Suzanne Chase: Chevy Chase’s First Wife Who Chose Silence Over Fame
Who Is Suzanne Chase?
Suzanne Chase is best known as the first wife of American comedian and actor Chevy Chase. Her real name is Susan Hewitt. She was born in 1949 in the United States. She married Chevy Chase on February 23, 1973, in New York City, and their marriage ended in divorce on February 1, 1976. They had no children together.
Unlike most people connected to Hollywood stars, Suzanne never gave interviews. She never told her side of the story. She simply walked away from the spotlight and built a quiet life far from cameras and headlines.
Her name still pulls curiosity today. People want to know who she was, how she met Chevy, and what became of her life.
Suzanne Chase: Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Real Name | Susan Hewitt |
| Known As | Suzanne Chase |
| Birth Year | 1949 |
| Nationality | American |
| Age (2026) | Around 77 years old |
| Marriage Date | February 23, 1973 |
| Divorce Date | February 1, 1976 |
| Ex-Husband | Chevy Chase |
| Children | None confirmed |
| Acting Credits | Shake Well Before Using, A Trip Down Mammary Lane, Amateur Lesbians 8 |
| Current Status | Believed to be alive and private |
Suzanne Chase’s Early Life and Background
Very little is known about her childhood. Suzanne has never shared details about her parents, her hometown, or her school years. No old photos exist in the public record. No interviews from her past have surfaced.
This is not unusual for someone from her generation. She was born in 1949, long before social media and internet searches made private lives public. People from that era had real control over their own stories.
What is clear is this: she grew up in the United States, and by her late teens, she had already crossed paths with the man who would change the course of her known history.
How Suzanne Chase Met Chevy Chase
Their meeting was not planned. It was not arranged. It happened at a live music show.
Chevy Chase was playing drums for a psychedelic rock band called Chameleon Church. The band performed a concert, and Susan Hewitt was in the crowd. She was just 19 years old at the time. Chevy was 25.
The two connected that night. Their romance grew from there. Susan was reportedly warm, lively, and genuinely supportive of Chevy’s ambitions. At the time, he was earning just $25 a week working at Channel One. Fame was not even close yet.
Chevy Chase Before Saturday Night Live
To understand what Suzanne walked into, you need to picture Chevy’s life in the early 1970s.
He was not yet a star. He had played in Chameleon Church, a small psychedelic rock band that released one album in 1968 on MGM Records before breaking up. The album flopped. The band dissolved.
After music, Chevy turned to comedy. He joined the cast of The National Lampoon Radio Hour from 1973 to 1974, alongside future legends like John Belushi, Bill Murray, and Gilda Radner. He was building something slowly.
Suzanne was beside him during all of it. She believed in him before anyone in America knew his name.
The Marriage: New York City, 1973
Chevy Chase and Susan Hewitt got married on February 23, 1973, in New York City. The ceremony was attended by close friends and family. It was personal and quiet.
Susan took on the name Suzanne Chase after the marriage. That is the name most people know her by today.
They lived simply. One report describes their shared home as a one-room apartment. Life was not glamorous. But Suzanne stayed supportive, and Chevy kept pushing forward.
Their marriage lasted about three years. During that time, Chevy’s career started gaining real momentum.
The Divorce: What Ended Their Marriage?
The marriage ended on February 1, 1976. No official reason was given to the public at the time.
Years later, Chevy shared his version of events. In his biography “I’m Chevy Chase… and You’re Not”, written by author Rena Fruchter, he claimed that Suzanne had an affair and left. His words were direct: “She had an affair and simply left. That was the end of that.”
One reported detail from that biography states that after returning from a concert one night, Chevy came home to signs that someone else had been in their apartment. He noticed cigarette butts that were not Suzanne’s brand. She was gone. He put the pieces together.
This is a one-sided account. Suzanne has never confirmed or denied it. She has never spoken to any journalist about what happened. Her silence on this has lasted nearly 50 years.
The full truth belongs only to the two people who lived it.
No Children From the Marriage
Suzanne and Chevy had no children together. There are no confirmed reports of her having children after the divorce either.
Suzanne Chase’s Acting Career
Many people assume Suzanne had no life of her own beyond her marriage. That is not completely accurate.
According to her IMDb profile, she did appear in a small number of film projects. Her listed acting credits include:
- Shake Well Before Using
- A Trip Down Mammary Lane
- Amateur Lesbians 8
These were not mainstream films. They were low-profile productions with limited distribution. Her on-screen work was minimal and never led to a sustained career.
Still, her acting credits do confirm that she had some involvement in the entertainment world. It was on her own terms, separate from Chevy’s name and career.
Chevy Chase’s Rise to Fame After the Divorce
While Suzanne stepped back from public life, Chevy’s world exploded.
