Beverly D’Angelo Shares the Funny Moment She and Chevy Chase Ad-Libbed a Cheeky Gesture in Christmas Vacation

Beverly D’Angelo and Chevy Chase in ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’.
Credit :

Warner Bros

Key Details

• Beverly D’Angelo and Chevy Chase starred in the 1989 holiday comedy National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
• D’Angelo revealed in a recent interview that a moment where her character freezes with her hand on Chase’s crotch was improvised.
• The actress noted that the filmmakers “didn’t have a choice” but to include that “subtle” gesture in the film.

Beverly D’Angelo recently shared an amusing anecdote from her time on the set of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, which has become a beloved holiday classic since its release in 1989. In a conversation with Fox News Digital, the 74-year-old actress reflected on an unscripted moment involving her character, Ellen Griswold, and Chevy Chase’s character, Sparky Griswold.

“It was not in the script for me to guard the family jewels when the police came to stick us up,” D’Angelo quipped as she recounted the memorable scene. This segment is set against the backdrop of a police intrusion, during which D’Angelo’s character freezes with her hand placed on Chase’s crotch, an action she has since confirmed was “definitely improvised.”

“I threw that in,” D’Angelo explained, noting that director Jeremiah S. Chechik was left with little choice but to retain the gesture since it was filmed at the end of a long shooting day.

Beverly D’Angelo and Chevy Chase in ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’.

Warner Bros

“I said, ‘I bet nobody catches this,’” she recalled, highlighting the subtlety of the scene. “It was like, ‘Okay, that’s a wrap. Everybody go home.’ It was subtle. And it had to stay in the film because it was the only shot left! What are they going to do?”

In a separate interview with Forbes earlier this year, D’Angelo disclosed that Chase had supported the comedic choice. “He went, ‘Yeah.’ And he said, ‘Well, you can’t do that.’” She emphasized that the focus of the scene was primarily on Chase and co-star Randy Quaid, which aided in diverting attention from her hand placement.

“And now that people have really big screens, they’re noticing these details that weren’t apparent… you can see (the crotch grab) on a big screen,” she said.

Written by John Hughes, Christmas Vacation is the third installment in the National Lampoon vacation series and has become a staple of holiday entertainment. Reflecting on its enduring popularity, D’Angelo remarked that “nobody imagined that 40 years down the line… the Griswolds would be part of our culture.”

When first approached to play Ellen Griswold, D’Angelo expressed reluctance, feeling she was not the right fit for the role primarily because her experience had been mostly in dramas and at 30 years old, she considered herself too young to portray a mother of a teenager.

Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo at Fan Expo Chicago 2025 on Aug. 17.

Daniel Boczarski/Getty

Ultimately, her agent persuaded her that the script was “very funny,” and once she met Chase, D’Angelo felt an instant connection, likening it to meeting a brother.

D’Angelo’s upcoming projects include the films Sleepwalker, set to hit theaters on January 9, and Last Hand.