Its been over 25 years since Clark Griswold tried to give his family the perfect Christmas holiday. See what the cast of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is up to today.
Chevy Chase - Clark Griswold
Warner Bros/Splash News
Chevy Chase returned to the
Vacation film series with this third installment as patriarch Clark Griswold, who was determined to give his family the best Christmas they've ever had. Obviously, things don't exactly go the way Clark wants them to. Prior to
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, Chase was an original
Saturday Night Live cast member, and he speared in 1983’s
National Lampoon's Vacation and 1985’s
National Lampoon's European Vacation. Since
Christmas Vacation, Chase has gone on to appear in several movies including
Orange County and
Snow Day. He's also returned to his role as Clark Griswold in 1997’s
Vegas Vacation and most recently 2015's
Vacation. He also played Pierce Hawthorne on
NBC's
Community. Chase is an environmentalist and a liberal democrat.
Beverly D'Angelo - Ellen Griswold
Warner Bros/ WENN
After garnering a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for her role in
The Coal Miner's Daughter,
Beverly D'Angelo joined the
Vacation film franchise appearing in all of the films including 2015's
Vacation alongside Chevy Chase. D'Angleo appeared in numerous films during the 1990s and early 2000's including
American History X and
The House Bunny. She also had recurring roles on both
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and
Entourage. D'Angelo has several films slated for released in 2016. From 1996-2003 she was married to
Al Pacino. The couple have twins together, a son Anton James and daughter Olivia Rose.
Randy Quaid - Eddie Johnson
Warner Bros/ WENN
article continues below ad
Juliette Lewis - Audrey Griswold
Warner Bros/WENN
Juliette Lewis began playing Audrey Griswold in
Christmas Vacation. The role had been previously played by actresses
Dana Barron and
Dana Hill in the first two films.
Christmas Vacation was Lewis' breakout role. Shortly thereafter, she appeared in the hit television show,
The Wonder Years as Wayne Arnold's girlfriend. In 1991, Lewis was nominated for an Academy Award for her role in
Cape Fear. Since then, Lewis has been in numerous films including
What's Eating Gilbert Grape,
The Basketball Diaries and
August: Osage County. Lewis currently stars as Detective Andrea Cornell in
ABC's Secrets and Lies. Lewis is a musician, and was a member of the rock band
Juliette and the Licks until 2009. Her newest film
Nerve which stars
Dave Franco and
Emma Roberts is slated for release in 2016.
Johnny Galeck - Rusty Griswold
Warner Bros/ WENN
Diane Ladd - Nora Griswold
Warner Bros/ WENN
Veteran actress, Diane Ladd's appearance as Clark Griswold's mom Nora in
Christmas Vacation was just another in a very lengthy filmography. In the '70s, Ladd was nominated for an Academy Award for her role in
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore. Post-
Christmas Vacation, Ladd teamed up with her daughter, actress
Laura Dern for the film
Wild At Heart. Since then, Ladd has appeared in several TV shows including
Touched By an Angel and
Dr. Quinn. She has also continued to act in films, and will be next seen in the upcoming
David O. Russell film
Joy alongside
Jennifer Lawrence.
article continues below ad
Julia Louis-Dreyfus - Margo Chester
Warner Bros./ Splash News
The same year she began her acclaimed role as Elaine Benes on
Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus also starred as the Griswold's prissy neightboor Margo Chester in
Christmas Vacation. It was the fourth film role for the
SNL alum, who had starred in
Troll, Hannah and Her Sisters, and
Soul Man in 1986. Post
Vacation and
Seinfeld, Louis-Dreyfus made cameo appearances in various shows including
Arrested Development and
30 Rock. From 2006-2010 she starred in
The New Adventures of Old Christine. Louis-Dreyfus currently stars on
HBO's Veep for which she has won four Emmy awards, making her grand total seven. Actress
Tina Fey has stated that Louis-Dreyfus served as inspiration for her character Liz Lemon on
30 Rock.
Doris Roberts - Frances Smith
Warner Bros./Splash News
Though you probably recognize
Doris Roberts as the smothering but loving Marie Baron from
Everybody Loves Raymond, the acclaimed actress also played Ellen Griswold's mother Frances in
Christmas Vacation. Roberts went on to play Raymond's mother Marie from 1996-2005 and won four Emmys during that time. She also made various cameos in TV shows including,
The King of Queens, The Middle and
Melissa and Joey. Most recently, Roberts has appeared in several movies including
Old Soldiers and
Tyler Perry's Madea's Witness Protection. Roberts is an avid animal rights advocate and cook. She co-wrote the cookbook,
Are You Hungry, Dear? Life, Laughs, and Lasagna in 2005.
Miriam Flynn - Catherine Johnson
Warner Bros./IMDB
Miriam Flynn reprised her role as Catherine Johnson, Ellen's cousin in
Christmas Vacation. During the '90s Flynn began doing a great deal of voice acting. She had roles in the cartoons
Ducktales and
Taz-Mania. Flynn also voiced Grandma Longneck in
The Land Before Time films. In 2003, she appeared in
Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure alongside Randy Quaid. Most recently, Flynn has appeared in the television shows
Suburgatory,
Scandal and
Bones.
article continues below ad
Ellen Latzen - Ruby Sue
Warner Bros./Twitter
After making her acting debut in
Fatal Attraction, Ellen Latzen snagged the role of Ruby Sue; Catherine and Eddie's daughter in
Christmas Vacation when she was just 9 years old. Latzen left acting shortly thereafter. She attended the California College of the Arts and loves working with people.
RIP E. G. Marshall - Art Smith
Warner Bros.
Though he played Ellen Griswold's grumpy dad in
Christmas Vacation,
E.G. Marshall had an expansive career that went back to the 1940's. He is perhaps best remembered as "Juror #4" in
Sidney Lumet's 1957 masterpiece
12 Angry Men. After
Christmas Vacation, Marshall made several appearances on television shows including
The Cosby Show,
Chicago Hope, and
Courthouse. His final role was in the TV film
Miss Evers' Boys. Marshall passed away in 1998 at the age of 84.
RIP Mae Questel - Aunt Bethany
Warner Bros.
You probably don't know that
Mae Questel was the original voice of both Betty Boop and Olive Oyl. Talk about an icon! Before portraying Aunt Bethany in
Christmas Vacation, she also starred in
Funny Girl and
Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Sadly, Aunt Bethany was Questel's last role. She passed away in 1998 at 89 years old.
article continues below ad
RIP John Randolph - Clark Griswold, Sr.
Warner Bros
John Randolph was already a seasoned actor when he appeared in
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Prior to appearing in the 1989 film, Randolph acted in films like
King Kong and
All the President's Men. In the late 1940s and 1950s Randolph was blacklisted from working in Hollywood films and in New York television and radio, because of his perceived links to Communism. Randolph was not cast in a film again until the mid-1960s. Well into his late 70s in the early 90s, one of Randolph's last film roles was in
You've Got Mail. John Randolph passed away in 2004 at the age of 88 years old.
RIP William Hickey - Uncle Lewis
Warner Bros.
Academy Award nominee
William Hickey was a veteran actor long before playing Uncle Lewis in
Christmas Vacation. He'd even starred with two of his
Vacation co-stars previously. He and E.G. Marshall co-starred in the 1960s television series
The Defenders, and he starred with John Randolph in 1985's
Prizzi's Honor. Post-
Christmas Vacation, Hickey voiced Dr. Finklestein in
Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas. In the early to mid '90s Hickey continued to act in films including
Major Payne and
Mousehunt. Hickey passed away in 1997 after a bout with emphysema and bronchitis. He was 69 years old.