Born:
October 08, 1943
in
New York
Best Known For:
Saturday Night Live and Caddyshack.
Early-life:
Born Cornelius Crane Chase on October 8, 1943, in New York. His grandmother gave him the nickname Chevy after an old English ballad. His writer father and concert pianist mother divorced when he was four, and Chase claims that growing up, he was physically and verbally abused by his mother and stepfather. Chase went on to study English at Bard College, New York, but also had a keen interest in music - he was in a jazz band with two future members of Steely Dan, and in 1969 recorded an album with the group Chameleon Church. He also worked at a succession of jobs ranging from taxi driver to fruit picker before finding his niche as a comedian and writer.
Career:
After writing for TV and magazines, Chase's big comedy break came when he joined the cast of the National Lampoon Radio Hour in 1973, working alongside Bill Murray and John Belushi. However, it was Saturday Night Live that turned him into a US star when he appeared on the first series in 1975. Movie success soon followed thanks to films like Caddyshack, Fletch and National Lampoon's Vacation, but his star waned during the 1990s after a string of flops and the failure of his self-titled talk show. Chase returned to TV in 2006 when he appeared in an episode of Law & Order. Since then, he has guest-starred in Brothers & Sisters and Chuck, and starred in NBC sitcom Community.
Quote:
"My father was the funniest guy I ever met. I'm not sure if I stole his stuff or if I inherited it."
Trivia:
In 1986, Chase attended the Betty Ford Clinic for treatment of an addiction to prescription painkillers.