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=== Unfinished projects ===
=== Unfinished projects ===
Farley had recorded vocals for the [[Shrek (character)|title character]] in the [[Dreamworks Animation|DreamWorks]] animated film ''[[Shrek]]'', but his death necessitated that the role be recast. He was replaced by his former ''SNL'' castmate [[Mike Myers (actor)|Mike Myers]]. At the time of his death, Farley had also been in talks to co-star with [[Vince Vaughn]] in the film ''The Gelfin'' and also to star in a biopic film about [[Fatty Arbuckle]]. <ref>The Chris Farley Show, by Tom Farley, Jr. and Tanner Colby Chris Farley was also in talks to play the role of [[Peter Parker]] in [[Spider-Man]] but was recast</ref>
Farley had recorded vocals for the [[Shrek (character)|title character]] in the [[Dreamworks Animation|DreamWorks]] animated film ''[[Shrek]]'', but his death necessitated that the role be recast. He was replaced by his former ''SNL'' castmate [[Mike Myers (actor)|Mike Myers]]. At the time of his death, Farley had also been in talks to co-star with [[Vince Vaughn]] in the film ''The Gelfin'' and also to star in a biopic film about [[Fatty Arbuckle]]. <ref>The Chris Farley Show, by Tom Farley, Jr. and Tanner Colby Chris Farley was also in talks to play the role of [[Peter Parker]] in [[Spider-Man]] but was recast</ref> he is amazing


==Death==
==Death==

Revision as of 21:46, 7 March 2009

Chris Farley
File:Chrisfarley.jpg
Birth nameChristopher Crosby Farley
Born(1964-02-15)February 15, 1964
Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
DiedDecember 18, 1997(1997-12-18) (aged 33)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Years active1990 - 1997

Christopher Crosby "Chris" Farley (February 15, 1964 — December 18, 1997) was an American comedian and actor. He was a member at Chicago's Second City Theatre[1] and later went on to the cast of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live. He starred in a string of successful comedic films in the 1990s before his death of a drug overdose in late 1997.

Early life

Farley was born in Madison, Wisconsin. His family consists of three brothers (Tom Farley, Jr., actors Kevin and John), his sister, Barbara, and his parents, Mary Anne, a homemaker, and Thomas, Sr., who owned a paving company.[2][3]. According to Joel Murray, a fellow Second City cast member Chris, who was from an Irish Catholic family, would "always make it to Mass".[4]

Farley graduated from Edgewood High School where he played football. He also attended La Lumiere School, in Indiana, for one semester in his junior year, after a brief suspension for misbehavior.[citation needed] He then went on to graduate from Marquette University, in 1986, with a concentration in communications and theater.[5] Many of his summers were spent as a camper and as a counselor at Red Arrow Camp, outside of Minocqua, Wisconsin. After Marquette, he worked with his father at the Scotch Oil Company, in Madison.[6] Farley got his start in professional comedy at the Ark Improv Theatre, in Madison, and at the Improv Olympic theater, in Chicago. He then went on to perform at Chicago's Second City Theatre. He was initially part of Second City's touring group, but was eventually promoted to their main stage. While working at Second City, he was discovered by Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels.[7]

Career

Saturday Night Live

File:Matt Foley, Saturday Night Live.jpg
Farley playing Matt Foley, Motivational Speaker

Along with Chris Rock, Farley was one of two new SNL (Saturday Night Live) cast members announced in the spring of 1990.[3][7] On the show, Farley frequently collaborated with fellow cast members David Spade, Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, and Rob Schneider, among others. This group came to be known as the "Bad Boys of SNL."[8] Popular characters performed by Farley included himself on "The Chris Farley Show" (a talk show in which Farley would often "interview" the guest and get very nervous and ask very simple-minded or irrelevant questions like what their favorite sock brand was), an over-the-top motivational speaker named "Matt Foley" (who constantly reminded other characters that he lived in "a van down by the river"),[9] Todd O'Connor of Bill Swerski's Superfans (a group of stereotypical Chicagoans who constantly yell out "da Bears!")[10], a Chippendale's dancer (in a famous skit that paired him with guest host Patrick Swayze)[11], one of the "Gap Girls" (who hung out together at a local mall), a stereotypical lunch lady (to the theme of Lunchlady Land performed by Adam Sandler)[12] and Bennett Brauer (a Weekend Update commentator who would often divulge his personal and hygienic problems via air quotes). Some of these characters were brought to SNL from his days at Second City. Farley also performed impersonations of Tom Arnold (who gave the eulogy at his funeral), Andrew Giuliani, Jerry Garcia, Meat Loaf, Norman Schwarzkopf, Dom DeLuise, Roger Ebert, Carnie Wilson, Newt Gingrich, and Rush Limbaugh.[13]

Off-screen, Farley was well-known for his pranks in the offices of Saturday Night Live. A March 13, 1995, New York magazine article references 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 then farting into the phone, as well as Farley mooning cars from a limousine.[14][15] Live From New York: An Oral History of Saturday Night Live also mentions an incident where Farley defecated out an open window onto the ice rink at Rockefeller Center, many stories below.

