Clark Griswold

Husband to Ellen Priscilla Ruth Smith Griswold, and father to Audrey Griswold and Rusty Griswold, Clark is a character designed to be evocative of an intensely proud, loyal, and lovable middle class family man who often attempts to bring his family together during vacations which always causes numerous comedic dilemmas and incidents. Clark is extremely clumsy and accident prone, and seems to be susceptible to attractive women, despite being devoted to his wife, Ellen. He loves his family and would do anything he could do to make them happy, although, at times, they seem to be indifferent. Clark's good-natured attempts to provide a good time for his family almost always backfire and end up causing disastrous results. Clark seems to remain confident and extremely optimistic, despite all his misfortune, although, when it becomes apparent that things are not going right or when he is pushed beyond the breaking point of his patience, he tends to snap and go on insane tirades, frightening and disturbing those around him; his wife Ellen says of him in Vacation "when you get tired, you get weird." The hapless, bumbling ways in which he executes his plans are inevitably concluded by a moment of good fortune that saves the family from certain disaster.

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Husband to Ellen Priscilla Ruth Smith Griswold, and father to Audrey Griswold and Rusty Griswold, Clark is a character designed to be evocative of an intensely proud, loyal, and lovable middle class family man who often attempts to bring his family together during vacations which always causes numerous comedic dilemmas and incidents. Clark is extremely clumsy and accident prone, and seems to be susceptible to attractive women, despite being devoted to his wife, Ellen. He loves his family and... (read more)