Chris Farley
He threw every ounce of himself at a laugh — and a generation is still laughing.
A Wisconsin kid with a giant heart
Christopher Crosby Farley was born in Madison, Wisconsin, in 1964, one of five children in a close-knit Catholic family. Long before he was famous, he was the kid who would do anything to make a room light up.
After graduating from Marquette University with degrees in communications and theatre, he started doing improv at Madison's Ark Improv Theatre, then moved to Chicago to train at ImprovOlympic and join The Second City, where he started the same day as Stephen Colbert. By 1989 he was on the main stage.
In 1990 he joined the cast of Saturday Night Live, and over five seasons his fearless physical comedy and unexpected sweetness made him one of the show's most loved performers. Films followed, most memorably Tommy Boy and Black Sheep with his friend David Spade. Chris died in Chicago in December 1997, at the age of 33.
The characters
Matt Foley
The loudest, most desperate motivational speaker in America — who lives in a van down by the river.
The Chris Farley Show
A nervous, starstruck host interviews his heroes, then scolds himself for every question. “That was awesome.”
Chippendales Audition
A dance-off with the guest host that became one of the most talked-about sketches of the era.
Todd O'Connor
A Chicago super-fan with total faith in “Da Bears” — and very little faith in his cardiologist.
Bennett Brauer
A commentator who could never quite get through his segment without air quotes and hurt feelings.
Gap Girls & Lunch Lady
Ensemble favorites that showed how completely Chris could commit to a character.
He returned to host the show on October 25, 1997.
Watch the classics
Matt Foley: Van Down by the River
The Chris Farley Show with Paul McCartney
Chippendales Audition
Bill Swerski's Superfans: Bears vs. Giants
Videos courtesy of Saturday Night Live / NBC, via the official SNL YouTube channel.
On the big screen
Chris was also the original voice of the title character in Shrek and had recorded most of his lines before his death; the role was later recast and rewritten.
Still making people laugh
Nearly three decades on, new audiences keep finding Chris through Tommy Boy, SNL reruns and the friends who still tell his stories.
- 2005Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, unveiled August 26 in front of the iO West theater
- 2008The Chris Farley Show: A Biography in Three Acts, by his brother Tom Farley Jr. and Tanner Colby
- 2015I Am Chris Farley, a documentary featuring friends and collaborators
- 2018Adam Sandler's tribute song in his special 100% Fresh
Turning loss into purpose
After Chris's death, the Farley family founded the Chris Farley Foundation to help young people understand the consequences of drugs and alcohol, using humor and improv to reach students across Wisconsin and beyond. His brother Tom continues to share Chris's story and speak about addiction and recovery.
Licensing & inquiries
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Media & events
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Contact: Reeder Brand Management — david@reederbrandmanagement.com
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