20 facts you might not know about 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation'

“National Lampoon’s Vacation” started the fun in 1983 with the Griswolds trying to take a trip to Wally World. This was followed by a “European Vacation” in 1985. Four years later, we got “Christmas Vacation,” giving us three Griswold comedies within three years.

John Hughes had as much of an impact on comedy in the ‘80s as anybody. He had written the first two “Vacation” movies, and the studio really wanted to write a third. Hughes agreed to do it, but mostly because he already had a short story called “Christmas ‘59” he could base it on. That story had appeared in an issue of the “National Lampoon” magazine in 1980.

Chris Columbus was the first director attached to the film. However, before shooting commenced he dropped off the product. The reason? He found Chevy Chase impossible to work with. Not coincidentally, part of the reason Hughes was reluctant to write a third movie in the series in that he felt the movies were becoming all about Chase and less about the story.

Perhaps feeling bad for Columbus being subjected to Chevy, Hughes offered Columbus the chance to direct one of two scripts he had sitting around. Perhaps Columbus was still in a Christmas mood because he chose the holiday film that Hughes had lying around. That movie was “Home Alone,” which became one of the biggest hits of all time.

Maybe they needed a director who didn’t know what he was getting into, or would be willing to work with Chevy Chase. Ultimately, the director that helmed “Christmas Vacation” Jeremiah Chechik. This was his first-ever movie, as previously he had been a music video director. Chechik would go on to direct movies like “Benny & Joon” and “The Avengers.” The one based on the British TV show. He won a Razzie for it.

Russ and Audrey, the Griswold kids, are played by different actors in all the “Vacation” movies. The duo that was chosen for this film was some pretty astute casting. Johnny Galecki, best known for “The Big Bang Theory” these days, played Russ, while Juliette Lewis played Audrey. Clearly, continuity didn’t matter much to the filmmakers, so it’s not a big deal that Lewis is taller than Galecki, the only time that Audrey has the height advantage on Rusty in the series.

Todd and Margo Chester are the Griswolds’ yuppie neighbors who despise them. Todd is played by Nicholas Guest, who we are sure is a fine actor. Margo, though, is played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Soon after this, she would debut on “Seinfeld” and the rest is television history.

The Lindsey Buckingham song “Holiday Road” was played in the first two films in the series, and would return later. However, the Griswolds don’t hit the road in this movie. Maybe that’s why this is the one “Vacation” movie that doesn’t feature “Holiday Road.” Instead, there’s an original song called “Christmas Vacation” sung by Mavis Staples.

In addition to that original song, “Christmas Vacation” is packed with Christmastime staples. Even so, there was never a soundtrack released for the movie. Strangely, in 1999 a purported “10th anniversary” soundtrack started popping up online on various auction sites. The claim was that they had been made to be sold at Six Flags. Ultimately, it proved to be false, as this was a bootleg CD. In fact, one of the songs on the CD was from John Williams’ “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” score.

Were you wondering who was on the cover of that “People” magazine Clark reads in bed? The one he has trouble with because his fingers are sticky with tree sap? That would be the Chechik, the film’s director.

Mae Questel plays Bethany, Clark’s aunt who is dealing with senility in her advanced age. While Questel would not pass away until 1998 at the age of 89, this was her final film. Her career began in 1930, and she was quite successful, especially in animation. She was the voice of both Betty Boop and Olive Oyl.

Oftentimes a male actor will have an on-screen paramour a bit younger than them, even if the characters are ostensibly the same age. “Christmas Vacation” flips that on its head. Questel was 81 when she played Bethany, while William Hickey – who plays her husband Lewis – was only 62. That’s a 19-year gap!

When Clark has his freak out on the Christmas decorations, you may notice that he does a lot of kicking in his rampage. There’s a reason for that. Early in that scene Chase punched a Santa figurine and broke his pinky and avoided using his hands after that. They kept that take in the movie.

Clark and Eddie drink egg nog out of Wally World mugs. That is, of course, the location the Griswolds go to in the first “Vacation” movie. On top of that, the shoes that Eddie is wearing are the shoes he had given to Clark as a gift in the first movie as well.

“National Lampoon” and “Saturday Night Live” have a lot of connections, and that’s certainly true in this movie. Chevy Chase is, of course, one of the original “SNL” cast members, but there are actually four “SNL” alumni in this movie: Chase, Louis-Dreyfus, Quaid, and Brian Doyle-Murray.

Nobody is debating whether or not “Christmas Vacation” is a Christmas movie. It’s not a “Die Hard” or a “Gremlins.” The movie is awash in Christmas signifiers. That being said, the movie does not feature Christmas Day at all. The film ends on Christmas Eve.

“Christmas Vacation” debuted at number two in the box office, which is not bad. Also, to be fair, it was going up against “Back to the Future Part II.” That movie had come out a couple of weeks earlier, though, and it didn’t have the same holiday legs as “Christmas Vacation.” In its third week in theaters, “Christmas Vacation” became the number-one movie in America, which it held onto the next week as well. Then Christmas was in the past and it too lost its legs.

“Christmas Vacation” made $73.3 million on a $25 million box office. That was more than either of the first two movies, as well as the (largely reviled) follow-up “Vegas Vacation.” It would be the top movie in the series until the 2015 reboot “Vacation,” which made $107.2 million. We don’t know who wins when you take inflation into account.

In 2003, we got “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation 2.” It was a made-for-TV movie aired by NBC. Also, it featured basically none of the regulars. Instead, the film is centered on Randy Quaid’s Cousin Eddie. The only other people from the previous movies to appear were Miriam Flynn as Catherine, Eddie’s Wife, and Dana Barron, the original Audrey returning to the role.

Chase and Beverly D’Angelo reprised their roles of Clark and Ellen in 2020, though this time it was not for a film, even a made-for-TV film. Instead, it was for an ad for Ford. The commercial spoofs one of the favorite scenes in “Christmas Vacation” where Clark tries to light his massive lighting display on his roof.