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- The movie is based on a short story. Like the 1983 original, Christmas Vacation is based on a short story, “Christmas ’59,” written by John Hughes for National Lampoon in December 1980.
- Clark Griswold grew up in Samantha Stevens’s house. If Clark’s childhood home featured in those old movies looks familiar, that’s because it’s the same house featured on Bewitched, as well as The New Gidget.
- John Hughes wasn’t a fan of sequels. Though many of Hughes’s films have spawned sequels, the man himself was not a fan of retreads. He was credited as a writer on European Vacation, and claimed that was only because he had created the characters.
- It’s one of only two Christmas movies released in 1989. Though the holiday season is usually packed with Christmas-themed movies, Christmas Vacation was one of only two that were released in 1989.
- Jeremiah S. Chechik
- Senior Author
- Chevy Chase
- Clark Griswold. Played by Chevy Chase. The head of the household, Clark Griswold is arguably the most famous role of Saturday Night Live alumni Chevy Chase.
- Ellen Griswold. Played by Beverly D'Angelo. Amidst all of Clark's absurd antics and borderline infidelity, Ellen Griswold has been by Clark's side through all of it.
- Audrey Griswold. Played by Juliette Lewis. Yellowjackets star Juliette Lewis plays the eldest child of Clark and Ellen, Audrey, for the first and only time.
- Rusty Griswold. Played by Johnny Galecki. Long before Johnny Galecki portrayed Leonard in The Big Bang Theory, he was one of the many actors to play Clark and Ellen's son Rusty in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.
- Ben Sherlock
- Clark W. “Sparky” Griswold, Jr. The Griswold Patriarch. The Griswold patriarch, Clark Griswold – also known by his wife’s pet name, “Sparky” – is played by Chevy Chase (who played the part in every Vacation movie, including the reboot).
- Ellen Griswold. Clark’s Loving Wife. Ellen Griswold (née Smith), Clark’s wife and Audrey and Rusty’s mother, is played by Beverly D’Angelo (who, like Chase, has reprised her role in every Vacation movie including the reboot).
- Audrey Griswold. Clark & Ellen’s Daughter. Clark and Ellen’s daughter, Audrey Griswold, is played by Juliette Lewis in Christmas Vacation. Audrey was previously played by Dana Barron and Dana Hill in the last two movies, and later by Marisol Nichols in Vegas Vacation and Leslie Mann in the reboot.
- Russell “Rusty” Griswold. Clark & Ellen’s Son. Clark and Ellen’s son, Russell Griswold – better known by his nickname “Rusty” – is played by The Big Bang Theory’s Johnny Galecki.
- Why Do The Griswold Children Change
- The Griswold Kids' Ages Also Change
- Vegas Vacation Pokes Fun at The Griswold Kids Confusion
Anthony Michael Hall's Rising Career Brought About The Recasting
The original Vacation movie stars Anthony Michael Hall as Rusty and Dana Barron as Audrey. Dana Barron revealed in an interview that when a sequel was announced after the first film's success, Anthony Michael Hall declined to return as Rusty so he could star in John Hughes’ Weird Science instead. Instead of only finding a new actor for Rusty, European Vacation's director Amy Heckerling decided to recast both children. Following Vacation, Rusty was played by Jason Lively, Johnny Galecki, and E...
The Vacation Movies Didn't Focus On Any Continuity With The Kids
Not only do the Griswold kids change actors, but their ages and appearances also oscillate between films. The kids age on a floating timeline, though they always remain teenagers and the films seem to take place in the year that they’re released. In Vacation, Rusty and Audrey are in their early or mid-teens, with no clear indication as to which sibling is older. Rusty begins with blond hair and a tall, skinny physique while Audrey is short with long brown hair and tan skin. In European Vacati...
Chevy Chase Also Shared His Take On The Inconsistency
The Griswold children’s ages and appearances were even included as a gag in Vegas Vacation when Clark tells his children he “hardly recognizes them anymore” before freezing on their faces. Though they raise questions about the Vacation franchise’s continuity issues, the Griswold children are actually quite irrelevant to the stories: it’s really about Clark’s struggles as a family man and father to teenagers. Chevy Chase also shared his take on the Griswold children's age question while also s...
- Colin Mccormick
In 1989, Galecki portrayed Rusty Griswold in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. In 1990, he was cast as Danny Nash, the son of Robert Urich 's lead character, on the NBC comedy American Dreamer; the following season, he was a regular cast member on the ABC sitcom Billy, a spin-off from Head of the Class.
May 22, 2024 · Since the first National Lampoon's Vacation movie was released in 1983, every generation has grown up with their own incarnation of the Griswold kids. So, where are Rusty and Audrey Griswold now?
People also ask
Did Johnny Galecki play Rusty in National Lampoon's Christmas vacation?
Who played the Griswold child in European Vacation?
Who is older Rusty Griswold?
Did Johnny Galecki get a big scene cut from Christmas vacation?
Rusty and Audrey Griswold were played by different actors in each 'Vacation' movie. Find out why it happened and why they ran with it.
