Chevy Chase

Chevy Chase is the name of a 16th century ballad about the battle between Earl Douglas and Earl Percy, as well as the name of a city in Maryland.

Born to Edward Tinsley Chase, a Manhattan book editor and magazine writer, and his wife Cathalene Parker Browning, who both died in 2005.

Helped campaign for John Kerry in the 2004 Presidential Election.

In 2003, he appeared in two television commercials for Cola Turka, a soft drink developed to be in direct competition with both Coca-Cola and Pepsi, while keeping the money in the Turkish economy. The commercials, which were both comic and nationalistic in theme, feature Chase playing a confused American who notices his friend and family using Turkish idioms and exhibiting Turkish customs after consuming the drink. The commercials, exclusively shown in Turkey, were filmed in New York in English, but have Turkish subtitles.

Roasted into the New York Friar's Club on September 28, 2002.

Prefers to do family-oriented movies and has turned down roles in several films including the lead in American Beauty (1999).

Winner of Harvard Lampoon Lifetime Achievement Award 1996.

Turned down the role of Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story (1995) because his agent greatly advised him against doing the project. He didn't want to turn it down, as he was interested in the project.

Sadly, his career generally worsened throughout the nineties, starring in disappointments such as the mediocre Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992), and Cops and Robbersons (1994).

Admitted in an interview that making Three Amigos! (1986) was the most fun he has had on a film.

Turned down the role of "Peter Venkman" in Ghostbusters (1984), which went to Bill Murray. According to Chase, the finished film is nothing like the script that he read, adding that the script was much scarier than the film. He did visit the set at least once, as a picture of him on the temple steps can be seen in Don Shay's book "Making Ghostbusters".

Was nearly killed (electrocuted) during the filming of Modern Problems (1981) when, during the sequence in which he is wearing "landing lights" as he dreams that he is an airplane, the current in the lights short-circuited through his arm, back, and neck muscles. The near-death experience caused him to experience a period of deep depression.

He scored in the eighties with hits such as Caddyshack (1980), National Lampoon's Vacation (1983) and its sequels, Fletch (1985) and Fletch Lives (1989). All his films show his talent for deadpan comedy.

Has a son with his ex-wife, Jacqueline Carlin, named Bryan Perkins (born October 24, 1979) and 3 daughters with his current wife, Jayni Chase, named Cydney Cathalene Chase (born January 4, 1983), Caley Chase (born January 19, 1985) and Emily Evelyn Chase (born September 29, 1988).

The role of Eric 'Otter' Stratton in National Lampoon's National Lampoon's Animal House (1978) was originally written with him in mind. 'John Landis' didn't want the film to be a Saturday Night Live (1975) film, so he met with Chase and persuaded him not to take the film by telling him it was an ensemble piece. He starred in Foul Play (1978) instead. Tim Matheson was cast as Otter.

Chevy Chase was born Cornelius Crane Chase in Lower Manhattan, New York, to Cathalene Parker (Browning), a concert pianist and librettist, and Edward Tinsley "Ned" Chase, an editor and writer. His parents both came from prominent families, and his grandfathers were artist and illustrator Edward Leigh Chase and admiral Miles Browning. His recent ancestry includes English, Scottish, Irish, and Danish. His grandmother gave him the nickname "Chevy" when he was two years old. Chase was a part of the Saturday Night Live (1975) cast from its debut until 1976, and then embarked on a highly successful movie career.

Was a long-time class clown expelled from private schools like NYC's Dalton but did well at Stockbridge School in Massachusetts. Expelled from Haverford College after bringing a cow into the third floor of a campus building. Transferred to Bard College, where he dated actress Blythe Danner and graduated in 1967.