On the date of Wednesday, December 15, 2021, the participants of the Alumni Activities Club took the CDTA bus to the Palace Theatre to see a screening of the 1989 Christmas classic, “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” that was immediately followed by a moderated conversation with the main star of the movie himself! Chevy Chase was in the house to speak directly to the fans of this iconic film and the large body of his other work.

Mia, Rob, and Bill listened as Mr. Chase regaled the audience with anecdotes of working on Saturday Night Live during its first years on the air when he was one of the original cast members. Of course, also he spoke about the experience making the Christmas Vacation movie and spoke about what scenes were improvised because his late-collaborator, Harold Ramis told him to play Clark Griswold as “over the top” when directing him in the first installment of the series. We also learned the squirrel that wreaked havoc in the Griswold house was trained, and he gave a humorous answer when someone in the audience asked why his teenage children were played by different actors in every Vacation movie. “I wanted to get old while everybody else stayed the same,” was his answer!

We are so glad the alumni had this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in our Alumni Activities Club. Here is a photograph of Mia and Rob about to enjoy the show. In the background, you can vaguely make out an image of Clark Griswold getting electrocuted in one of his many well-meaning attempts to create a perfect Christmas for the whole family!