The Mystery Of Suzanne Hewitt Chase: 7 Untold Facts About Chevy Chase's First Wife

Few figures in Hollywood history are as elusive as Suzanne Hewitt Chase, the woman who was married to comedy icon Cornelius Crane "Chevy" Chase during the pivotal, explosive early years of his career. As of December 2025, the life of Suzanne Hewitt—often cited as Susan Hewitt—remains a fascinating study in privacy, with her public profile tied solely to a brief, yet significant, three-year marriage that coincided with the birth of *Saturday Night Live* (SNL). Her story is a rare glimpse into the life of a person who chose to step completely out of the celebrity spotlight after a high-profile divorce.

This article dives into the known, confirmed facts about Suzanne Hewitt Chase, exploring the timeline of her relationship with Chevy Chase, the context of his career during that era, and the enduring mystery of her life today. The limited public information available underscores her successful transition back to a completely private existence, a remarkable feat in the age of constant digital scrutiny.

Suzanne Hewitt Chase: Biography and Relationship Timeline

The core of Suzanne Hewitt's public biography is her connection to the famed comedian, actor, and writer Chevy Chase. Her details are often cross-referenced in timelines of his three marriages.

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• Full Name (Maiden): Suzanne Hewitt (often cited as Susan Hewitt).
• Known Identity: First wife of actor and comedian Chevy Chase.
• Marriage Date: February 1973.
• Divorce Date: February 1976.
• Duration of Marriage: Approximately three years.
• Spouse: Cornelius Crane "Chevy" Chase.
• Children: None confirmed from this marriage.
• Current Status: Believed to be living a private life away from the public eye.

1. The Marriage Pre-Dated the SNL Explosion (1973)

Suzanne Hewitt married Chevy Chase in February 1973, a crucial point often overlooked in celebrity retrospectives. At the time of their wedding, Chevy Chase was not yet the household name he would become. His career was developing in the New York comedy scene. He was a co-founder of the underground comedy ensemble Channel One in 1967 and had been a writer for *MAD Magazine* and a drummer for the National Lampoon stage show *Lemmings*.

Their marriage began during a period of intense creative development for Chase, before his big break. This suggests a relationship formed outside the immediate glare of major Hollywood fame.

2. The Marriage Collided with the Birth of *Saturday Night Live* (1975–1976)

The most significant context for Suzanne's marriage is that it overlapped with Chevy Chase's breakout year. *Saturday Night Live* (SNL) premiered in October 1975, and Chase quickly became the show's first major breakout star. His recurring "Weekend Update" segment, his famous fall-based physical comedy, and his signature opening line, "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!" catapulted him to overnight stardom.

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The sudden, immense pressure and attention that comes with being the "hottest show on TV" must have dramatically impacted the young marriage. Suzanne Hewitt was married to Chevy Chase during his transition from a struggling New York comedian to a national celebrity.

3. The Divorce Occurred at the Peak of His Early Fame

Suzanne and Chevy Chase divorced in February 1976, exactly three years after they married. This timing is highly significant, as it was right after the first, highly successful season of *Saturday Night Live* had concluded.

The end of their marriage coincided with Chase's decision to leave SNL to pursue a film career, a move that cemented his status as a major Hollywood player. The short duration of the marriage is a common feature of relationships that begin just before one partner achieves massive, life-altering fame.

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The Enduring Mystery: Life After the Divorce

Unlike Chevy Chase's subsequent wives, Jacqueline Carlin (married 1976–1980) and Jayni Luke (married since 1982), who have maintained a degree of public visibility, Suzanne Hewitt vanished from the public eye after her divorce. This is the most compelling fact about her life.

4. She Has No Known Public Career

Searches for Suzanne Hewitt's professional career, whether in acting, comedy, or any other public field, yield no substantive results. This strongly suggests that she was never involved in the entertainment industry and, after the divorce, made a conscious decision to return to a completely private life. This contrasts sharply with many ex-spouses of celebrities who leverage their connection for their own professional endeavors.

5. The Name "Susan Hewitt" is Used Interchangeably

In various biographical sources and celebrity timelines, her name is cited interchangeably as "Suzanne Hewitt" and "Susan Hewitt." This minor discrepancy further highlights the limited and often secondhand nature of the public record regarding her life. It is not uncommon for individuals to use a shortened or preferred version of their name, but in the context of a private figure, it adds a layer of ambiguity to her identity.

6. The Lack of Recent Information is a Testament to Her Privacy

In the current digital age, it is extremely rare for a person who was briefly connected to a major celebrity to remain completely untraceable. The fact that there are no confirmed, recent photos, social media profiles, or news articles about Suzanne Hewitt's life after 1976 is a powerful indicator that she has successfully maintained her privacy for nearly five decades. She is a prime example of someone who chose to walk away from the Hollywood machine entirely.

Suzanne Hewitt's Place in Chevy Chase's Legacy

While her marriage was brief, Suzanne Hewitt's place in the timeline of Chevy Chase's life is historically important. She was the one there before the fame—the partner who witnessed the beginning of a legendary, albeit sometimes controversial, career.

7. She Precedes the Iconic '80s Film Era

Suzanne Hewitt's marriage and divorce occurred before Chevy Chase's most iconic film roles. She was not his wife during the making of classics like *Caddyshack* (1980) or the beginning of the *National Lampoon's Vacation* series (1983). Her connection is firmly rooted in the New York comedy scene of the early 1970s and the explosive first season of SNL. This makes her time with him a unique, pre-Hollywood chapter in his personal history, a period of transition that set the stage for everything that followed.

The story of Suzanne Hewitt Chase is less about what is known and more about what is deliberately unknown. She remains an intriguing historical footnote—the first wife of a comedy legend who, after a turbulent three years in the spotlight’s infancy, successfully reclaimed her anonymity, leaving behind only a few key dates and a wealth of curiosity for fans and biographers alike.