Cheech & Chong’s story begins in Vancouver in 1969, when Richard “Cheech” Marin, a young Chicano from Los Angeles avoiding the Vietnam draft, crossed paths with Tommy Chong, a musician and improv performer already steeped in counterculture. Their chemistry was immediate: Cheech’s fast-talking, streetwise persona played perfectly against Chong’s mellow hippie vibe. Together they created a comedic language that spoke directly to the underground cannabis community, and by the early 1970s they were recording albums that would become cult classics.

Their debut record, Cheech and Chong (1971), introduced sketches like “Dave’s Not Here,” which became a counterculture catchphrase. Big Bambu followed in 1972, packaged with a giant rolling paper, and sold millions of copies. By 1973, Los Cochinos had won them a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Recording. These albums weren’t just comedy—they were cultural documents, blending satire, music, and cannabis humor at a time when marijuana was still taboo.

Hollywood came calling in 1978 with Up in Smoke, their first feature film. Made on a shoestring budget, it grossed over $44 million and effectively invented the “stoner comedy” genre. The film’s absurd plot—two hapless stoners accidentally smuggling a van made entirely of marijuana—was both slapstick and subversive, and it cemented Cheech & Chong as icons. Sequels followed quickly: Cheech and Chong’s Next Movie (1980), Nice Dreams (1981), Things Are Tough All Over (1982), and Still Smokin (1983). Each film mixed slapstick with cannabis satire, portraying stoners as lovable outsiders navigating a hostile world. By the mid-1980s, however, their formula began to wear thin, and The Corsican Brothers (1984) marked a departure from cannabis themes, though it failed to capture the same magic.

By 1985, the duo split to pursue solo careers. Cheech Marin moved into mainstream acting, starring in Born in East L.A. (1987), appearing in films like Tin Cup (1996), and lending his voice to Disney’s The Lion King and Pixar’s Cars. He also became a respected collector and promoter of Chicano art. Tommy Chong leaned into activism and acting, appearing in Far Out Man (1990) and later as “Leo” in That ’70s Show. In 2003, Chong was sentenced to nine months in federal prison for selling glass bongs online, a case that made him a symbol of cannabis persecution and galvanized his role as an activist.

The 2000s brought reunion tours like Cheech & Chong: Light Up America, proving their chemistry hadn’t faded. They voiced characters in South Park and released Cheech & Chong’s Animated Movie! in 2013, reviving classic routines for a new generation. Their live shows blended nostalgia with activism, reminding audiences that cannabis culture was still fighting for legitimacy.

In the 2010s and 2020s, both men became entrepreneurs in the legal cannabis industry. Cheech & Chong’s branded cannabis products—flower, edibles, and beverages—extended their legacy into the marketplace, merging humor with authenticity. They weren’t just comedians anymore; they were cultural entrepreneurs, bridging the outlaw past with the legalized present.

Their story came full circle in 2025 with the release of Cheech & Chong’s Last Movie, a documentary directed by David L. Bushell. Premiering at SXSW and released theatrically on April 20, it blended archival footage, interviews, and road trip comedy to tell the definitive story of their five-decade career. Critics praised it as both hilarious and poignant, a reminder that their comedy was never just about laughs—it was about making cannabis culture visible when it was taboo.

Cheech & Chong’s legacy is immense. They pioneered stoner comedy, influenced generations of performers from Adam Sandler to Seth Rogen, and helped normalize cannabis in mainstream culture. Their sketches and films remain touchstones of counterculture humor, while their activism and entrepreneurship ensure their relevance in the age of legalization. From “Dave’s Not Here” to their own cannabis brand, they embody the resilience and rebellion of cannabis culture, proving that laughter and activism can roll together.