The duo released a number of successful comedy albums, and starred in a series of low-budget movies. Their best-known comedy sketches include "Earache My Eye," "Santa Claus and his Old Lady," and "Sister Mary Elephant."
The duo separated in the 1980s due to creative differences. Cheech Marin worked on a solo career, finding success in a one-hit wonder song entitled "Born In East L.A." (based on Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A"). He did character voices for several animated feature films, including Disney's Oliver and Company (1988), as well as starring in various comedy films including Shrimp on the Barbie. and as a lead in the CBS television series Nash Bridges.
Tommy Chong also pursued a solo career, starring in such comedies as Far Out Man. He had co-starred on the Fox Television series That '70s Show where he still played a burnt out hippie.
Tommy Chong's California-based company, Chong Glass, was raided by federal officials on February 25, 2003, as part of a federal crackdown on "drug-related paraphernalia." Tommy Chong pleaded guilty to charges of distributing drug paraphernalia in May and was sentenced to 9 months in Federal Prison and fined $20,000 (US), on September 11, 2003.