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Hollywood legend Chevy Chase made a rare appearance in Florida on Thursday evening, capturing the attention of fans and film enthusiasts alike.
The 82-year-old actor was in attendance at the 40th Annual Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, where he joined audiences for a screening of his latest project, “I’m Chevy Chase And You’re Not,” held at the Savor Cinema.
Famed for his roles in the beloved “National Lampoon Vacation” series and the iconic “Caddyshack,” Chase arrived at the event in a wheelchair, assisted by an aide. Despite this initial entrance, the renowned funnyman demonstrated his vitality by standing unaided once inside the venue.
During the event, Chase was also spotted sitting comfortably beside his wife of 44 years, Jayni Chase. The couple, showcasing their enduring affection, shared a tender moment with a kiss, captivating the audience with their bond.
The comedic genius was also pictured seated in a chair next to his wife of 44 years, Jayni Chase. At one point the lovebirds kissed on the lips.
Chevy Chase was in a wheelchair as he arrived at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival to attend a screening of his new film I’m Chevy Chase And You’re Not on Thursday
Once inside, however, he was seen standing up on his own with no problem
The SNL vet wore a gray blazer over a pink untucked button-down shirt, dark blue jeans and beige lace-free sneakers.
Chase added a cap over his silver locks.
In December 2023, Chase’s manager insisted to Daily Mail that the star is in ‘amazing’ health and only uses a wheelchair when he has to travel often.
In 2021 Chase was admitted to hospital with near-fatal heart failure.
Chase ‘came back from the dead’ he has said.
The comedian spent five weeks in hospital due to heart issues during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking in the documentary I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not, his daughter Caley Chase explained: ‘He has basically come back from the dead. He had heart failure.’
His wife Jayni added: ‘Something was wrong, and he couldn’t explain to me what was wrong. So, we go to the ER. His heart stops. During those years he was drinking, he got cardiomyopathy; when the heart muscles get weaker, and they can’t pump as much blood out with each beat.’
Chase’s friend, Peter Aaron, revealed his loved ones were told to ‘prepare for the worst’ as he battled heart failure, which can be caused by cardiomyopathy.
Anthony Michael Hall, Chase, Beverly D’Angelo and Dana Barron waving from car in a scene from the film Vacation, 1983
Seen in his beloved film, National Lampoon’s Christmas VacationÂ
He said: ‘They decided to put him into a coma for maybe eight days. That’s pretty rough on the body.’
Caley said: ‘The doctor had warned us: “We might not get him back. We don’t know how present he’ll be. Prepare yourselves for the worst.” He woke up, all he could do was use his voice.’
But Caley knew her comedian dad was on the mend when he started cracking jokes with a nurse who came in to rearrange some medical equipment.
Caley explained: ‘She said, “I’m going to have to put this in here.” And he said, “That’s what she said.”‘
Seen with his arm around his wife of 44 years, Jayni Chase
He sweetly held her head as he went in for a kiss with his spouse
Seen far left is 43-year-old actress Cydney Chase who held hands with her father
However, it wasn’t an easy recovery and Peter revealed the star had some ‘cognitive disability’ and it took a while for him to ‘reorient himself’ after the coma.
He went on: ‘I feel like his memory gaps come from that incident.’
Chase agreed, saying: ‘According to the doctors, my memory would be shot from it. That’s what’s happened here.
‘Heart failure is what it is. I’m fine now. It’s just that it affects your memory, the doctors have told me that. So, I have to be reminded of things.’
Meanwhile, his director Marina Zenovich has said Chase was the rudest celebrity she has ever interviewed.
The I’m Chevy Chase, and You’re Not director admitted she was initially worried about how to approach the actor about his reputation for being difficult and abrasive but it was easy after he was immediately rude to her.
When Zenovich told him, ‘I’m just trying to figure you out’, he replied: ‘It’s not going to be easy for you. You’re not bright enough.’
Chase with his director Marina Zenovich, left, who has called him ‘rude.’ He held up his LIfetime Achievement Award at the 40th annual Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival
She told Variety: ‘I’d never done an interview where someone was so rude to me. But I was so worried going into that first interview with him about how I was going to say to him, like, “Everyone thinks you’re an a******.” I thought if I did, he would throw me out of his house. So the minute he said that to me, I had a way in.’
Chase has had on-set disputes with SNL’s Terry Sweeney and the entire cast of the NBC comedy Community.
She said: ‘I wanted to figure out who was the real person behind the conflicted, guarded and somewhat fragile man we see on camera. What was behind the surface of his slightly intimidating superstar bravado? Was there any self-awareness there? Having interviewed Chevy at length, I have to say that yes, it’s all there – and a whole lot of pain and heartache too.’
Sweeney – who made history as Saturday Night Live’s first out gay cast member – fell out with Chase after he proposed Sweeney appear in an SNL sketch mocking the AIDS epidemic.
The incident is revisited in the doc and Sweeney told The Hollywood Reporter: ‘…[he is just] making himself look more like the ass he is!!! It all reflects rightly horribly on him. Boohoo … poor screwed up kid … so THAT’s why he’s so rotten!!!!!!!’