Film career

Farley started his film career making cameo appearances in several comedy films, including Wayne's World in 1992, Coneheads in 1993, Wayne's World 2 in 1993, Airheads in 1994 and Adam Sandler's Billy Madison in 1995.

After Farley and most of his fellow cast members were released from their contracts at Saturday Night Live following the 1994-1995 season, Farley focused on his film career. His first two major films co-starred fellow SNL cast member and close friend David Spade. Together, the duo made the films Tommy Boy and Black Sheep in consecutive years 1995 and 1996. These two films were a success at the domestic box office, earning around $32 million each and gaining a large cult following on home video.[16][17] These films established Farley as a relatively bankable star and he was given the sole leading role in 1997's Beverly Hills Ninja, which finished in first place at the box office on its opening weekend.[18] However, drug and alcohol problems began interfering with his work and production of his final film, Almost Heroes, was held up several times so Farley could attend rehab.[19] After his sudden death in December 1997, his last completed films, Almost Heroes and Dirty Work, were released posthumously, and paid tribute to him.

Unfinished projects

Farley had recorded vocals for the title character in the DreamWorks animated film Shrek, but his death necessitated that the role be recast. He was replaced by his former SNL castmate Mike Myers. At the time of his death, Farley had also been in talks to co-star with Vince Vaughn in the film The Gelfin and also to star in a biopic film about Fatty Arbuckle. [20] he is amazing

Death

In early 1997, a decline in Farley's health was frequently noted in the press. Following his guest appearance on SNL for the last time on October 25, 1997,[21] his hoarse voice and apparent perspiration were the subject of public scrutiny.[22][23] In the years before his death, Farley had attempted to seek treatment for alcohol and drug abuse on seventeen separate occasions, as well as numerous visits to weight reduction treatment centers.[24]

On December 18, 1997, his younger brother John found Farley dead in his apartment on the sixtieth floor of the John Hancock Center in Chicago. [25] An autopsy later revealed that Farley had overdosed on a combination of cocaine and morphine (a speedball) [26] with advanced atherosclerosis cited as a "significant contributing factor" in his death.[19] Farley's death was similar to the death of John Belushi, a comedian and actor who, like Farley, starred in Saturday Night Live. Both died at age 33 of a drug overdose.[11]

At the time of his death, it was reported that there were no illegal drugs found in the apartment, only prescription pain killers. Later in the 2008 biography, The Chris Farley Show: A Biography In Three Acts, it stated that there were actually several bags of cocaine found in the apartment.

Funeral

Farley's funeral was held at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Madison, Wisconsin, on December 23, 1997. He was buried at Resurrection Catholic Cemetery, also located in Madison, Wisconsin. Over five hundred people attended his funeral, and many of these were actors who worked with Farley in the past such as Phil Hartman, Adam Sandler, Lorne Michaels, Dan Aykroyd, Steve Buscemi, John Goodman, George Wendt, Norm Macdonald, Rob Schneider, Aiden Clark, Chris Rock, Tom Arnold, and his wife.[27] Notably absent was former SNL castmate and frequent film co-star David Spade. Spade was later quoted as saying that he did not attend Farley's funeral because he "could not be in a room where Chris was in a box."[13] However, Spade did appear on the special 25th Anniversary episode of Saturday Night Live to call for a moment of remembrance for Farley.

Legacy

On August 26, 2005, he was awarded the 2,289th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The star is located in front of Improv Olympic West.[28] In Adam Sandler's 2000 film Little Nicky, Little Nicky's mother, an angel played by Reese Witherspoon, is mentioned at the end of the film to be dating her new fitness instructor in Heaven, who turns out to be Chris Farley.

In his book Gasping for Airtime, former castmember Jay Mohr recalled a surreal moment involving Farley and fellow castmember Phil Hartman. In the SNL cast's goodbye song-and-dance performance to Hartman, the final scene featured Farley (in his Matt Foley costume) and Hartman embracing each other as the latter sang "Goodbye" to the camera.[29] They died within five months of each other. This can be seen on the "Best of Chris Farley" SNL special.

