Cast members from the holiday classic National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation recently reunited for a video message. Beverly D’Angelo (Ellen Griswold), Miriam Flynn (Cousin Catherine) and Ellen Latzen (Ruby Sue) reunited for Cameo, the celebrity video sharing website.
In the video, the trio of actors introduces themselves, and then Miriam Flynn shares an amusing behind-the-scenes anecdote. First, she notes that the Christmas favorite was shot in Los Angeles in the summer and that all of the snow is fake. “Don’t tell anybody,” she quips.
Then Flynn goes into a curious line from Randy Quaid’s fan-favorite character, Cousin Eddie. “For some reason, Randy does this crazy line reading about whispering to me about the rubber sheets in the gerbils,” she recalled. “It really didn’t make any sense. But we had so much fun with it. They just left it and then they use that take in the movie.”
Of course, Quaid’s Cousin Eddie has several scene-stealing moments in the holiday classic. He also has one of the most oft-quoted lines in the Vacation series. Clark looks on in horror as Eddie, dressed in his bathrobe, empties his RV’s toilet into the suburb’s sewer via a hose. When a yuppie neighbor notices Eddie, the boisterous character exclaims,” Merry Christmas! Sh**er was full!”
The video message concludes with a holiday greeting from Mrs. Griswold herself. “I’m so glad you’re part of the Griswold family, “Beverly D’Angelo beams. She then wishes National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation fans a “Merry, Merry Christmas.” Lots of love to you and all your loved ones,” D’Angelo says before blowing a kiss to fans.
‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’ Diverged From Previous Installments
Debuting in 1989, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation served as the third installment in the acclaimed John Hughes film Vacation franchise. Interestingly, unlike its predecessors, this film deviates from the traditional vacation theme. Chevy Chase’s Clark Griswold is instead visited by extended family members to celebrate the holiday.
Christmas Vacation is packed with hilarious moments and heartwarming scenes, showcasing John Hughes’ exceptional storytelling. The film continues to receive high praise, with an impressive 86% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. This iconic ’80s comedy stands the test of time, bringing laughter and joy to viewers.
With the success of Christmas Vacation and the breakout character Cousin Eddie, it’s no surprise that a sequel featuring him was made. Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie’s Island Adventure, released in 2003, initially premiered as a TV movie on NBC. The cast includes Randy Quaid and Miriam Flynn reprising their roles as Cousin Eddie and Catherine, along with Dana Barron returning as Audrey Griswold. It also stars Ed Asner as cranky Uncle Nick.
Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie’s Island Adventure can be rented on most streaming outlets such as Amazon or Apple TV+. You can currently stream National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation on Max.
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