Chevy Chase and Bill Murray famously got into a fight on the set of Saturday Night Live during the show’s early days. The year was 1978, and the two had never worked together before. Chase left the show for greener pastures a couple of years earlier and returned to host despite the cast and crew being mad at him for quitting. A backstage conversation between Chase and Murray quickly went left and reportedly ended with Murray punching Chase.
According to Blues Brothers director John Landis, who was there that night, “It was a huge altercation.” “They were big guys and really going at it,” Landis explained. “They were slapping at each other, screaming at each other, calling each other terrible names.” One insult in particular left a lasting impression on Landis: Supposedly, while all of this was going on, Murray pointed at Chase and yelled out, “Medium talent!”
Murray described the incident as more of a “non-event.” Chase told Howard Stern in 2008 that he and Murray have since made an effort to get to know each other and have managed to put everything behind them. The two buried the hatchet shortly after the fight and filmed a memorable scene for 1980’s Caddyshack, in which their characters smoke a joint together. “Buddies for life,” Murray’s character says to Chase’s as the two are about to part ways:
The way Chase made peace with Murray at a party they were both attending in 1979 might’ve been even more memorable, though. As author Nick de Semlyen tells it in his book Wild and Crazy Guys: How the Comedy Mavericks of the ‘80s Changed Hollywood Forever, “Chase put down his drink and marched toward Murray, a furious glare on his face.” “Murray tensed up,” Semlyen continues, “But just as he reached him, Chase dropped to his knees and began to unzip Murray’s pants.” From there, Chase mimed like he was about to perform oral sex on his former foe. Within seconds, they were both laughing, and the ice was officially broken, opening the door for their Caddyshack collaboration the following year.
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