Where Is the “National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation ”Cast Now? Inside Their Lives 36 Years Later
- - Where Is the “National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation ”Cast Now? Inside Their Lives 36 Years Later
Kate Hogan, Zoey LyttleDecember 26, 2025 at 5:30 PM
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Clockwise from bottom left: Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold, Juliette Lewis as Audrey Griswold, Johnny Galecki as Rusty Griswold and Beverly D'Angelo as Ellen Griswold in 1989's 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation'
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation brought the "hap-hap-happiest Christmas" crashing into our lives like a giant tree through a window, and we still can't get enough of the classic holiday film decades later.
Arriving in theaters on Dec. 1, 1989, the over-the-top comedy follows patriarch Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) as he attempts to enjoy the perfect Christmas with his family, but his dream quickly falls apart as his relatives and in-laws arrive. There's nothing quite like an evergreen that won't fit in the house, a boss who reneges on the holiday bonus and a blindingly bright light display to scream, "Happy holidays!" Or, more aptly, "Something had to break!"
Christmas Vacation — the third in the Vacation franchise after 1983's National Lampoon's Vacation and 1985's European Vacation —was the directorial debut of Jeremiah S. Chechik, who told PEOPLE in 2023 that he aimed to make choices "that were somewhat timeless," noting, "I just wanted to make a great movie."
Chase also reflected on the film in November 2019, sharing that the love he gets from fans "makes me feel like Jimmy Stewart in It's a Wonderful Life."
"I think the movie is terrific," he told the Los Angeles Daily News. "... From the second you hear 'The little lights are not twinkling,' you know it's starting to go wrong, and the next thing you have is Cousin Eddie [Randy Quaid] and Clark going 'Eddie? Is that you?' And you just know all things are going to go awry."
Beyond Chase watching the film many times with fans, here's what the cast of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is up to now.
01 of 14
Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold
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Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold in 1989's 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation'; Chevy Chase attends the Wildlife Conservation Society Gala at the Central Park Zoo in New York City in June 2023.
Chase (born Cornelius Crane Chase) reprised his role as bumbling family patriarch Clark Griswold in five Vacation films, including the later installments Vegas Vacation (1997) and Vacation (2015).
"I loved all of the physical stuff in the movie," Chase, who still regularly posts on Facebook about the film, told the Los Angeles Daily News. "I loved the stuff on the roof, which was typical of Clark Griswold. I loved sliding down the roof and hanging on. It was all very funny."
Before the National Lampoon franchise, Chase was already a household name thanks to Saturday Night Live and the films Foul Play (1978), Caddyshack (1980) and Spies Like Us (1985). In the years since, he's appeared in comedies such as 1995's Man of the House (1995) and 2000's Snow Day (2000).
No stranger to the small screen, Chase had guest spots on shows like Brothers & Sisters, Chuck and Hot in Cleveland. However, his five-season run on Community as Pierce Hawthorne has been his most prominent role on TV since SNL.
According to Variety, the actor was let go in 2012 after using a racial slur on set, resulting in his character being written off in an off-screen death. (Chase returned in a single-scene cameo as a hologram of Pierce on the season 5 premiere episode "Repilot.") While a Community spinoff movie is in development, Chase's former costar Joel McHale revealed on Kelly Ripa's Let's Talk Off Camera podcast in June 2023 that Chase would not be a part of it.
In 2025, the comedian hit the road for a fall tour of Christmas Vacation screenings around the U.S. His documentary, I'm Chevy Chase and You're Not, will premiere on CNN on New Year's Day 2026.
Chase has been married three times. He shares three daughters, Cydney, Caley and Emily, with his current wife, Jayni Chase, whom he's been married to since 1982. He also has a grown son, Bryan Perkins, from a previous marriage.
02 of 14
Beverly D'Angelo as Ellen Griswold
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Beverly D'Angelo as Ellen Griswold in 1989's 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation'; Beverly D'Angelo attends the premiere of 'Violent Night' at TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles on Nov. 29, 2022.
Like Chase, D'Angelo also appeared in the Vacation film series as long-suffering mom Ellen Griswold.
She told PEOPLE in 2022 that when she was first approached to play the part, she wanted to turn it down, as she had mostly done dramas up until that point and, at 30, she thought she was too young to play the mom of a teenager. However, her agent told her it was "very funny," and when she met Chase, she discovered they had "great chemistry."
