A “bizarre” encounter with actor Chevy Chase led then-unknown filmmaker Chris Columbus to walk off National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. The Nosferatu producer recalled the experience publicly for the first time, detailing that Chase’s disrespectful interactions toward him led him to quit at a time when he desperately needed a next project.
In a new sit-down with Vanity Fair, Columbus recounted connecting with John Hughes, who was repped by the same agent at the time, following the release of a “complete disaster” of a film called Heartbreak Hotel. After the box-office and critical failure, The Breakfast Club director sent him the script for Christmas Vacation.
Columbus sprung into action, beginning to shoot second unit in Chicago around Christmastime.
“I was signed on … and then I met Chevy Chase. Even given my situation at the time, where I desperately needed to make a film, I realized I couldn’t work with the guy,” he said. “I was one of the many who couldn’t work with him. And I called John and I said, ‘This is really hard for me, but I can’t do this movie with Chevy Chase.’”
The Gremlins helmer took two meetings with Chase, during which the Saturday Night Live alum didn’t say a word for a half-hour and rebuffed him as the director of the movie.
“He had to know I was directing the movie,” Columbus explained. “I talked about how I saw the movie, how I wanted to make the movie. He didn’t say anything. I went through about a half hour of talking. He didn’t say a word. And then he stops and he says — and this makes no sense to any human being on the planet, but I’m telling you. I probably have never told this story. Forty minutes into the meeting, he says, ‘Wait a second. You’re the director?’ And I said, ‘Yeah … I’m directing the film.’ And he said to me the most surreal, bizarre thing. I still haven’t been able to make any sense out of it. He said, ‘Oh, I thought you were a drummer.’ I said, ‘Uhh, OK. Let’s start talking about the film again.’ After about 30 seconds, he said, ‘I got to go.’”
During the second meeting, where Hughes was also present, the Mrs. Doubtfire director said he was “basically nonexistent” and that Hughes and Chase discussed everything but the movie. That’s when the decision was solidified: “First of all, he’s not engaged. He’s treating me like sh–. I don’t need this. I’d rather not work again. I’d rather write,” he said. “I thought, This was how we’re going to work together? I’m going to be on set and he’s not listening.” (VF said Chase did not respond to a request for comment.)
While it’s unclear if Chase was playing a joke on Columbus or “hazing” him, Jeremiah S. Chechnik was brought in to helm the 1989 film, the third in the ’80s Vacation series. Columbus said he called Hughes and explained that he couldn’t continue with the project and would “not make a good movie with this guy and I will let you down,” which Hughes took in stride.
But all’s well that end’s well: The following weekend, Hughes sent the script for Home Alone — and the rest is Christmas history.
