Reports of Chevy Chase being difficult to work with are not exactly unfounded, which presumably accounts for why he hasn't been a box office staple for decades. But apparently, his aloof demeanor and disrespectful attitude cost National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation its first director,

A bizarre encounter with actor Chevy Chase led then-unknown filmmaker Chris Columbus to walk off 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.'

From Home Alone to Harry Potter and Gremlins to The Goonies, Chris Columbus has a laundry list of major film credits as a director, writer or producer. Christmas Vacation could have been part of his bio as well.

I don’t need this. I’d rather not work again," the filmmaker recalled thinking after meeting with the comedy star.

Columbus realized there was a silver lining though. He recalled, “I quit ‘Christmas Vacation.’ The next weekend, I got another script from John — and it’s ‘Home Alone.’ ‘Home Alone,’ for me, was even more personal, a better script. And I thought, I can really do something with this, and I don’t have to deal with Chevy Chase.”

Chevy Chase celebrates the 35th anniversary of the beloved classic, "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" at the Palace Theater.