What she really "never imagined" was the Griswolds becoming a part of many families' holiday traditions, telling PEOPLE in 2025, "I don't care what anybody says, nobody imagined that 40 years down the line or however long it's been, that the Griswolds would be part of our culture."
The Ohio native had quite the résumé before the movie's 1989 release, with roles in Annie Hall (1977), Hair (1979) and Coal Miner's Daughter (1980). She's worked steadily ever since, earning credits in dramas like 1998's American History X and the 2000 rom-com High Fidelity before joining the cast of Entourage as agent Barbara "Babs" Miller in 2005.
D'Angelo continued on TV, appearing on Shooter, Insatiable and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. She kept the Christmas streak going in the 2022 adult holiday film Violent Night.
Other big-screen additions include The Trainer (2024) and No Address (2025), with Deadline reporting in 2025 that the actress is set to star in the upcoming film Grace Period. The outlet also announced her appearance in The Heart Brake, which began filming in the summer of 2025.
D'Angelo eloped in the early 1980s with Italian duke Lorenzo Salviati, and they divorced in the mid-1990s so she could date Al Pacino. The Emmy-nominated star and Pacino welcomed twins Anton and Olivia in 2001 before splitting in 2004.
03 of 14
Juliette Lewis as Audrey Griswold
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Juliette Lewis as Audrey Griswold in 1989's 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation'; Juliette Lewis attends the 52nd annual Saturn Awards at the Hilton Universal City Hotel in L.A. on Feb. 2, 2025.
Following her stint on I Married Dora in 1987, Lewis joined the Christmas Vacation cast as the older Griswold sibling, Audrey. (The role was played by Dana Barron and Dana Hill in the first two films, respectively.)
She has stayed very busy in the years since, earning Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for Cape Fear (1991) and Emmy nods for the HBO TV movie Hysterical Blindness (2002) and the Hulu miniseries Welcome to Chippendales (2022). The actress also starred in What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993), Natural Born Killers (1994), From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) and Old School (2003).
Lewis even had a TV reunion in 2018 with former Vacation costar Galecki on The Conners, where she played his character David Healy's girlfriend, Blue. From 2021 to 2023, Lewis starred as Natalie on the Showtime thriller series Yellowjackets. She starred opposite Ayo Edebiri and John Malkovich in the 2025 psychological drama Opus.
In addition to acting, she is a singer, gaining indie rock success with her band, Juliette Lewis and the Licks, before launching a solo career in 2009.
During the "Fabulous Ladies of the '90s" panel in September 2024 — moderated by PEOPLE's Dory Jackson at 90s Con in Florida — Lewis was asked about which role resonated with her the most.
The actress mentioned Christmas Vacation, telling Jackson, "I was very young, but I see all these people, these kids and families, and it's so touching because you can't predict that."
Lewis added, "Chevy Chase was very kind to me on that movie."
She has reunited with her Christmas Vacation castmates over the years, sharing a photo of their meet-up on Instagram in November 2025 with the caption: "Merry Christmas 🎄from the Griswolds! Love my movie family 😌🙌."
Lewis was married to director and professional skateboarder Steve Berra from 1999 to 2003. She has been dating Rage Against the Machine drummer Brad Wilk since 2016.
04 of 14
Johnny Galecki as Rusty Griswold
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Johnny Galecki as Rusty Griswold in 1989's 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation'; Johnny Galecki attends the series finale party for 'The Big Bang Theory' at The Langham Huntington in Pasadena, Calif., on May 1, 2019.
A young Galecki played Clark and Ellen's son Rusty, marking his only appearance in the Vacation franchise.
"I was terrified, of course," he recalled of the audition process at the Academy's 30th anniversary screening in 2019, before adding that he "nailed it," and Chase told him he had the part on the spot.
Galecki continued, "I was intimidated by the entire environment. It was a really big deal to me for all the obvious reasons, but I'd really only done musical theater in Chicago."
Galecki went on to gain fame as a guest star on Roseanne and Entourage, and as a leading cast member of The Big Bang Theory. He briefly reprised his role as David Healy on a few episodes of the Roseanne spinoff The Conners. His work on the big screen includes Hancock (2008), In Time (2011) and Rings (2017).
