Chevy Chase

Lore & Background

His parents divorced when he was four. John Cederquist, a psychoanalyst. Chase did not enter medical school, which meant he was subject to the military draft.

Reader's Guide

Chevy Chase's significance stems from his role as the breakout cast member in the first season of Saturday Night Live, where his Weekend Update segment became a staple and helped define the show's style. His catchphrase introduction, "I'm Chevy Chase… and you're not," and his trademark conclusion, "Good night, and have a pleasant tomorrow," became iconic. His legacy includes influencing later news satire shows such as The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, which Chase claimed were inspired by his version of Weekend Update.

Did You Know?

• Chase was named for his adoptive grandfather, Cornelius, while the nickname 'Chevy' was bestowed by his grandmother from the English ballad 'The Ballad of Chevy Chase'.
• While at Bard College, Chase played drums in a band called The Leather Canary, whose other two members, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, went on to found Steely Dan.
• Chase said he tricked his draft board into believing he deserved a 4-F classification by falsely claiming that he had 'homosexual tendencies'.

From National Lampoon to the Sitcom Pantheon

Tom Leopold's path into comedy writing began in the early 1970s when he started contributing material to National Lampoon magazine. The real turning point came when he pivoted to television situation comedies, a genre he has dominated ever since. His range across American and British television underscores a rare versatility in the comedy writing world.

The Club Paradise Wreck and the J. Edgar! Triumph

Shearer was so appalled by the result that he stripped his name from the credits entirely. Leopold, by contrast, left his name on the film but has never written for the screen again. Edgar!, which he and Shearer crafted as a radio production for L.A. Theatre Works. It found a second life at the U.S. The contrast between those two projects captures the unpredictable, often maddening nature of show-business collaboration.

Mentor, Voice Actor, and Radio Host

Beyond his television writing, Leopold has carved out a distinctive presence in education, voice work, and broadcasting. J.

Novelist, Show-Biz Phil, and a Life in New York

Leopold's creative output stretches well beyond the writers' room. Leopold and Sand even appear in promotional videos playing the characters themselves.

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