Chevy Chase's Real Name: Cornelius Crane Chase

Quick answer: Chevy Chase's real name is Cornelius Crane Chase. He was born on October 8, 1943, in New York City. "Chevy" was a childhood nickname that Britannica says was reportedly based on the medieval "Ballad of Chevy Chase." He became famous as the first "Weekend Update" anchor on Saturday Night Live and starred as Clark Griswold in the Vacation films (Britannica; Library of Congress).

Real name and early life

Britannica's quick facts give his name in full as Cornelius Crane Chase, born October 8, 1943, in Manhattan. The Library of Congress files him as "Chase, Chevy," with the variant "Chase, Cornelius Crane." One LOC citation reads "birth name, Cornelius Crane Chase; born October 8, 1943, New York, N.Y." An older one lists Woodstock, N.Y.

Britannica says he was born into wealth. His mother, Cathalene (née Crane) Chase, was a concert pianist, and his father, Edward Tinsley "Ned" Chase, was a book editor. He was named for his mother's stepfather, Cornelius Vanderbilt Crane, whose family founded the Crane manufacturing company. His parents divorced when he was four. Fond of practical jokes, he was expelled from several private schools, including Phillips Exeter Academy. He graduated from Bard College with an English degree in 1967. Around then he played drums in a jazz group called Leather Canary with Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, who later founded Steely Dan.

Career highlights

He wrote and performed for The National Lampoon Radio Hour in 1973–74. Hired as a writer for Saturday Night Live, he quickly became a performer when the show premiered on October 11, 1975. As "Weekend Update" anchor he opened with "I'm Chevy Chase, and you're not." He was also known for pratfalls impersonating President Gerald Ford. He won Emmys for writing and acting in 1976 and became the first cast member to leave the show, during its second season.

On film he starred in Foul Play (1978) and Caddyshack (1980). National Lampoon's Vacation (1983), written by John Hughes, made Clark Griswold his signature role. Fletch (1985), Spies Like Us, Three Amigos! (1986), and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989) followed, and the last became a holiday staple. He co-hosted the Oscars in 1987 and hosted in 1988. A run of flops and the five-week Chevy Chase Show (1993) slowed his career.

A later high point was the acclaimed sitcom Community, which debuted in 2009, with Chase as a buffoonish, bigoted millionaire. Britannica reports that on-set issues, including his use of a racial slur, led to his firing in 2013.

Name notes for searchers

Cornelius is his legal first name, and Crane honors his mother's family. "Chevy" began as a family nickname and became his professional name. LOC files his books and recordings under Chevy Chase.