Christopher Crosby Farley (February 15, 1964 – December 18, 1997) was an American comedian and actor. Farley was known for his loud, energetic comedic style, and was a member of Chicago’s Second City Theatre[1] and later a cast member of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live for five seasons from 1990 to 1995.[2][3] He later went on to pursue a film career, appearing in films such as Airheads, Tommy Boy, Black Sheep, Beverly Hills Ninja, and Almost Heroes. From his early acting days and through the height of his fame, Farley struggled with substance abuse. He died of a drug overdose at the age of 33.

I am dedeply grateful to Wikipedia and IMDb for providing the research information for this commentary.

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o He was said to have idolized John Belushi. His life story bears a striking similarity to that of Belushi: both Farley and Belushi were regulars at The Second City in Chicago, both then went on to become cast members on Saturday Night Live (1975) and then later do feature films, both had obesity problems, both had a reputation for having an out-of-control lifestyle, and both died from drug overdoses at the age of thirty-three.

o Was originally cast as the title role in Shrek (2001) and even recorded the dialogue. However, after his untimely death, the role was given to fellow Saturday Night Live (1975) performer, Mike Myers.

o David Spade once told an anecdote about how the cast of SNL would hit the bars post-rehearsal and Farley would often approach a woman claiming that he was an aerobics instructor. When the woman would inevitably scoff at his claim, Chris would do a standing back flip, stick the landing, and continue the conversation.
He was originally meant to play Kevin James’ role in Grown Ups (2010), as the script was originally written in the early 1990s.

o Adam Sandler revealed in 2010 during an interview on Late Night with Conan O’Brien (1993) that Farley and he were fired from Saturday Night Live (1975) in 1995.

o He was surprisingly athletic for his size, playing football in high school and rugby during college.

o Before his death, Farley maintained that, as a dramatic role, he wished to star in a film biography of silent comedian Roscoe ‘Fatty’ Arbuckle.

o Died from opiate and cocaine intoxication. Found by his brother John Farley in his apartment in the John Hancock building.

o As told by comedian Norm MacDonald in an interview on the Howard Stern radio show, Farley named his SNL character Matt Foley after a priest named Matt Foley back home where, Norm said he learned at Farley’s funeral, Farley lead a secret life helping in the soup kitchen and other things for the church.

o Was planning to do a third movie with David Spade at the time of his death.

o Was the first choice for Jim Carrey’s role in The Cable Guy (1996), but scheduling conflicts forced him to miss out on doing the film.

o Was good friends with Chris Rock. Was best friends with David Spade.

o He was known for always stopping and giving money and showing kindness to homeless people he passed on the street.

o He and David Spade were planning on making a movie centered on his character Matt Foley from Saturday Night Live (1975).

o According to the medical examiner, Farley was 5′ 8″ and 296 lbs. at the time of his death.

o In most of his films, his brother Kevin P. Farley was used as an extra.

o At the time of his untimely death, he lived in the John Hancock building in Chicago. His next-door neighbor was television and radio host Jerry Springer.

o He was posthumously awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6366 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on August 26, 2005. The star is located in front of the improve Olympic West theater, where he once performed.

o Credited for performing many of his own stunts.

o Had a year left on his contract with Saturday Night Live (1975) but was let go in the process of the show’s rapid cast change during 1995.
David Spade introduced a tribute to him on Saturday Night Live 25 (1999).
Chris was an alumnus of Chicago’s ImprovOlympic improvisation troupe. Fellow members include the Jon Favreau, Ian Gomez, Pat Finn, Tim Meadows, Rachel Dratch, Vince Vaughn, Mike Myers, Ossie Beck, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and Adam McKay.

Off-screen, Farley was well known for his pranks in the offices of Saturday Night Live (1975). This would refer to Farley and Adam Sandler making late-night prank phone calls from the SNL offices in Rockefeller Center, with Sandler speaking in an old woman’s voice and Farley farting into the phone and mooning cars from a limousine. He was also known to frequently get naked and do various stunts for laughs. Chris Rock once claimed that he probably saw Farley’s private parts more than Farley’s girlfriend did.

o He was so disappointed in Beverly Hills Ninja (1997) that he cried on his agent’s shoulder after the first screening. He told his agent that he never wanted to do such a film again. Farley’s stance was justified as it arguably attributed to the exploitation of his manic, physical humor by dumbing it down and playing it out to an almost tiring and foolish degree.
Dav Pilkey, author of the children’s book series “Captain Underpants”, had wanted Farley to play the title role in a potential television series based on the books, but discarded the idea after Farley’s untimely death.

o He was often described as an extremely kind and generous man who often went out of his way to help people in need.
The song “Purple Stain” by the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers contains the lyric “Farley is an angel and I can prove this” as a tribute to Farley.

o Parents are Thomas John and Mary Anne (Crosby) Farley. Father owned Scotch Oil. company.
Farley only starred in four movies throughout his career: Tommy Boy (1995), Black Sheep (1996), Beverly Hills Ninja (1997) and Almost Heroes (1998). His other film appearances were merely supporting roles.

o Farley had also been in talks for the lead in an adaptation of the novel “A Confederacy of Dunces”. Farley even expressed interest in portraying Atuk in an adaptation of the novel “The Incomparable Atuk”. Both of these shelved projects, along with a Roscoe ‘Fatty’ Arbuckle biopic, have been alleged to be cursed as Farley, John Belushi, and John Candy were each attached to all three roles, and all three died before any of the films entered production.

o Attended and graduated from Edgewood High School of the Sacred Heart (1982).

o Received his degree in communications and theater from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (1986).

o He was planning on starring in a biography about Hermann Goering.

o He was originally supposed to reunite with David Spade in Lost & Found (1999). After his untimely death, his role went to Artie Lange.

o He was originally going to be in the unmade third Ghostbusters movie along side Chris Rock and Ben Stiller.

o At the time of his untimely death, Farley had also been in talks to co-star with Vince Vaughn in the film The Gelfin, which was never made.

o Toward the end of his life he wanted to make a movie with his friend Jim Carrey. However due to other projects and his untimely death on December 18, 1997 the two comic actors never worked together, though Jim Carrey continues to praise Farley’s work to the present day and says he was “one of the greatest human beings to ever live.”.

o According to director Chris Columbus, he auditioned Farley for a small role as a Santa Claus in his smash hit film Home Alone (1990) because he attended the same church as Farley for a period of time and was aware of his work with Second City. Farley however came to his audition with very little sleep and no preparation so Columbus regrettably had to offer the role to another actor. Columbus went on to say “Farley was the sweetest guy and I think he would have been great in the movie but he just seemed totally out of it during his audition.”.

o Posed as Newt Gingrich on Capitol Hill to help the House Republican leader celebrate his first 100 days. (April 1995)

o Following his untimely death, he was interred at Resurrection Cemetery in Madison, Wisconsin.

o Brother of John Farley and Kevin P. Farley.

o He was an avid football and rugby player.

o  He was of seven-eighths Irish and one-eighth Scottish ancestry.

o Adam Sandler wrote a heartwarming and tear-jerking song dedicated to Chris Farley and sang it at his live shows and a 2019 episode of Saturday Night Live.

o He was friends with Jim Carrey.

o Chris Farley passed away on December 18, 1997, two months away from what would have been his 34th birthday on February 15, 1998.

o He was slated for a voice role in Dinosaur (2000) as a young male brachiosaurus named Sorbus who, despite his gigantic nature, was frightened of heights. After his death, the character was rewritten as Baylene, an elderly female Brachiosaurus played by stage actress Joan Plowright.

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To learn more about Chris Farley’s life and career — and about each of his films — please click here.