From 2008 to 2009, Galecki dated his former Big Bang Theory costar Kaley Cuoco, and the two have remained close friends after their amicable split. In 2018, he began a relationship with Alaina Meyer, with whom he welcomed son Avery in 2019. However, in 2020, PEOPLE reported the two had broken up.
Galecki has since wed Morgan Galecki and welcomed daughter Oona Evelena, confirming both for the March 2024 cover of Architectural Digest, though he didn't confirm the dates of either. The Emmy-nominated actor also shared that he had relocated from L.A. — where he lived for 30 years — to Nashville in 2020.
05 of 14
Randy Quaid as Cousin Eddie Johnson
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Randy Quaid as Cousin Eddie Johnson in 1989's 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation'; Randy Quaid attends Fan Expo Chicago at Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill., on Aug. 13, 2023.
As the off-kilter husband to Ellen's cousin Catherine (Flynn), Randy brought many of the laughs (and much of the mischief!) as Eddie.
"I know some people like Eddie, unfortunately, including some of my relatives down in Texas. Everybody must have an Eddie in their family somewhere. I worked in an ice cream store when I was in high school, and my boss was a lot like Eddie," Randy said in a 1989 interview with UPI. "Now my relatives are wondering who I'm talking about."
Randy has been a working actor since the early 1970s, with roles in The Last Detail (1973), for which he earned an Oscar nomination, Paper Moon (1973) and Midnight Express (1978). He also appeared on one season of SNL and earned a Golden Globe Award and Emmy nomination for portraying President Lyndon B. Johnson in the 1987 TV movie LBJ: The Early Years.
After Christmas Vacation, he appeared in Major League II (1994), Independence Day (1996) and Brokeback Mountain (2005). Randy portrayed Eddie again in Vegas Vacation and earned an Emmy nod for the 2005 miniseries Elvis.
Though Randy seemingly left acting behind him, he reunited with Chase in 2024 for another Christmas movie, The Christmas Letter, telling PEOPLE he "found the role very funny."
"Chevy was doing it — so why not?" Randy added. "Chevy and I are best friends on- and off-screen — I just laugh looking at him."
06 of 14
Miriam Flynn as Cousin Catherine Johnson
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Miriam Flynn as Cousin Catherine Johnson in 1989's 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation'; Miriam Flynn arrives at the premiere of 'Krystal' at the Arclight Theatre in L.A. on April 5, 2018.
Flynn played Cousin Catherine several times throughout the franchise, beginning with 1983's National Lampoon's Vacation.
Before Christmas Vacation, she appeared in 1983's Mr. Mom and 1988's For Keeps?, and she's since had guest spots on many TV shows, including Ally McBeal, Malcolm in the Middle and Grey's Anatomy.
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, her focus was voice acting. Flynn has dozens of voice credits, from big-screen favorites like the 1995 family dramedy Babe to animated series like Family Guy. In the 2010s, she returned to live-action cameos on various shows and in films, appearing on episodes of Shrinking, Call Me Kat, The Lincoln Lawyer and 9-1-1 in 2025.
Flynn met her husband, author and screenwriter Will Aldis (previously known as Will Porter), when both performed with the Second City in Chicago, per Ripon College. They shared two children, son Graham and daughter Flynn. According to a Facebook post by Second City, Aldis died in 2019.
07 of 14
Diane Ladd as Nora Griswold
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Diane Ladd as Nora Griswold in 1989's 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation'; Diane Ladd arrives at SiriusXM Studios in N.Y.C. on April 24, 2023.
After leaving Hollywood for a time, Diane Ladd found out she had an audition to play Chase's mom, Nora Griswold.
"I said, 'I'm only about six years older than Chevy,' " Ladd recalled during the Academy's 30th anniversary screening and discussion in 2019.
She aged herself with clothes and makeup for the audition.
"I walked in, and Chevy was over there ... and I said, 'Sonny boy! That's my sonny boy!' ... And I got the job," the actress said.
Like most of the cast, Ladd was already a Hollywood icon when the Vacation films premiered: She had earned both a Golden Globe and Oscar nomination for her performance in 1974's Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974). In 1981, she won her first and only Golden Globe for best supporting actress for the spinoff sitcom, Alice.
