Editing Chevy Chase (section)

=== 1975–1976: ''Saturday Night Live'' ===
[[File:President Gerald R. Ford Talking with Chevy Chase, Saturday Night Live Producer Lorne Michaels, John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, and Others at the 32nd Annual Radio and Television Correspondents Association Dinner - NARA - 30805929.jpg|thumb|The original cast of ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' with [[President Gerald Ford]] in 1976]]
Chase was one of the original cast members of ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' (''SNL''), [[NBC]]'s late-night comedy television show, beginning in October 1975. During the first season, he introduced every show except two, with "Live from New York, it's ''Saturday Night!''" The remark was often preceded by a [[wikt:Special:Search/pratfall|pratfall]], known as "The Fall of the Week". Chase became known for his skill at [[physical comedy]]. In one [[sketch comedy|comedy sketch]], he mimicked a real-life incident in which President [[Gerald Ford]] accidentally tripped while disembarking from [[Air Force One]] in [[Salzburg]], Austria.<ref>{{cite news| title = Gerald R. Ford| url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/26/AR2006122601257.html| format = Obituary| newspaper = The Washington Post| access-date = September 16, 2008| first = Lou| last = Cannon| date = December 27, 2006| archive-date = May 11, 2008| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080511194806/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/26/AR2006122601257.html| url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
| first = Steve
| last = Chawkins
| title = Bush's Tribute to a Lofty Symbol
| url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-oct-22-me-reagan22-story.html
| newspaper = Los Angeles Times
| date = October 25, 2005
| access-date = September 16, 2008
}}</ref> This portrayal of President Ford as a bumbling klutz became a favorite device of Chase's, and helped form the popular concept of Ford as being a clumsy man despite Ford having been a "star athlete" during his university years.<ref name=today /> In later years, Chase met and became friendly with President Ford.<ref name=today>{{cite news
| title = Chevy Chase recalls Ford as 'a terrific guy': 'SNL' comedian became famous in the '70s portraying president as klutz
| url = https://www.today.com/popculture/chevy-chase-recalls-ford-terrific-guy-wbna16370028
| publisher = Today.com
| date = December 27, 2006
| access-date = September 16, 2008
| archive-date = February 12, 2017
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170212042421/http://www.today.com/popculture/chevy-chase-recalls-ford-terrific-guy-wbna16370028
| url-status = live
}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
| first = Chevy
| last = Chase
| title = Mr. Ford Gets the Last Laugh
| url = https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/06/opinion/06chase.html
| newspaper = The New York Times
| date = January 6, 2007
| access-date = September 16, 2008
| archive-date = July 3, 2011
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110703201702/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/06/opinion/06chase.html
| url-status = live
}}</ref>

Chase was the original anchor for the ''[[Weekend Update]]'' segment of ''SNL'', and his catchphrase introduction, "I'm Chevy Chase… and you're not" became well known. His trademark conclusion, "Good night, and have a pleasant tomorrow" was later resurrected by [[Jane Curtin]] and [[Tina Fey]]. Chase also wrote comedy material for ''Weekend Update''. For example, he wrote and performed "The News for the Hard of Hearing". In this skit, Chase read the top story of the day, aided by [[Garrett Morris]], who repeated the story by loudly shouting it. Chase claimed that his version of ''Weekend Update'' was the inspiration for later [[news satire]] shows such as ''[[The Daily Show]]'' and ''[[The Colbert Report]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aoltv.com/2007/04/16/a-delusional-chevy-chase-says-he-created-the-daily-show/|title=A delusional Chevy Chase says he created The Daily Show|website=AOL TV|first=Joel|last=Keller|date=April 16, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518094259/http://www.aoltv.com/2007/04/16/a-delusional-chevy-chase-says-he-created-the-daily-show/|archive-date=May 18, 2015|quote=[...] asked what he thought of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, [Chase] took credit for their success. "[I] think that, you know, I started it with my Weekend Update," he responds, implying that the ideas for both The Daily Show and The Colbert Report came directly from WU.}}</ref> ''Weekend Update'' was later revived as a segment on ''[[The Chevy Chase Show]]'',<ref>{{cite news
| first = Bill
| last = Carter
| title = With Pratfalls, Chevy Chase's Plans For Late-Night TV
| url = https://www.nytimes.com/1993/07/13/arts/with-pratfalls-chevy-chase-s-plans-for-late-night-tv.html
| newspaper = The New York Times
| access-date = September 16, 2008
| date = July 13, 1993
| archive-date = November 8, 2012
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121108063010/http://www.nytimes.com/1993/07/13/arts/with-pratfalls-chevy-chase-s-plans-for-late-night-tv.html
| url-status = live
}}</ref> a short-lived late-night talk show produced by Chase and broadcast by [[Fox Broadcasting Company]].

Chase was committed contractually to ''SNL'' for only one year as a writer and became a cast member during rehearsals just before the show's premiere. He received two [[Emmy Award]]s and a [[Golden Globe Award]] for his comedy writing and live comic acting on the show. In ''[[Rolling Stone]]''{{'}}s February 2015 appraisal of all 141 ''SNL'' cast members to date, Chase was ranked tenth in overall importance. "Strange as it sounds, Chase might be the most ''under''-rated ''SNL'' player," they wrote. "It took him only one season to define the franchise…without that [[deadpan]] arrogance, the whole ''SNL'' style of humor would fall flat."<ref>''Rolling Stone'', issue 1229, February 26, 2015, p. 32.</ref>

In a 1975 ''[[New York (magazine)|New York]]'' magazine cover story, which called him "The funniest man in America", NBC executives referred to Chase as "The first real potential successor to [[Johnny Carson]]" and claimed he would begin guest-hosting ''[[The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson]]'' within six months of the article. Chase dismissed rumors that he could be the next Carson by telling ''New York'', "I'd never be tied down for five years interviewing TV personalities." Chase did not appear on the program until May 4, 1977, when he was promoting a prime-time special for NBC. Carson later said of Chase: "He couldn't ad-lib a fart after a baked-bean dinner."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/nastiest_things_said_by_men/index.php |title=The 25 Meanest Things Ever Said by Men |publisher=Menshealth.com |date=June 25, 2011 |access-date=August 8, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110810170931/http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/nastiest_things_said_by_men/index.php |archive-date=August 10, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Chase acknowledged [[Ernie Kovacs]]'s influence on his work in ''Saturday Night Live'',<ref>Chevy Chase, "The Unique Comedy of Ernie Kovacs", ''TV Guide'', April 9, 1977, p. 39–40.</ref> and he thanked Kovacs during his acceptance speech for his Emmy Award.<ref>Hofer, Stephen F.(2006). ''TV Guide: the official collector's guide'', Bangzoom Publishers.</ref> In addition, Chase spoke of Kovacs's influence on his work in an appearance in the 1982 documentary called ''Ernie Kovacs: Television's Original Genius''.{{cn|date=January 2025}}