On May 6, 2008, the authorized biography of Chris Farley was published. The book, titled The Chris Farley Show (Viking Press), was written by Farley's brother Tom Farley Jr. and Tanner Colby.[30]

Filmography

Year Title Role Other notes
1990-1995 Saturday Night Live Various characters TV, 100 episodes
1992 Wayne's World Security guard
The Jackie Thomas Show Chris Thomas TV, 1 episode
1993 Roseanne Man in Clothing Store TV, 1 episode
Coneheads Ronnie the Mechanic
Wayne's World 2 Milton
1994 Tom Chris TV, 1 episode
Airheads Officer Wilson
1995 Billy Madison Bus Driver Uncredited
Tommy Boy Thomas "Tommy" Callahan III
1996 Black Sheep Mike Donnelly
1997 All That The Chicago Ketchup Chef TV, 1 episode
Beverly Hills Ninja Haru
1998 Almost Heroes Bartholomew Hunt Released posthumously
Dirty Work Jimmy Uncredited, released posthumously

Awards and nominations

Year Result Award Category Film or series
1996 Nominated MTV Movie Awards Best Comedic Performance Black Sheep
Won Best On-Screen Duo Tommy Boy (Shared with David Spade)
1997 Nominated Best Comedic Performance Beverly Hills Ninja

References

  1. ^ The Second City: Chicago Alumni
  2. ^ "Chris Farley Biography (1964-1997)". filmreference.com.
  3. ^ a b Chris Farley Biography - Yahoo! Movies
  4. ^ http://www.thechrisfarleyshow.com/chicago.html
  5. ^ Marquette University - Famous Faces
  6. ^ The Biography Channel - Chris Farley Biography
  7. ^ a b Wisconsin Historical Society
  8. ^ The Bad Boys of Saturday Night Live (1998)(TV)
  9. ^ Anderson, Sam (2008-05-16). "Dada's Boy". New York. Retrieved 2008-06-08. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  10. ^ "New Exhibit: Chris Farley Remembered". wisconsinhistory.org. Retrieved 2008-06-08.
  11. ^ a b Goldblatt, Henry. "'Chris Farley Show' stuffed with gossip". CNN.com. Retrieved 2008-06-08.
  12. ^ Crawford, Bill (2000). Adam Sandler: America's Comedian. Macmillan. p. 75. ISBN 0-312-26282-5.
  13. ^ a b "Chris Farley's Black Sheep Jacket". wisconsinhistory.org. Retrieved 2008-06-07.
  14. ^ Smith, Chris (1995-03-15). "Comedy Isn't Funny". New York. p. 7. Retrieved 2008-06-08. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  15. ^ Smith, Chris (1995-03-15). "Comedy Isn't Funny". New York. p. 8. Retrieved 2008-06-07. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  16. ^ Box Office Mojo data for Black Sheep
  17. ^ Box Office Mojo data for Tommy Boy
  18. ^ Box Office Mojo data for Beverly Hills Ninja
  19. ^ a b Tucker, Reed (2007-12-16). "That Was Awesome!". New York Post. Retrieved 2008-06-07. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  20. ^ The Chris Farley Show, by Tom Farley, Jr. and Tanner Colby Chris Farley was also in talks to play the role of Peter Parker in Spider-Man but was recast
  21. ^ "Chris Farley/The Mighty Mighty Bosstones episode reviews". saturday-night-live.com.
  22. ^ "Saturday Night Live Transcripts". snltranscripts.jt.org.
  23. ^ Shales, Tom (2003). Live from New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live. Back Bay. pp. 492, 493. ISBN 0-316-73565-5. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  24. ^ Nashawaty, Chris. "The Last Temptation of Chris". ew.com. Retrieved 2008-06-07.
  25. ^ Petrikin, Chris (1997-12-19). "Comic Farley dies". Variety. Retrieved 2008-06-07. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  26. ^ "Chris Farley's Death Laid to Drug Overdose". New York Times. 1998-01-03. Retrieved 2008-06-07. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  27. ^ Athens Daily News - Fellow comedians weep for Chris Farley
  28. ^ Breitbart.com - Chris Farley Gets Posthumous Star
  29. ^ Mohr, Jay (2004). Gasping for Airtime: Two Years in the Trenches of Saturday Night Live. Hyperion. pp. 292, 293. ISBN 1-401-30006-5.
  30. ^ "The Chris Farley Show". thechrisfarleyshow.com. Retrieved 2008-06-07.
Wikiquote has quotations related to Chris Farley.


Template:Persondata {{subst:#if:Farley, Chris|}} [[Category:{{subst:#switch:{{subst:uc:1964}} 

|| UNKNOWN | MISSING = Year of birth missing {{subst:#switch:{{subst:uc:1997}}||LIVING=(living people)}}
| #default = 1964 births

}}]] {{subst:#switch:{{subst:uc:1997}} 

|| LIVING  = 
| MISSING  = 
| UNKNOWN  = 
| #default =

}} Anthony Nickel

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