One Of The Greatest Losses In Comedy History

The Truth About Chris Farley
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Out-Of-Control Facts About Chris Farley, The One We Lost Too Soon
May 4
PEOPLE
Byron Fast
He Wanted To Be Like His Idol
It was easy for comedic actor Chris Farley to plan out his career. You see, very early in his life he’d decided who his role model was. The problem was that the celebrity he chose was a fellow comedian whose disastrous life choices had led to a tragic and early demise.
Sadly, Farley seemed destined to repeat every mistake his idol made.
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1. He Was A Good Boy
Chris Farley was born on February 15, 1964, and grew up in the village of Maple Bluff, Wisconsin and attended parochial schools in nearby Madison. Farley was a good boy, who, according to one cast member at Second City, never missed a Mass.
But not everything was sunshine and roses during his childhood.
Ron Galella, Ltd., Getty Images
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2. They Teased Him
Because Farley was overweight while growing up, the other children at school mercilessly teased him. They called him names like “ Fatso ” and “Chubby”. The only good thing that came out of this is that Farley honed his comedy skills as a way to diffuse the name-calling.
He may have been overweight, but Farley excelled at sports.
Russell Einhorn, Getty Images
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3. He Was More Than Just Funny
While studying at Marquette University, Farley discovered a love of sport. Here he played the rather dangerous game of rugby where his large size was an asset. Farley eventually graduated from university with majors in both communications and theater.
After university, Farley didn’t exactly use what he learned.
George Pimentel, Getty Images
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4. He Worked A Real Job
Farley's father—Thomas John Farley Sr—had his own oil company. This was where Farley had his first job out of university, but he hadn’t forgotten about his love of performing. He dove into improvisational comedy at the Ark Improv Theater in Madison.
He didn't realize it yet, but Farley had found his calling—and the thing that would kill him.
Ron Galella, Ltd, Getty Images
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5. He Found His Place
The obvious place for Farley to go was Chicago, the mecca of comedy performance. He started there at Improv Olympic, and then moved on to the Second City . Like many improvisers appearing on the Second City stage, Farley was waiting for something.
He was waiting for a certain someone to notice him.
Denny Keeler, Getty Images
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6. He Went Live
Pretty much every single performer at Second City is hoping for Lorne Michaels to notice them. Michaels is the creator and producer of Saturday Night Live , and a tap on the shoulder from him had the ability to turn a nobody into the biggest comedy star in the world.
Well, in 1990, Michaels did notice Farley, and he was soon making the trip to be live in New York City.
NBC, Saturday Night Live 1975-
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7. He Had A Special Character
One of Farley’s most popular characters on SNL was Matt Foley : a motivational speaker who, unlike typical motivational speakers, was bumbling, caustic and frequently broke. In the inaugural sketch, Farley is trying to motivate two teens, played by David Spade and Christina Applegate, into “getting back on the right track”.
Spade and Applegate had no idea what they were in for.
NBC, Saturday Night Live 1975-
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8. It Was A Complete Surprise
Spade and Applegate were on live TV facing an animated and sweaty Farley when he did something that REALLY surprised them: He dove through the air onto the coffee table in front of them. Spade and Applegate’s reactions are quite authentic, as neither had any idea that this was part of the sketch—and the audience went wild.
Matt Foley was out of the box—and Chris Farley was ready for the spotlight.
NBC, Saturday Night Live 1975-
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9. He Changed The Name
Farley's iconic motivational speaker character didn't originally have a specific name. He'd usually just make one up on the spot. One day, his friend Matt Foley came to see the show. Farley went with his name that day—and it just stuck.
The real Matt Foley played rugby with Farley back in university, and was at the time of the sketch a Catholic priest. Farley's Matt Foley was so popular that Farley got an unusual request.
NBC, Saturday Night Live 1975-
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10. He Helped The Team
In 1994, the Wisconsin Badgers were in the Rose Bowl, and they asked Farley to perform an inspirational speech to the team at a banquet. Farley said yes, and the team went on to win the Rose Bowl that year. Farley—as Foley—seemed to have unlimited energy.
Well, that's because he was hiding a secret.
NBC, Saturday Night Live 1975-
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11. He Was An Addict
Farley’s motivational speaker had a not-so-well-kept secret. He was a caffeine addict who often talked about drinking espresso and even taking NoDoz caffeine tablets. In one hilarious sketch, he goes so far as to take a huge container of coffee when he goes to teach a spinning class.
The thing was, this wasn’t far from Farley’s reality. But the real version wasn't so funny...
NBC, Saturday Night Live 1975-
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12. He Took A Lesson
While still working on SNL, Farley appeared in Adam Sandler’s Billy Madison . Here, Farley was playing a hyper bus driver, and apparently drank six espresso shots right before filming the scene. But Farley was more than just the coffee-loving Matt Foley—he was a whole handful of characters.
NBC, Saturday Night Live 1975-
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13. He Had A Repertoire
One thing that Farley liked to do on SNL was impressions. He did hilarious impersonations of film critic Roger Ebert, singer Mama Cass and even Mindy Cohn from The Facts of Life . But one impression he did would later come back to haunt him.
NBC, Saturday Night Live 1975-
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14. It Was Awkward
When Farley was working on the SNL -themed film Coneheads , he came face to face with one of his better impressions. This was Tom Arnold, and it may have been just a little awkward to meet up with the man he’d parodied so viciously.
Paramount, Coneheads (1993)
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15. He Had A Manic Schedule
Next, Farley received an offer to appear in a film with his buddy David Spade. But this wasn't a cushy, Hollywood gig. It was a hectic pace, as both Farley and Spade had to rehearse and perform Saturday Night Live each week—and at the same time commute to Toronto to make Tommy Boy .
Eventually, the stress of this schedule made Farley act out in a surprising way.
Paramount, Coneheads (1993)
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16. They Were Too Close
Farley and Spade were good friends, but maybe a little too close. One night in Toronto, Spade went out with actor Rob Lowe without Farley because Farley said he was sick. When Farley found out about Spade and Lowe, he had an over-the-top reaction.
Paramount, Coneheads (1993)
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17. He Repeated The Same Line
The next day on set, an angry Farley wouldn’t say much to Spade. He just repeatedly asked him over and over "How Rob Lowe was". Even though he had been the one who decided to stay in!
Jealousy had taken over Farley’s mental capacity, and he eventually went one step too far. And we mean that literally.
Paramount, Coneheads (1993)
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