National Lampoon's Vacation

Comedy

Harold Ramis
Chevy Chase	Clark Wilhelm Griswold, Jr.
Beverly D'Angelo	Ellen Griswold
Imogene Coca	Aunt Edna
Randy Quaid	Cousin Eddie
Anthony Michael Hall	Russell 'Rusty' Griswold
Dana Barron	Audrey Griswold
Eddie Bracken	Roy Walley
Brian Doyle-Murray	Kamp Komfort Clerk
Miriam Flynn	Cousin Catherine
James Keach	Motorcycle Cop
John Candy	Lasky
Christie Brinkley	Girl
Michael Talbott	Cowboy

Director	Harold Ramis
Producer	Matty Simmons
Writer	John Hughes

Vacation paved the way for the John Hughes movie dynasty of the 1980s. Written by Hughes (who would go on to write, direct, and/or produce The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Uncle Buck, Home Alone, and so on) and directed by Harold Ramis (Caddyshack, Groundhog Day, Stuart Saves His Family), the first Vacation movie introduces us to the all-American Griswold family: father Clark (Chevy Chase), mother Ellen (Beverly D'Angelo), son Rusty (future Hughes staple Anthony Michael Hall), and daughter Audrey (Dana Barron). They all pile into the car for a cross-country road trip to Walley World, stopping along the way to view the world's biggest ball of twine. John Candy, Imogene Coca, and Randy Quaid (as yokel Cousin Eddie) pop up along the way. The movie was a big hit, and was followed by several sequels--National Lampoon's European Vacation, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and National Lampoon's Vegas Vacation--but this one is still probably the freshest and funniest of the bunch. --Jim Emerson