received The Harvard Lampoon's Lifetime Achievement Award.
1997: Vegas Vacation Release
In 1997, "Vegas Vacation", the fourth installment in the Vacation film series starring Chevy Chase, was a box office success.
1997: SNL Hosting
In 1997, Chevy Chase hosted SNL. Lorne Michaels disputed reports of banning Chase from the show following this appearance.
1998: Golden Palm Star on Palm Springs Walk of Stars
In 1998, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California, Walk of Stars was dedicated to Chevy Chase.
1999: 25th Anniversary Special
In 1999, Chevy Chase appeared on Saturday Night Live's 25th anniversary special.
2000: Snow Day Release
In 2000, Chase appeared in "Snow Day", which was a successful movie.
2001: Land Shark Appearance on SNL
In 2001, Chevy Chase appeared as the Land Shark in a Weekend Update segment on Saturday Night Live.
2002: Orange County Release
In 2002, Chevy Chase appeared in "Orange County", which grossed over $40 million.
2002: New York Friars Club Roast
In 2002, Chevy Chase was roasted by the New York Friars Club for a Comedy Central special, noted for being unusually vitriolic.
2003: Roommate Interview
In a 2003 interview, David Felsen, Chevy Chase's former roommate, asserted that Chase left Haverford College for academic reasons.
2004: Campaigning for John Kerry
In 2004, Chevy Chase campaigned for Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry.
2004: Controversial Speech at People for the American Way Benefit
In 2004, during a speech at a People for the American Way benefit, Chevy Chase made controversial remarks about then-President George W. Bush.
2005: NBC Special on SNL's First Five Years
In 2005, Chevy Chase was interviewed for an NBC special on the first five years of Saturday Night Live.
2005: Death of Edward Tinsley "Ned" Chase and Cathalene Parker
In 2005, both Chevy Chase's father, Edward Tinsley "Ned" Chase, and his mother, Cathalene Parker, passed away.
2005: Death of Both Parents
In 2005, both of Chevy Chase's parents passed away.
November 3, 2006: Law & Order Guest Appearance
On November 3, 2006, Chase guest-starred in "In Vino Veritas", an episode of "Law & Order", as an anti-Semitic murder suspect.
2007: Weekend Update Segment
In 2007, Chevy Chase appeared in another Weekend Update segment on Saturday Night Live.
2007: Abuse Allegations in Biography
In a 2007 biography, Chevy Chase alleged that he was physically and psychologically abused as a child by his mother and stepfather.
2008: Endorsement of Hillary Clinton's Presidential Campaign
In 2008, Chevy Chase endorsed Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.
2009: Today Show Interview
During a 2009 interview on the Today show, Chevy Chase ostensibly verified the urban legend that he was expelled for harboring a cow in his fourth floor room at Haverford College.
2009: Family Guy Voice Acting
In 2009, Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd voiced themselves in the "Spies Reminiscent of Us" episode of "Family Guy".
2009: Community Sitcom Role
In 2009, Chevy Chase began his role as Pierce Hawthorne on the NBC sitcom Community.
2010: Vacation Short Film and Presidential Reunion
In 2010, Chevy Chase appeared in the online "Vacation" short film "Hotel Hell Vacation" and the Funny or Die sketch "Presidential Reunion."
2010: Drug Abuse Comments
In 2010, Chevy Chase commented on his previous drug abuse, stating that it had been "low level."
2012: Community Set Outburst
In 2012, during the filming of "Community", Chase had an outburst on set, which led to an apology and his eventual departure from the show.
2013: Five-Timers Club Appearance
In 2013, Chevy Chase appeared in Justin Timberlake's monologue on Saturday Night Live as a member of the Five-Timers Club, reuniting with his Three Amigos co-stars.
2014: Community Sitcom Role Concludes
In 2014, Chevy Chase concluded his role as Pierce Hawthorne on the NBC sitcom Community.
February 2015: 40th Anniversary Special
In February 2015, Chevy Chase participated in Saturday Night Live's 40th anniversary special.
February 2015: Rolling Stone Appraisal
In February 2015, Rolling Stone ranked Chevy Chase tenth in overall importance of all 141 SNL cast members to date.
2015: Vacation Cameo
In 2015, Chase reprised his role as Clark Griswold in "Vacation", the fifth installment in the "Vacation" series, with a brief cameo appearance.
September 2016: Treatment for Alcoholism
In September 2016, Chase entered the Hazelden Clinic to receive treatment for alcoholism.
2019: The Last Laugh Netflix Movie
In 2019, Chevy Chase starred in "The Last Laugh" on Netflix alongside Richard Dreyfuss.
2021: Laraine Newman Discusses SNL Fight
In 2021, Laraine Newman discussed the fight between Chase and Murray on a talk show, describing it as "sad and painful".
2024: The Christmas Letter film
In 2024, Chevy Chase appeared in the film "The Christmas Letter" with Randy Quaid and Brian Doyle-Murray.
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