Chris Farley
SNL writer and cast member, original *Daily Show* correspondent.
Christopher Crosby Farley, born on February 15, 1964, in Madison, Wisconsin, and raised in Maple Bluff, was an American actor and comedian known for his explosive physical comedy and athleticism, drawing comparisons to John Belushi, Curly Howard, and Roscoe Arbuckle. He was one of five children in an Irish-American family; his father owned an oil company and his mother was a homemaker. Farley attended parochial schools, including Edgewood High School, and spent summers as a camper and counselor at Red Arrow Camp. He graduated from Marquette University in 1986 with double majors in communications and theatre, where he played rugby and discovered his love of comedy. After college, he briefly worked at his father’s oil company before studying improvisation at the Ark Improv Theatre in Madison. He moved to Chicago, performing at Improv Olympic and then joining the Second City Theatre, starting the same day as Stephen Colbert. He rose to the main stage in 1989, appearing in revues including *The Gods Must Be Lazy* and *Flag Smoking Permitted in Lobby Only or Censorama*.
Farley joined *Saturday Night Live* in 1990, part of a cohort that included Chris Rock, and stayed for five seasons. He collaborated frequently with Adam Sandler, David Spade, and Tim Meadows, forming a group dubbed the “Bad Boys of SNL.” His iconic characters included the motivational speaker Matt Foley, who lived “in a van down by the river,” a character developed at Second City with Bob Odenkirk and named after a real-life priest friend. Other memorable roles were Todd O’Connor of the Superfans, a Chippendales dancer opposite Patrick Swayze, a Gap Girl, a lunch lady, and Bennett Brauer on Weekend Update. He also impersonated figures like Tom Arnold, Jerry Garcia, and Roger Ebert. Off-screen, Farley was notorious for pranks, including naked stunts and late-night phone calls. He was fired from SNL in 1995 alongside Sandler.
Farley’s film career included roles in *Wayne’s World*, *Coneheads*, *Airheads*, and the music video for the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Soul to Squeeze.” After leaving SNL, he starred in *Tommy Boy* and *Black Sheep* with David Spade, followed by *Beverly Hills Ninja* and *Almost Heroes*. Throughout his life, he struggled with obesity, alcoholism, and substance abuse. He died of a drug overdose on December 18, 1997, at age 33.
- field
- Actor and comedian
- nationality
- American
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Brown's early life was marked by legal troubles: he was arrested for stealing cars and sent to a reformatory, never finishing high school. He had legal troubles in Toronto, Ontario and spent time in jail in Texas, where he learned to juggle. He followed the Grateful Dead tour as a Deadhead and began busking in San Francisco. His career began as a street juggler, and he became a stand-up comedian after entering the 1977 San Francisco Comedy Competition. Early television appearances include Showtime's *The Big Laff Off* (1978), *Late Night with David Letterman* (1983), and *The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson* (1986). He became a member of the Writer's Guild when he was hired by Lorne Michaels to join the writing staff of *Saturday Night Live* in 1985; he was also a featured performer, most notably on a Weekend Update segment called 'The Big Picture.' He shared an office with Chris Farley. He won a 1989 Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program, along with Al Franken, Tom Davis, Phil Hartman, Mike Myers, Lorne Michaels and Conan O'Brien. He worked briefly for the liberal radio network Air America Radio during its start-up period in early 2004. He also wrote the screenplay for an episode of HBO's horror anthology show *Tales from the Crypt* named 'Collection Completed.'
Reader's Guide
A. Whitney Brown's significance lies in his dual role as both a writer and performer on *Saturday Night Live* during a pivotal era from 1985 to 1991. His most notable on-screen contribution was the Weekend Update segment 'The Big Picture.' He was also one of the original correspondents on Comedy Central's *The Daily Show*. His 1989 Emmy win for Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program places him among a group of comedy legends including Al Franken, Tom Davis, Phil Hartman, Mike Myers, Lorne Michaels, and Conan O'Brien. Brown's path to comedy was unconventional, starting with car theft, reformatory, jail in Texas where he learned to juggle, and busking as a Deadhead following the Grateful Dead tour. This background informed his work, giving him a unique perspective that he brought to both his stand-up and his writing.
Did You Know?
- Brown was arrested for stealing cars and sent to a reformatory, never finishing high school.
- He learned to juggle while spending time in jail in Texas.
- He followed the Grateful Dead tour as a Deadhead and began busking in San Francisco.
- He shared an office with Chris Farley on Saturday Night Live.
- His 1989 Emmy win for Outstanding Writing was shared with Al Franken, Tom Davis, Phil Hartman, Mike Myers, Lorne Michaels, and Conan O'Brien.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Chris Farley?
Chris Farley was an American actor and comedian born in Madison, Wisconsin in 1964. He became a household name through his work on Saturday Night Live and in feature films during the early-to-mid 1990s.
What is Chris Farley best known for?
He is most remembered for his loud, physical comedy characters, particularly his five-season run on SNL from 1990 to 1995. His film credits include Tommy Boy, Black Sheep, Beverly Hills Ninja, and Airheads.
How did Chris Farley's life and career end?
Farley died on December 18, 1997, at the age of 33, cutting short what many fans felt was a still-unfolding movie career. His passing left a significant gap in the comedy landscape of the late 1990s.
Why is Chris Farley important to the history of comedy?
His exuberant, physically driven style—clearly shaped by John Belushi—set a high bar for character-based sketch comedy. He proved that a single performer could carry both a live sketch show and a theatrical film with the same energetic commitment.
What was Chris Farley's role on Saturday Night Live?
He joined the SNL cast in 1990 and stayed for five seasons through 1995, becoming one of the show's most recognizable performers. His big, boisterous characters gave the program a physical energy that distinguished it from other sketch series of the era.
More in Comedians And Satirists 1-20
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record