Who Is Suzanne Chase? Chevy Chase’s First Wife, Her Life, Career, and Legacy
Suzanne Chase — born Susan Hewitt — is the woman who stood beside one of Hollywood’s most beloved comedians during the early years of his rise to fame. While Chevy Chase went on to become a household name, Suzanne’s own story has largely stayed out of the spotlight. Who was she before the marriage? What did she do after the divorce? And why does her name still attract curiosity decades later? This article dives deep into everything known about Suzanne Chase — her origins, her brief but interesting acting career, her marriage to Chevy Chase, the circumstances of their split, and the quiet life she has led since then.
Who Is Suzanne Chase?
If you’ve ever gone down a rabbit hole researching Chevy Chase’s personal life, chances are the name Suzanne Chase came up fairly quickly. She was his first wife — a woman who shared a significant chapter of his life during a period when he was still finding his footing in the entertainment world. Before the Saturday Night Live fame, before the Fletch movies, and before the National Lampoon’s Vacation franchise made him a comedy icon, there was a quieter, more personal version of Chevy Chase — and Suzanne was part of that story.
Born as Susan Hewitt in 1949 in the United States, she later became known publicly as Suzanne Chase — a name she carried through her marriage and which still identifies her in public records and entertainment databases today. She was not a major celebrity herself, though she did have some involvement in the film world. Her story is one of a woman who lived in the orbit of fame without necessarily seeking it, and who chose a life away from public scrutiny after her marriage ended.
At 77 years old in 2026, Suzanne Chase remains a figure of quiet interest — someone whose connection to a famous name has kept her in occasional historical discussion, even if she herself has stepped far away from the limelight.
Suzanne Chase Bio/Wiki
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Susan Hewitt |
| Known As | Suzanne Chase |
| Date of Birth | 1949 |
| Age (as of 2026) | 77 Years |
| Birthplace | United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White American |
| Religion | Not publicly disclosed |
| Profession | Former Actress |
| Famous For | First wife of Chevy Chase |
| Marital Status | Divorced |
| Ex-Spouse | Chevy Chase (Cornelius Crane Chase) |
| Marriage Date | February 23, 1973 |
| Divorce Date | February 1, 1976 |
| Known Film Works | Shake Well Before Using, A Trip Down Mammary Lane, Amateur Lesbians 8 |
| Social Media | Not publicly active |
| Net Worth | Not publicly known |
Early Life and Background of Suzanne Chase
Details about the early life of Suzanne Chase are limited, which is not entirely surprising given that she never pursued celebrity status in any significant way. What is known is that she was born in 1949, making her a child of the post-World War II baby boom era. She grew up in the United States, though the specific city or state of her upbringing has not been widely documented in public sources.
Growing up in mid-century America, Suzanne would have come of age during the cultural revolution of the 1960s — a decade that dramatically reshaped American values, arts, entertainment, and social norms. This was an era of protest movements, shifting gender roles, and an explosion of creative energy in film, music, and theater. It’s not unreasonable to think that this cultural backdrop played some role in shaping her interests and her eventual connection to the entertainment world.
Her educational background is not publicly recorded. Whether she attended college, studied performing arts, or came to acting through personal connections is unclear. What we do know is that she eventually made her way into the film industry, albeit in a limited capacity, and that her path crossed with a young Chevy Chase sometime before 1973.
Growing Up in a Changing America
The America that Suzanne Chase grew up in during the 1950s and 1960s was one in flux. Social movements were reshaping the country’s identity. The Vietnam War created generational fractures. The counterculture movement was redefining what it meant to be young and American. Many people of Suzanne’s generation gravitated toward creative pursuits — art, theater, film, and activism — as ways of engaging with a world that felt both exciting and uncertain.
It was in this environment that many young people, including those who would become part of the New York comedy and performance scene, were building connections that would define their careers and personal lives. Chevy Chase himself was part of this world — a product of the New York intellectual and artistic milieu who would eventually find his voice in improvisational comedy before making it big on national television.
Suzanne Chase’s Age and Personal Life
Born in 1949, Suzanne Chase has lived through some of the most remarkable decades in American history. She was a child during the post-war prosperity of the 1950s, a teenager during the cultural upheaval of the 1960s, a young woman navigating marriage and career in the early 1970s, and a divorcee rebuilding her life during the latter part of that decade.
What It Means to Be 77 in 2026
At 77 years old in 2026, Suzanne Chase belongs to a generation that has witnessed transformations in technology, culture, politics, and society that would have seemed unimaginable in her youth. She grew up in a world without the internet, without smartphones, and without the constant connectivity that defines modern life. She lived through the rise of television as the dominant cultural medium, the birth of the internet, the explosion of social media, and the digitization of virtually every aspect of daily life.
