No one was / is a better celebrity interviewer that Dick Cavett, hands down. His knowledge of the business couple with a singular wit made for fascinating television.
This interview in October 19th 1978 with Chevy Chase took place as Chase was promoting his first starring role in a motion picture, Foul Play costarring Goldie Hawn. This spy spoof was a box office smash and made big screen superstars out of both actors, Chase also earned two Golden Globe Award nominations for his efforts.
Cavett asks Chevy if Bruce Dern was the only 'clean' actor in Hollywood. "He doesn't smell clean," Chase quips. "I don't go to a lot of Bruce's cocaine parties. I understand he gives a lot of them and they run and then they do cocaine."
Bruce Dern, by way of context, was noted for running 15 miles a day to keep healthy, a relatively new mainstream concept in the 1970s, he continued this practice well into his 80s. Running for your health was so suddenly popular there was even a magazine launched called Runner's World for aficionados, Dean was on the cover in the 1980s.
Chase continued, "I don't go to many parties, I don't think it's a problem out there, it's darn hard to get it. But it's an interesting question." Chase was well-known in Hollywood for his cocaine and prescription drug use.
The interview continues as Chevy takes some funny shots at Bruce Dern, a guy he'd probably never met, then discusses animosity from his former SNL castmates over his leaving the show to do movies. Being diplomatic (or evasive) he answers, "I don't know what the rumors are, I haven't been to New York much. I get calls and they say, 'Chev we heard this and that' and I must say that they're right. There was some animosity but it was only Belushi and I believe if you ask him about it you'll hear 'Bwaaaaaar!' He's learning to eat with his mouth now."
In fact, most if not all of the SNL cast was unhappy with Chevy leaving. He was the first break-out star of the show - and he broke out at first opportunity.
Chevy Chase was invited back to host Saturday Night Live in February 1978. According to Saturday Night: A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live, by Doug Hill and Jeff Weingrad, the actor did little to rebuild any goodwill, bossing people around and attempting to wrest back his old "Weekend Update" segment from its current host, Jane Curtin. Meanwhile, drug use in the studio was rampant.
Shortly before the show went live, Chase confronted Bill Murray in Belushi's dressing room, challenging him to a fight. Murray lunged so Belushi leaped between them to break it up and took most of the blows. Chase later claimed he wasn't rattled by the fight; ratings for SNL that week were the program's highest to date.
Dick and Chevy talk about the 'cocaine parties' that take place in Hollywood.
WIKI: Foul Play is a 1978 American romantic comedy thriller film written and directed by Colin Higgins, and starring Goldie Hawn, Chevy Chase, Dudley Moore, Burgess Meredith, Eugene Roche, Rachel Roberts, Brian Dennehy and Billy Barty.[2] In it, a recently divorced librarian is drawn into a mystery when a stranger hides a roll of film in a pack of cigarettes and gives it to her for safekeeping.
