A Clark And Rusty Scene Was Deleted From 'Christmas Vacation'

RollingStone - Twitter

With the holiday season in swing, many people are watching their favorite Christmas films.

One movie that has become a staple with holiday lovers is "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation."

The film is the third installment in the popular "Vacation" films and follows the Griswolds as they deal with chaos around the holidays.

"Christmas Vacation" was released in 1989 and features an all-star cast, which includes Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo reprising their roles as Clark and Ellen. Joining them are Johnny Galecki and Juliette Lewis, who play the Griswold kids Rusty and Audrey.

The movie went on to gross over $70 million at the box office, and become a holiday classic.

"Christmas Vacation" follows the Griswolds plans to have a good, old-fashioned Christmas at their home in Chicago.

However, chaos ensues when the in-laws, including Cousin Eddie converge at the Griswold's house.

The film provided plenty of memorable scenes, which fans love to quote.

Cousin Eddie saying "shitter's full" while emptying the RV's septic tank is an iconic scene. Plus, there's also Clark's tirade after learning he didn't receive a Christmas bonus.

Although, the film had lots of great scenes, there was one scene that didn't make the final cut.

In the previous "Vacation" films, there were father and son talks between Clark and Rusty.

The first film had Clark and Rusty sharing a beer while out in the desert. In "European Vacation," the two have a chat during a visit to the Eiffel Tower.

Writer John Hughes had a heart-to-heart scene with Clark and Rusty included in the original screenplay, but removed it.

When production started on the film, Hughes along with Chevy contemplated incorporating the Clark and Rusty scene into the movie, however it ended up getting cut.

The decision to remove the father and son scene from "Christmas Vacation" came down to Johnny Galecki.

Hughes asked young Galecki his opinion, and Galecki thought it best not to include it.

According to the actor, he didn't see any point in having a heart-to-heart talk between Clark and Rusty. 

Hughes took the teen's opinion and opted not to include the scene in the movie.

However, 31 years after filming, Galecki has regrets over the decision to cut the scene. Looking back, the actor says it could've been an iconic moment in the film, and he kicks himself over shutting down the idea.

Galecki has gone on to have a successful career. His most notable role came as Leonard Hofstadter on "The Big Bang Theory," which ended its 12-year run in 2019.

However, fans will always remember him as young Rusty in the holiday classic "Christmas Vacation."

Galecki remains close to his "Vacation" co-stars and credits Chase with helping him learn how to do comedy roles.

Although a pivotal scene got cut from the film, fans can still enjoy plenty of laughs from Clark, Rusty, and the rest of the Griswold gang.