Have you ever watched the Christmas classic, “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” and wondered if Chevy Chase actually got hurt during filming? The answer is yes! In fact, there were several instances where Chase suffered injuries while making the film.
The Sled Scene
One of the most memorable scenes in the movie is when Clark Griswold (played by Chevy Chase) decides to take his family sledding. In this scene, Clark uses a metal saucer sled to go down a hill at an incredibly fast speed. As he reaches the bottom of the hill, he crashes into a large pile of snow and goes flying through the air.
During filming, Chase actually hit a ramp that was hidden under the snow and was launched higher than planned. He ended up flying off course and crashing into a tree. This resulted in a cut on his forehead which can be seen in some of the shots that made it into the final cut of the movie.
The Attic Scene
Another scene in which Chase suffered an injury was during the famous attic scene. In this scene, Clark is trying to retrieve some old family movies from his dusty attic. As he climbs up into the attic, he accidentally steps on a board which flips up and hits him in the face.
During filming, this scene required multiple takes which meant that Chase had to repeatedly step on that same board. By the end of filming that day, he had a huge welt on his forehead from getting hit by the board so many times.
The Icicle Scene
In yet another scene where Clark Griswold experiences some pain, we see him putting up Christmas lights outside his house. As he hangs from his roof trying to staple lights to it, icicles begin to form on his fingers and hands.
During filming, those icicles were actually made out of plastic but they still managed to cause some problems for Chase. The plastic icicles were sharp and ended up cutting his face during one of the takes.
The Final Scene
The last scene in the movie shows the Griswold family enjoying their Christmas dinner while wearing matching sweaters. As they all stand up to sing a song together, the camera pans out to show their house covered in Christmas lights.
During filming of this scene, one of the light fixtures that was attached to the Griswold’s house fell and hit Chevy Chase on the shoulder. Although he wasn’t seriously injured, it was still a painful experience for him.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Chevy Chase did suffer some injuries while filming “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”. From getting hit in the face with a board to flying off course during a sled scene, it’s clear that making a comedy classic sometimes requires some physical sacrifice. Despite these injuries, Chevy Chase continued to give his all to make this movie as funny and entertaining as possible.