For someone of her generation who has chosen to stay out of the public eye, the digital age presents both challenges and irrelevance in equal measure. Her name appears in search results, her brief marriage is documented in countless celebrity biography articles, and yet she herself has apparently chosen not to engage with any of it. She exists in the digital record as a historical figure — the first wife of a famous man — while living, presumably, as a private individual.
Physical Appearance and Personal Characteristics
Very little is publicly known about Suzanne Chase’s physical appearance beyond what can be inferred from old photographs or brief mentions in historical accounts. During her marriage to Chevy Chase in the early 1970s, she would have been in her mid-twenties — a young woman navigating a world that was rapidly changing around her.
No recent photographs of Suzanne Chase appear to be publicly available, which is itself telling. In an age when almost everyone has some form of digital footprint, the complete absence of recent imagery suggests someone who has made a deliberate choice to stay off the public grid.
Suzanne Chase’s Acting Career
One of the more interesting aspects of Suzanne Chase’s story is her work as an actress, even if that career was relatively brief and limited in scope. She appeared in a small number of film projects, the titles of which reflect the low-budget, independent nature of the productions available to aspiring actors and actresses in that era.
Known Film Appearances
1. Shake Well Before Using
This is perhaps the most notable film associated with Suzanne Chase’s name in available records. While detailed plot information about this production is scarce, its title suggests it was likely a comedy or satirical piece — fitting with the kind of offbeat, counter-cultural filmmaking that was common in the early 1970s independent circuit.
2. A Trip Down Mammary Lane
The title of this film is suggestive of the type of adult-oriented comedy that was fairly common in the early 1970s, particularly in the era just after the sexual revolution began loosening restrictions on film content. Independent and low-budget productions of this kind were a common entry point for many actors who were either starting their careers or operating outside the mainstream Hollywood system.
3. Amateur Lesbians 8
This title falls squarely within the adult film category that became a significant — if often overlooked — part of American cinema during the 1970s. It’s worth noting that many actors and actresses of that era appeared in such productions before or while pursuing more mainstream work, particularly in an environment where the lines between exploitation films, art films, and mainstream cinema were often blurry.
Context: Acting in the Early 1970s
To understand Suzanne Chase’s acting career in context, it helps to understand what the film landscape looked like in the early 1970s. This was the era of New Hollywood — a period of creative experimentation, loosening censorship (following the collapse of the Hays Code), and a surge in independent filmmaking. Films became more explicit, more politically charged, and more willing to explore taboo subjects.
For many young people trying to break into the entertainment industry, working on low-budget or independent productions was simply a matter of practicality. There were far more aspiring performers than there were mainstream opportunities, and the independent circuit offered real screen time, real credits, and real experience — even if the productions themselves never achieved wide theatrical release.
Suzanne Chase’s career in this context appears to have been modest and relatively short-lived. She is not associated with any major studio productions or widely-distributed films. Her acting work seems to have been a peripheral part of her life rather than a central ambition, and there is no record of her continuing to pursue acting after her marriage to Chevy Chase ended in 1976.
The Marriage of Suzanne Chase and Chevy Chase
The love story — and eventual breakdown — of Suzanne Chase and Chevy Chase is at the heart of why her name continues to attract interest. The two were married on February 23, 1973, in what was a relatively private ceremony by the standards of later celebrity weddings.
Who Was Chevy Chase at the Time?
When Chevy Chase married Suzanne in 1973, he was not yet the famous face that millions of Americans would come to know from Saturday Night Live. He was a comedian and writer working his way up through the New York comedy scene, having been involved with National Lampoon and various theatrical and comedic ventures. He was funny, charming, and ambitious — but he was not yet a household name.
The couple’s early years together were marked by the gradual rise of Chevy’s career. By 1975, he had joined the cast of Saturday Night Live — one of the most groundbreaking television programs in American history — and his career shifted dramatically. His “Weekend Update” segments became iconic, and he quickly became one of the most recognizable comedians of his generation.
Life as the Wife of a Rising Star
This sudden surge in fame is something that many partners of entertainers describe as a deeply disorienting experience. The person you married — the one you knew in a more private, intimate context — suddenly belongs in some sense to the public. Their time, their energy, their persona: all of it becomes shaped by forces outside the relationship.
For Suzanne Chase, the years between 1973 and 1976 were years of transition and turbulence. While Chevy’s star was ascending rapidly, the marriage was apparently struggling under the pressure. The specific reasons for their divorce have not been extensively documented in public accounts, but it is known that the relationship did not survive the transition into superstardom.
The Divorce
Suzanne Chase and Chevy Chase officially divorced on February 1, 1976 — less than three years after they had married. The divorce was finalized just as Chevy’s career was reaching its peak, and it marked the end of what had been a formative but ultimately brief chapter in both of their lives.
