Chevy Chase is a popular comedian and actor who has made it big in both TV and movies. His humorous roles have earned him widespread recognition, and he is probably best recognized for his work on Saturday Night Live and the National Lampoon movies.
This remarkable man is worth an estimated $50 million thanks to his career in show business. So, what was the secret to Chevy Chase’s financial and professional success?
The Beginnings
Cornelius Crane Chase entered this world on October 8, 1943, in New York City. His stage name is Chevy Chase, but most people know him as Chevy Chase. It was Edward Tinsley “Ned” Chase and Cathalene Parker who welcomed their son into the world.
His mother was a concert pianist and librettist whose stepfather, Cornelius Vanderbilt Crane, adopted her when she was a youngster.
His great-uncle Frank Swift Chase was a painter and teacher, his paternal grandmother Cathalene was an opera singer, and his paternal grandfather Edward Leigh Chase was an artist and illustrator.
When he was only four years old, he went through a painful experience: his parents’ divorce. His mother remarried twice, and his father married into the Folgers coffee dynasty. In 1962, he completed Stockbridge School and went on to study at Haverford College for a single semester.
Next, he attended Bard University, where he received a BA in English in 1967. Chase had a varied career path before he became famous, working as a taxi driver, truck driver, construction worker, waiter, fruit picker, audio engineer, wine salesman, and theatre usher.
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Career
Chase, along with other friends, established the underground comedy group Channel One in 1967. He also took on a number of offbeat projects around this time, such as a parody of “Mission: Impossible” for Mad Magazine that ran for a single page that year.
When he joined the cast of the nationally syndicated radio show The National Lampoon Radio Hour in 1973, he had already committed to comedy as a full-time profession. He was a founding member of the cast of “Saturday Night Live” (SNL), an NBC late-night sketch comedy show, in October 1975.
He was the first host of “Weekend Update” on Saturday Night Live and a writer for several sketches. The line “I’m Chevy Chase, and you’re not” became his trademark and propelled him to fame.
Rolling Stone magazine placed Chase as the tenth most important cast member of SNL’s history, calling him “perhaps the most under-rate SNL player,” in a survey of all 141 cast members to appear on the show up to that point in February 2015.
Late in the second season of Saturday Night Live’s first run (1976), Chase decided to leave the cast. Even after leaving the show, he remained active, hosting SNL eight times through 1997 and making appearances in several anniversary specials.
He left Saturday Night Live and is now acting in movies. Films like “Tunnel Vision” (1976), “Foul Play” (1978), “Oh! Heavenly Dog” (1980), “Caddyshack” (1980), and “Seems Like Old Times” (1980) are examples of his early work in the industry (1980).
In addition to “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” (1986), he has appeared in a number of other films (1989).
In the late ’80s, at the peak of his career, Chase averaged $7 million a film. Chase had three straight box office bombs in the ’90s: ‘Nothing but Trouble’ (1991), ‘Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992), and ‘Cops & Robbersons’ (1996). (1994). The total earnings for all three movies added up to just under $34 million.
Even his hugely successful National Lampoon series ended with 1997’s “Vegas Vacation.” Some films have used him since then, including the comedy “Zoom” from 2006.
The Chevy Chase Show,” a weekday discussion show on Fox, premiered with him as host in September 1993. There were tremendous hopes, but the show barely lasted for five weeks before being canceled.
Later, he guest-starred on episodes like “Law & Order,” “Brothers & Sisters,” “Chuck,” and “Family Guy.” Along with Joel McHale, Alison Brie, Gillian Jacobs, Yvette Nicole Brown, Danny Pudi, and Donald Glover, he returned to NBC in 2009 as a cast member on the critically successful sitcom “Community.”
After starring for the first four seasons, he exited the show in 2012. His post-“Community” work includes the comedic features “Hot Tub Time Machine” (2010) and “The Last Laugh,” both of which are available on Netflix (2019).
Both “Saturday Night Live” (1976) and “The Paul Simon Special” (1978) were written by Chase, who won Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy – Variety or Music Series in both of those years.
He was nominated for two Golden Globes in 1979 for his work in the film Foul Play: Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical, and Best Motion Picture Acting Debut, Male. In 1993, Chase received a star at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard for his contributions to the film industry.
A Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California, Walk of Stars was also bestowed upon him in 1998. Also, in 1993, he was chosen Man of the Year by Hasty Pudding, and in 1996, he was given the Lifetime Achievement Award by The Harvard Lampoon.
Actor Chevy Chase’s Wealth in 2022
In 2022, Chevy Chase is expected to have a net worth of $50 million. Comedian, author, and actor from the United States. Acting in movies is the primary source of income for Chevy Chase.
In addition to his work on Saturday Night Live, he has also raked in cash from guest spots on other shows and ads. The annual sum he brings in is around $8,000,000.
Chevy Chase continues to garner a large following and interest from producers thanks to his stand-up comedy. Multiple companies have employed Chevy Chase in commercials to sell their products.
In the late 1980s, at the height of his success, Chevy’s movie paychecks averaged $7 million. That’s $15,000,000 as of right now. Profits from “Fletch” and “Fletch Lives” totaled at least $7 million.
He appeared on Saturday Night Live in 1975 for $3,000. His pay for writing the screenplay for the same film was $3,200.
It was in the 1989 film Christmas Holiday that he made his acting debut. In exchange for his services, he was paid $6,000,000. The equivalent in current values is $12.5 million.
The sum he received in 1992 for his film appearance was the same as the one he received that year. After filming “Memoirs of an Invisible Man,” he walked away with $6 million.
From “Cops and Robbers’ Sons,” he made a cool $4 million in 1994. When he appeared on an episode of “Man of the House” in 1995, he was paid $2 million. For his part in 1997’s “Vegas Holiday,” he raked in $4 million. All of these things contribute to his wealth now.
Chevy Chase’s net worth can be determined by deducting his debts from his total assets. His assets include his investments, savings, cash deposits, and whatever equity he may have in a vehicle, home, or another similar asset.
Total liabilities consist of all owed money, including credit card balances and school loans.
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Circumstances of One’s Own
Chase and Susan Hewitt were married from February 1973 to February 1976. His first marriage, to Jacqueline Carlin, lasted from December 1976 to November 1980. In June of 1982, he wed Jayni Luke, his third wife.
In 1986, he sought treatment at the Betty Ford Clinic for his dependency on painkillers. He went to the Hazelden Clinic for alcohol treatment in 2016.
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