She was later recognized by the Academy in the early '90s, receiving nominations in 1991 for Wild at Heart and in 1992 for Rambling Rose. Ladd appeared on-screen with her real-life daughter, actress Laura Dern, in both films and on the HBO series Enlightened. Other prominent show appearances included Kingdom Hospital and Chesapeake Shores, with her last acting credits in the 2022 films Gigi & Nate and Isle of Hope.
Ladd was married to actor Bruce Dern from 1960 to 1969, with whom she starred opposite in Rambling Rose and David Lynch's 2006 experimental horror flick, Inland Empire. She and Bruce shared daughters Diane, who died in a swimming pool accident at 18 months, and Laura.
Her second husband was businessman William A. Shea Jr., to whom she was wed from 1969 to 1977. She married her third husband, former PepsiCo CEO Robert Charles Hunter, in 1999, and they remained together until his death in July 2025.
Ladd died at 89 of acute chronic hypoxic respiratory failure in November 2025.
08 of 14
John Randolph as Clark Griswold Sr.
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John Randolph as Clark Griswold Sr. in 1989's 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation'; John Randolph attends the screening of 'The Dogwalker' at Laemmle Sunset 5 Theater in West Hollywood, Calif., in 2011.
John Randolph began acting in the late 1940s. He had countless TV appearances and films like Inherit the Wind (1965), Serpico (1973) and King Kong (1976) under his belt before portraying Clark's dad.
After Christmas Vacation, Randolph was a recurring guest star on Annie McGuire and Grand and appeared on episodes of ER, Seinfeld and Touched by an Angel. He followed up his role as Schuyler Fox in the 1998 rom-com You've Got Mail, with final appearances on the big screen in 2000's Sunset Strip and 2003's Numb.
Randolph had two children with his wife, actress Sarah Cunningham. He died in 2004 at the age of 88.
09 of 14
E.G. Marshall as Art Smith
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E.G. Marshall as Art Smith in 1989's 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation'; E.G. Marshall at the Los Angeles International Airport on Feb. 4, 1997.
Born Everett Eugene Grunz in Minnesota, E.G. Marshall made his name on Broadway and on the big screen, notably as a juror in 1957's 12 Angry Men and as the president in 1989's Superman II. He also starred in the 1960s CBS drama The Defenders.
In Christmas Vacation, Marshall portrayed Ellen's cantankerous father, Art Smith. Following the holiday classic, he took on supporting roles in films like Consenting Adults (1992) and Nixon (1995). His final film role came in 1997's Absolute Power. He also appeared on episodes of Chicago Hope and several TV movies throughout the 1990s.
Per The Independent, Marshall married twice. He shared two daughters, Jill and Degen, with Helen Wolf, with whom he was married from 1931 to 1953. He was married to his second wife, Judith Coy, from 1958 until his death in August 1998 at age 84; they had three children, sons Sam and Jud and daughter Sarah.
10 of 14
Doris Roberts as Frances Smith
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Doris Roberts as Frances Smith in 1989's 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation'; Doris Roberts attends the 19th annual Hollywood Film Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in California on Nov. 1, 2015.
Doris Roberts, born Doris May Green in St. Louis, was already an Emmy winner when she was cast as Frances Smith, Ellen's mother and Art's wife.
Roberts got her start on Broadway in the 1950s. She earned numerous on-screen credits throughout the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, making her film debut in 1961's Something Wild. She starred alongside Elliott Gould in Little Murders (1971) and Billy Crystal in Rabbit Test (1978), among other big movie gigs. She took on her first major TV role in 1983, playing Mildred Krebs in Remington Steele until 1987. Her performance on St. Elsewhere earned her an Emmy for best supporting actress in 1983.
Post-National Lampoon, she took home four more Emmy wins for her role on the beloved CBS comedy Everybody Loves Raymond, playing Ray Romano's on-screen mother Marie Barone from 1996 to 2005. She also guest-starred on other hit series, including Desperate Housewives, The King of Queens and Law & Order: SVU.
She had one son, Michael Cannata Jr., from her first marriage and was married to her second husband, writer William Goyen, from 1963 until his death in 1983.
Roberts died at 90 of natural causes in April 2016.