The divorce was handled relatively quietly, at least compared to the kind of celebrity splits that dominate tabloid coverage today. There were no major public statements, no scandalous revelations, and no drawn-out legal battles that attracted significant media attention. By the standards of the era — and given Chevy’s then-still-developing celebrity status — the separation was handled with a degree of privacy.
Chevy Chase After Suzanne: His Later Marriages
Following his divorce from Suzanne Chase, Chevy Chase went on to marry twice more, suggesting that his personal life remained eventful even as his professional life reached extraordinary heights.
Jacqueline Carlin (Second Marriage)
Chevy’s second marriage was to Jacqueline Carlin, though this union was also short-lived. The two married in 1976 — the same year his divorce from Suzanne was finalized — and divorced in 1980. Like his first marriage, this one did not withstand the pressures of life in the entertainment industry.
Jayni Luke (Third Marriage)
Chevy Chase married Jayni Luke on June 19, 1982, and this marriage proved to be his most enduring. The couple had three daughters together: Cydney Cathalene Chase, Caley Leigh Chase, and Emily Evelyn Chase. Chevy and Jayni have remained together for over four decades, suggesting that whatever personal and professional growth Chevy underwent over the years, he ultimately found stability in this third relationship.
The contrast between his tumultuous early marriages — including his brief union with Suzanne Chase — and the longevity of his marriage to Jayni is notable. It reflects a pattern common among entertainers: early relationships formed before fame often struggle to survive the transformation that celebrity brings, while later relationships — formed with a more complete understanding of who one is and what one’s life entails — sometimes prove more resilient.
The Legacy of Suzanne Chase: More Than Just a Famous Ex-Wife
It would be easy — and somewhat reductive — to define Suzanne Chase entirely through her marriage to Chevy Chase. But to do so would be to miss something important about who she appears to have been.
She was a woman of her era — someone who came of age during a period of tremendous social change and who made her own choices about how to engage with the world. She pursued acting, however briefly. She entered into a marriage with someone who was, at the time, not yet famous — suggesting the relationship was based on personal connection rather than celebrity attraction. And when that relationship ended, she chose to step quietly off the stage rather than turn her divorce into a public spectacle or a career opportunity.
In a culture that often reduces women — especially the ex-partners of famous men — to footnotes, it’s worth pausing to recognize that Suzanne Chase was and is a full human being with her own story, her own choices, and her own life. The fact that so little of that life is publicly documented is, in a sense, its own kind of statement.
Her Place in Chevy Chase’s Biography
Within the narrative of Chevy Chase’s life and career, Suzanne Chase occupies an important if understated place. She was his first wife — the person he chose to build a life with before fame intervened. Whatever the specific dynamics of their relationship, the fact that they married suggests a genuine personal connection. And the fact that they divorced within three years suggests that the life they had planned together could not accommodate the life that Chevy’s career was creating.
This is a story that has repeated itself countless times in the history of show business: a relationship formed before fame, strained by the demands of celebrity, and ultimately unable to survive the transformation. It is not a story unique to Suzanne Chase and Chevy Chase, but it is one that she lived through in a particularly formative way.
Suzanne Chase vs. Jayni Luke: Understanding the Contrast
A fascinating lens through which to understand Suzanne Chase’s place in Chevy Chase’s life is to compare her marriage with his third and longest marriage, to Jayni Luke.
Suzanne married Chevy in 1973, before he was famous. Jayni married Chevy in 1982, after he was an established star. The first marriage lasted less than three years. The third marriage has lasted over four decades. What might account for this difference?
One interpretation is that the first marriage — like many early relationships — was formed between two people who were still figuring out who they were and what they wanted. Chevy was still developing as a performer. Suzanne was in her early twenties, navigating life and career. When Chevy’s career exploded with SNL, it fundamentally changed not just his public identity but the entire texture of their daily life together. That kind of sudden, dramatic change puts enormous pressure on even strong relationships.
By the time Chevy met Jayni Luke, he had already been through two failed marriages and several years of extraordinary public success. He was presumably better equipped to understand what he needed from a partner and what he could offer. And Jayni entered the relationship with open eyes — knowing who he was, what his life looked like, and what it would mean to be his partner.
None of this reflects poorly on Suzanne Chase. If anything, it underscores the difficulty of the position she was in: married to someone whose life was about to change beyond recognition, without any way of knowing it at the time.
The Broader Picture: Women Behind Famous Men
The story of Suzanne Chase is, in many ways, a reflection of a broader pattern in entertainment history: the women who were present during the formative years of famous men’s careers, who played real and meaningful roles in those men’s lives, and who were then largely written out of the public narrative once the spotlight moved on.
