As a young actor, Jason Lively appeared in numerous films and television series during the 1980s. During this time, his most recognizable part was Russell "Rusty" Griswold from the comedy "European Vacation," a role previously played by Anthony Michael Hall in "National Lampoon's Vacation." As the son of Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo's hapless parents, his "Rusty" Griswold spends the brunt of "European Vacation" playing straight man to Chase's wacky protagonist; however, he does get to enjoy the more liberal aspects of European culture as well. Lively started out his career with a guest appearance on the popular action series "The Dukes of Hazzard," which paved the way for a supporting part in "Brainstorm," an '83 science fiction movie starring Christopher Walken and Natalie Wood. As their son Chris, his mind is nearly destroyed by a brain-recording device that his parents are working on. Besides "European Vacation" and "Brainstorm," Lively's other films during the decade included the horror flick "Night of the Creeps," in which he played main protagonist Chris Romero, a teenager who tries to stop an invasion of alien slugs. After closing out the decade with guest appearances on the crime drama "Mancuso, FBI," he spent the early part of the 1990s alternating between made-for-TV movies and theatrical releases.