What Is Chevy Chase's Net Worth?
Chevy Chase is an American writer, comedian, film and television actor who has a net worth of $50 million. Chevy Chase rose to fame in the 1970s as a key member of the original cast of "Saturday Night Live" ("SNL"). His unique brand of humor, marked by physical comedy and a deadpan delivery, has made him a notable figure in American entertainment.
Chase's career took off with "SNL," where he was one of the show's first breakout stars. His recurring role on the "Weekend Update" segment, with his catchphrase "I'm Chevy Chase, and you're not," became iconic. His tenure on "SNL" was brief but impactful, setting the tone for the show's approach to comedy and helping to propel it to national acclaim. For his work on "SNL," Chase won three Primetime Emmy Awards, establishing himself as a talented comedian and writer.
Following his success on "SNL," Chevy transitioned to film, where he continued to build his reputation as a comedic actor. He starred in a series of successful comedies in the 1980s, including "Caddyshack" (1980), "National Lampoon's Vacation" (1983), and its sequels, in which he played the bumbling but lovable Clark Griswold, a role that became one of his most recognized. His performance in "Fletch" (1985) and its sequel showcased his ability to carry a film as the leading man, blending physical comedy with a sharp wit.
In addition to his film work, Chase returned to television at various points in his career. He had a notable role on the comedy series "Community," on which he played Pierce Hawthorne. His time on "Community" introduced him to a new generation of fans and demonstrated his enduring appeal as a comedic actor.
Throughout his career, Chevy Chase has been recognized for his contributions to comedy, receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Despite facing personal and professional challenges, including controversies and publicized disputes, Chase's impact on comedy and his influence on the genre's development in American television and film remain significant.
Early Life
Cornelius Crane Chase was born on October 8, 1943, in New York City. He is better known by the name Chevy Chase. He is the son of Edward Tinsley "Ned" Chase and Cathalene Parker. His mother was a concert pianist and librettist who was adopted as a child by her stepfather, Cornelius Vanderbilt Crane. Chevy's paternal grandfather was Edward Leigh Chase, an artist and illustrator, and his great-uncle, Frank Swift Chase, was a painter and teacher. Chevy's maternal grandmother, Cathalene, performed at Carnegie Hall as an opera singer.
Chase's parents divorced when he was four years old. His mother remarried twice, and his father remarried into the Folgers coffee family. Chevy graduated from the Stockbridge School in 1962 and continued his education at Haverford College for one semester. He then transferred to Bard College, graduating in 1967 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. Before achieving fame, Chase worked a series of jobs, including cab driver, truck driver, construction worker, waiter, fruit picker, audio engineer, wine salesman, and theater usher.
Career
In 1967, Chase co-founded the underground comedy ensemble Channel One. During this period, he also worked on a series of odd projects, including writing a one-page spoof of "Mission: Impossible" for "Mad" magazine in 1970. By 1973, he had made comedy his full-time career and became a writer and cast member of the syndicated radio series "The National Lampoon Radio Hour." In October 1975, he joined the NBC late-night comedy show "Saturday Night Live" as one of the original cast members. On "SNL," he was the original anchor for the "Weekend Update" segment and wrote material for various skits. He became famous for his catchphrase, "I'm Chevy Chase, and you're not." In "Rolling Stone" magazine's February 2015 review of all 141 "SNL" cast members that had appeared on the show up to then, Chase was ranked in tenth place in terms of overall importance, and they described him as possibly "the most under-rated 'SNL' player."
Chase left the show in late 1976, in the middle of the show's second season. He continued to be involved in the show though, hosting "SNL" eight times through 1997, and returning for various anniversary specials. After leaving SNL, he moved on to film roles. These early film projects include "Tunnel Vision" (1976), "Foul Play" (1978), "Oh! Heavenly Dog" (1980), "Caddyshack" (1980), and "Seems Like Old Times" (1980). Other films he has appeared in include "Modern Problems" (1980), "National Lampoon's Vacation" (1983), "Fletch" (1985), "Spies Like Us" (1985), "Three Amigos" (1986), "National Lampoon's European Vacation" (1985), and "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" (1989). During this period in the late 1980s, when his career was at its height, Chase earned around $7 million per film.
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In the 1990s, Chevy suffered from three consecutive film flops: "Nothing but Trouble" (1991), "Memoirs of an Invisible Man" (1992), and "Cops & Robbersons" (1994). Together, these three films had a combined gross of only $34 million. Even his widely popular "National Lampoon" franchise stopped after the release of the "Vegas Vacation" installment in 1997. Since then, he has appeared in a few films, such as the 2006 comedy "Zoom."
In September 1993, he started hosting a weeknight talk show for Fox called "The Chevy Chase Show." Despite high expectations, the show was a failure and was canceled after only five weeks. He then made various appearances on television, including on the shows "Law & Order," "Brothers & Sisters," "Chuck," and "Family Guy." Chevy returned to NBC in 2009 when he joined the cast of the critically-acclaimed sitcom "Community," alongside Joel McHale, Alison Brie, Gillian Jacobs, Yvette Nicole Brown, Danny Pudi, and Donald Glover. He left the show in 2012 after starring in the first four seasons. Projects Chase has been involved in after leaving "Community" include an appearance in the comedy film "Hot Tub Time Machine" (2010) and the Netflix film "The Last Laugh" (2019). Since then, he has starred in "The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee," voiced King Karoth in "Panda vs. Aliens," and appeared in the 2023 film "Zombie Town."
Chase won Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy – Variety or Music Series for "Saturday Night Live" in 1976 and "The Paul Simon Special" in 1978. In 1979, he was nominated for Golden Globe Awards for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical and Best Motion Picture Acting Debut – Male for "Foul Play." Chase was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1993 at 7021 Hollywood Blvd. Additionally, in 1998, he received a Golden Palm Star on the Walk of Stars in Palm Springs, California. Other recognition he's received include being named Hasty Pudding's 1993 Man of the Year and "The Harvard Lampoon's" Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996.
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Notable Salaries
At the height of his career in the late 1980s, Chevy earned $7 million per movie. That's the same as earning $15 million per movie today. He earned at least $7 million for "Fletch" and "Fletch Lives"
Chevy earned $6 million for 1989's "Christmas Vacation." That's the same as $12.5 million in today's dollars. He earned another $6 million for 1992's "Memoirs of an Invisible Man." He earned $4 million for "Cops and Robbersons," $2 million for "Man of the House," and $4 million for "Vegas Vacation."
Personal Life
Chase was married to Susan Hewitt from February 1973 to February 1976. He was then married to Jacqueline Carlin from December 1976 to November 1980. He married his third wife, Jayni Luke, in June 1982. The couple has three daughters together. Chevy also has a son named Bryan Perkins with an unidentified woman.
Chase was admitted to the Betty Ford Clinic in 1986 for a prescription painkiller addiction. In 2016, he received treatment at the Hazelden Clinic for alcoholism.
Real Estate
From 1990 to 2005, Chevy and Jayni lived in LA's Pacific Palisades neighborhood in a home that sat on five acres. Located in a guarded, gated community, Chase spent $1.2 million on improvements and renovations on the property. They listed it for sale in 1994 for $3 million but did not find a buyer until 2005, when they sold it for an undisclosed amount. Today the couple primarily lives in upstate New York.