This is not a criticism of Chevy Chase specifically — he has not, as far as public record shows, spoken disparagingly of Suzanne Chase or attempted to erase her from his history. It is more a comment on how celebrity biography tends to work: the famous person’s story gets told and retold, while the people around them — especially former partners — tend to fade into the background.
In recent years, there has been a welcome shift toward recognizing the full humanity and independent significance of the women in these stories. Biographers, journalists, and researchers increasingly seek out the perspectives and narratives of the people who have historically been treated as supporting characters.
Suzanne Chase may never give an interview or write a memoir. She may never choose to step back into the light that her connection to Chevy Chase could theoretically provide. But her story — however incomplete — deserves to be told with care and respect, recognizing her as a person with her own depth, complexity, and significance.
Where Is Suzanne Chase Today?
This is perhaps the question that most people ask when they look up Suzanne Chase. After the divorce in 1976, she essentially disappeared from public life. There are no documented interviews, no social media presence, no public appearances, and no verified accounts of what she has been doing in the nearly five decades since her marriage to Chevy Chase ended.
This kind of quiet exit from public life is actually more common than it might seem. Many people who find themselves briefly connected to fame — through a relationship, a job, or a fleeting moment of notoriety — choose to step back rather than leverage that connection. For some, this is a conscious decision rooted in a preference for privacy. For others, it is simply the natural result of moving on and building a different kind of life.
What can be said with reasonable confidence is that Suzanne Chase, now 77 years old in 2026, has lived a life largely outside the public eye. Whether she remarried, had children, pursued a career in another field, or simply built a quiet and fulfilling private life is not known. She has not sought media attention, and no credible journalist or biographer appears to have tracked her down for a definitive account of her post-Chevy years.
The Decision to Disappear
There is something quietly admirable about the way Suzanne Chase handled her transition out of the public orbit. In an era — especially the current social media age — where anyone with even a tangential connection to fame can turn that connection into content, followers, or commercial opportunities, Suzanne’s apparent choice to simply live her life without fanfare speaks to a different set of priorities.
She was never, by all accounts, someone who sought celebrity for its own sake. Her acting career was modest. Her marriage, while to a man who became famous, did not appear to be driven by a desire for reflected glory. And her post-divorce silence suggests someone who simply wanted to move on and live authentically, on her own terms.
Frequently Asked Questions About Suzanne Chase
Q1. How old is Suzanne Chase?
A. Suzanne Chase was born in 1949, which makes her 77 years old as of 2026. She was 23 or 24 years old when she married Chevy Chase in February 1973, and 26 or 27 when the divorce was finalized in February 1976.
Q2. What is Suzanne Chase’s real name?
A. Her birth name is Susan Hewitt. She became known publicly as Suzanne Chase, the name she used professionally and personally during and after her marriage to Chevy Chase.
Q3. When did Suzanne Chase marry Chevy Chase?
A. The two were married on February 23, 1973.
Q4. When did they divorce?
A. Their divorce was finalized on February 1, 1976, after less than three years of marriage.
Q5. What movies did Suzanne Chase appear in?
A. She is known to have appeared in Shake Well Before Using, A Trip Down Mammary Lane, and Amateur Lesbians 8.
Q6. Where is Suzanne Chase now?
A. Her current whereabouts are not publicly known. She has maintained a very low public profile since her divorce from Chevy Chase in 1976, and no verified information about her current life is available.
Q7. Did Suzanne Chase remarry?
A. There is no publicly available information to confirm whether Suzanne Chase remarried after her divorce from Chevy Chase.
Q8. Does Suzanne Chase have children?
A. This information is not publicly documented. If she had children after her divorce, they have not been identified in any public records or media accounts.
Conclusion
Suzanne Chase remains one of those figures who occupies a curious space in the public imagination: famous enough to be searched for, private enough to remain largely unknown. She was the first woman Chevy Chase chose to marry — a decision that says something meaningful about who he was before fame, and perhaps about who she was to him during that period.
Her life story, as much as it can be pieced together, is one of quiet courage. She entered a marriage with someone she presumably loved, navigated the disruption of sudden celebrity, emerged from a divorce with her dignity intact, and chose to live her life on her own terms — away from the spotlight that she could have easily exploited.
At 77 years old in 2026, Suzanne Chase — born Susan Hewitt in 1949 — has lived a long, full life by any measure. Most of that life has been lived privately, which means most of it remains a mystery to the curious public. And perhaps that is exactly how she would want it.
What we can say with confidence is this: she was more than just a famous man’s first wife. She was a person — an actress, a young woman in a changing America, a partner, and a survivor of the kind of personal upheaval that celebrity can bring. Her name may be attached to someone else’s fame, but her story is entirely her own.