11 of 14
Ellen Latzen as Ruby Johnson
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Ellen Latzen as Ruby Johnson in 1989's 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation'; Ellen Latzen arrives for the opening reception of the 'Child Stars — Then and Now' exhibit at the Hollywood Museum in L.A. on Aug. 18, 2016.
At just 8 years old, Ellen Latzen had already spent time on-screen before playing Catherine and Eddie's daughter, Ruby Sue. The former child star — who grew up in New York and went to boarding school in Vermont — was first cast in 1987's Fatal Attraction at age 6, followed by single-episode cameos on Family Ties and The Equalizer.
During a November 2025 appearance on the Dear Santa podcast, Latzen shared it was "humbling" to be a part of what's become a "classic" holiday film.
"It really is amazing that this movie has touched literally millions of people and is something that is held so deeply in their hearts and their families and their traditions," she said. "It makes me feel so wonderful to be a part of that."
Latzen appeared on a 1990 episode of the ABC Afterschool Specials and in a 1995 short film before taking a 30-year hiatus from acting. She returned to the industry in 2025, per KP Talent Management, and will appear next in The Retailer. She's also made appearances at fan conventions, including the New Jersey Horror Con and Film Festival in December 2025.
Latzen shared on Instagram that she and Edward Campbell tied the knot in October 2022. The couple also revealed on Instagram that they welcomed their daughter, Charlotte, a few weeks early on April 30, 2023.
12 of 14
William Hickey as Lewis
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William Hickey as Lewis in 1989's 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation'; William Hickey attends the 1995 MTV Movie Awards in L.A.
Before William Hickey's Uncle Lewis set the Griswold family's Christmas décor aflame, the actor had established himself as a distinguished performer, from his early years onstage to his Oscar-nominated role as Don Corrado Prizzi in John Huston's 1985 crime comedy Prizzi's Honor.
Following Christmas Vacation, Hickey picked up another holiday-themed voice role as Dr. Finkelstein in 1993's The Nightmare Before Christmas. He also appeared on the big screen in Nora Ephron's My Blue Heaven (1990), Major Payne (1995) and Twisted (1996).
On TV, Hickey had guest roles on shows like The Adventures of Pete & Pete, Wings and The Outer Limits and earned an Emmy for his 1990 appearance on the HBO horror series Tales from the Crypt.
Hickey died at 69 in June 1997 while filming the movie Better Than Ever. He had still been teaching at HB Studio in New York City until shortly before his death; Steve McQueen and Barbra Streisand were among his former students, per The New York Times.
13 of 14
Mae Questel as Bethany
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Mae Questel as Bethany in 1989's 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation'; Mae Questel is photographed in 1989.
Mae Questel is primarily remembered as the voice actress behind the animated characters Betty Boop and Olive Oyl.
She earned numerous Broadway credits, including Dr. Social in 1948 and Enter Laughing in 1963. She only stepped in front of the camera a few times, with notable appearances in the film versions of 1962's A Majority of One and 1968's Funny Girl, as well as on the soap opera Somerset.
The New York native's final acting role was as Aunt Bethany in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.
According to The New York Times, she died in January 1998 at age 89 and was survived by one son, Richard Balkin, and three granddaughters.
14 of 14
Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Margo Chester
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Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Margo Chester in 1989's 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation'; Julia Louis-Dreyfus attends the 'WSJ. Magazine' Innovator Awards at the MoMA in N.Y.C. on Nov. 1, 2023.
Shortly before her career-defining role as Elaine Benes on Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus played the Griswolds' uptight neighbor Margo Chester. Christmas Vacation marked one of Louis-Dreyfus' earliest film appearances, coming just a few years after she got her start on SNL at 21.
Louis-Dreyfus later flourished on the small screen, racking up Emmys for her lead performances on The New Adventures of Old Christine and Veep. She also had recurring roles on Arrested Development — starring her Veep costar Tony Hale — The Simpsons and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
On the big screen, Louis-Dreyfus starred opposite the late Robin Williams and Billy Crystal in 1997's Father's Day and alongside James Gandolfini in one of the late actor's final films, Enough Said (2013). In 2023, she was featured in three movies: You Hurt My Feelings, You People and Tuesday. The decorated actress has also appeared as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine in multiple Marvel projects since 2021, including 2025's Thunderbolts*.
Louis-Dreyfus has been married to husband Brad Hall since 1987. They share two sons, actors Henry and Charlie.
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