Chris Farley

Chris Farley was an American actor and comedian. He is most well known for his physical presence in the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, where he was a cast-member from 1990-1995. Farley graduated from Marquette University in 1986 with a focus on Communications and Theatre. He first received his big break into the comedy world when he joined Chicago’s Second City Theatre, where he would meet eventual colleague, Lorne Michaels.

After an extremely successful career on Saturday Night Live Farley began receiving starring roles in movies including, Tommy Boy, Black Sheep, Almost Heroes, and Beverly Hills Ninja. Throughout his career, Farley struggled intensely with drug and Alcohol abuse as well as continuous struggles with obesity. On the set of his last Starring role (Almost Heroes), production had to be delayed so Chris could attend Rehab for his substance abuse problems. On December 18, 1997 Farley was found dead by his younger brother John in his John Hancock Center apartment. It is reported that he died of a drug overdose with advanced atherosclerosis being a large contributing factor. On the night of his death Farley had hired a prostitute named Heidi who came recommended by one of Farley’s close friends. This woman has testified that she witnessed Farley passing out on the ground before leaving the apartment, assuming he had fallen asleep.

Farley released two movies Post-humorously (Dirty Work, Almost Heroes), and was rumored to star in future hits such as Shrek and Grown Ups, the latter being shelved for more than a decade because of Farley’s death. It is rumored that Chris Farley attended Rehab more than a dozen times, and that before his death, he was scheduled to be checked back in to Father Martin’s Ashley rehab center. He was 33 years old at the time of his death, the same age as his long time Idol John Belushi, who also died of a drug overdose at 33.