‘National Lampoon’ Co-Founder Defaced Fine Artwork in the Universal Offices
… With a ballpoint pen.
While Universal did agree to produce ‘Animal House,’ they didn’t have faith in it and weren’t impressed with their gross humor and immature vulgarity. So they gave the movie a budget of less than $3 million. Universal execs figured they would make a decent profit (since the budget was so tiny), so they allowed the crew to do whatever they wanted and gave them an office at their studio in New York.
Source: Rob Penty
The building was filled with fine artworks featuring hunting scenes and English antiques (what else?). Doug Kenney, one of the co-founders of National Lampoon, defaced multiple art pieces by drawing rats on them with a ballpoint pen. Take that, Universal! He sure showed them who’s boss.