As a young actor, Jason Lively made a name for himself with a variety of roles in both film and television throughout the 1980s. One of his most memorable performances came when he portrayed Russell “Rusty” Griswold in the comedy European Vacation. This role had originally been played by Anthony Michael Hall in National Lampoon’s Vacation, but Lively stepped in and brought his own take to the character. As the son of Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo’s characters, Jason Lively’s version of Rusty often found himself in the position of the straight man amidst the chaotic antics of Chase’s character. Still, the storyline allowed Jason Lively to experience some of the more intriguing and liberal elements that European culture had to offer.
Jason Lively’s acting journey began earlier with a guest spot on the popular action series The Dukes of Hazzard, which helped open doors for more substantial roles. Not long after, he landed a supporting part in the 1983 sci-fi film Brainstorm, starring Christopher Walken and Natalie Wood. In the movie, Jason Lively played Chris, the couple’s son whose mind is nearly overwhelmed by a revolutionary brain-recording device that the parents are developing.
In addition to his work in European Vacation and Brainstorm, Jason Lively appeared in several other notable films during the decade. One standout was the horror film Night of the Creeps, where he took on the lead role of Chris Romero, a determined teenager trying to stop an invasion of alien slugs. Wrapping up the ‘80s with guest appearances on the crime drama Mancuso, FBI, Jason Lively then continued his career into the early 1990s, balancing roles in both television movies and theatrical films.
When it comes to Jason Lively’s filmography, one standout in terms of acclaim is Night of the Creeps (1986), which happens to be his highest-rated movie. On the flip side, a film that didn’t quite resonate as well with audiences or critics is National Lampoon’s European Vacation (1985), marking it as Jason Lively’s lowest-rated performance on screen.