In 1975, he joined the cast of Saturday Night Live during its very first season. His Weekend Update segment made him a breakout star almost overnight. He won two Primetime Emmy Awards for his work on the show.
He left SNL and moved to Hollywood. His film debut in Foul Play (1978) alongside Goldie Hawn earned him a Golden Globe nomination. Then came Caddyshack in 1980, where he played the smooth and funny Ty Webb. The National Lampoon’s Vacation films followed, where his role as Clark W. Griswold became one of the most beloved comedy characters in American film history.
The man Suzanne had believed in for $25 a week became one of the biggest comedy stars of his generation.
Chevy Chase’s Later Marriages
After the divorce from Suzanne, Chevy did not stay single for long.
He married actress Jacqueline Carlin on December 4, 1976, the same year the divorce from Suzanne was finalized. That marriage ended in 1980. Jacqueline passed away from cancer in 2021.
His third and longest marriage is to Jayni Luke Chase. They met on a movie set in 1981 and married in June 1982. Together, they have three daughters. As of 2026, they have been married for over 43 years.
Suzanne Chase vs. Chevy Chase’s Three Wives: A Clear Comparison
| Detail | Suzanne Chase | Jacqueline Carlin | Jayni Luke Chase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Real Name | Susan Hewitt | Jacqueline Carlin | Jayni Luke |
| Married | Feb 23, 1973 | Dec 4, 1976 | June 1982 |
| Divorced | Feb 1, 1976 | 1980 | Still married |
| Children | None | None | 3 daughters |
| Public Profile | Very private | Actress, SNL | Still together |
Where Is Suzanne Chase Now in 2026?
As of 2026, Suzanne Chase is believed to be alive. She would be around 77 years old.
No verified information exists about where she lives, what she does, or what her life looks like today. She has no known social media presence. She has given no interviews. No photos from her adult years have surfaced online.
She has stayed private for nearly five decades. That is not an accident. That is a choice.
In an age where people share everything, Suzanne Chase shares nothing. She is a rare example of someone who chose a real life over a public one and kept that choice firm for the rest of her days.
Why People Still Search for Suzanne Chase
Her name still trends in search results regularly. The reason is simple.
People love Chevy Chase. They watch Christmas Vacation every holiday season. They laugh at Caddyshack. Many have followed his career for years.
That is why people also want to know about his early life. They are curious about the woman who was with him before he became a Hollywood star.
Suzanne Chase is that woman. She was the first chapter. She was there before the fame, the Emmy awards, and the movie sets.
Her silence adds to the mystery. When someone never tells their story, people keep searching for it. That is the paradox of privacy. The less Suzanne has said, the more curious people have become.
Conclusion
Suzanne Chase, born Susan Hewitt in 1949, married Chevy Chase in New York City on February 23, 1973. She stood beside a young, unknown man who earned $25 a week and believed he would become something great. She was right.
Their marriage ended on February 1, 1976, after about three years. The reason, according to Chevy’s biography, was an affair on her part. Suzanne has never responded to that claim, not once in 50 years.
She had a small acting career with three film credits. She had no children with Chevy. After the divorce, she walked away from public life completely and has never returned.
Her story is short in facts but long in meaning. She shows that a person does not need headlines to have a real life. She chose privacy at a time when most people connected to fame chose publicity. And she has never wavered from that choice.
That, in itself, is worth knowing.
People Also Ask: Suzanne Chase
Who is Suzanne Chase?
Suzanne Chase, whose real name is Susan Hewitt, is best known as the first wife of Chevy Chase. Suzanne was born in 1949 in the United States. She married Chevy Chase on February 23, 1973, and divorced him on February 1, 1976. She has lived a private life ever since and has never given public interviews.
How did Suzanne Chase meet Chevy Chase?
They met at a live rock concert. Chevy was playing drums for his band Chameleon Church. Suzanne, then 19 years old, was in the audience. Chevy was 25. Their romance started after that meeting, and they married a few years later in New York City.
Why did Suzanne Chase and Chevy Chase divorce?
Their divorce was finalized on February 1, 1976. In his biography “I’m Chevy Chase… and You’re Not”, Chevy claimed that Suzanne had an affair and left the marriage. His exact words were: “She had an affair and simply left. That was the end of that.” Suzanne has never publicly confirmed or denied this. Only her version of events, which she has never shared, could complete the picture.
Did Suzanne Chase have children with Chevy Chase?
No. Suzanne Chase and Chevy Chase had no children together during their three-year marriage. There are no confirmed reports of Suzanne having children after the divorce either.
Where is Suzanne Chase today?
As of 2026, Suzanne Chase is believed to be alive and around 77 years old. No verified details are available about her current location or lifestyle. She has no known social media presence and has not appeared in public life for nearly 50 years.
