Back in the early 1990s, if you needed a fat guy with charm, charisma and a surprising amount of physical agility, Chris Farley was the man to call. He popped up everywhere on small and big screens, stealing scenes on Saturday Night Live and even kicking ass in Beverly Hills Ninja, which you may have seen repeated three million times on E-TV this morning alone.
And then he died. Bummer. Dead from a drug overdose at the age of 33, Farley went the way of his entertainment hero John Belushi. Who knows what kind of work he’d have churned out if he hadn’t died. But the upcoming I Am Chris Farley documentary, is taking a look back at the life of the legend, through the memories of his friends and co-stars:
Before his untimely death at only 33 years of age, Farley left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry through his groundbreaking work on television in both Second City and Saturday Night Live, as well as a thriving feature film career, where he was known for a uniquely bold and energetic comedic style that cemented him as a key player in a movement that evolved and redefined the comedic genre. The film will follow in the tradition of Network’s award winning documentaries on iconic individuals, including Muhammad Ali, Bruce Lee and Steve McQueen.
“The world has yet to hear the full story about our beloved brother and son,” said Kevin Farley, one of Chris’ brothers, “and we look forward to working with the team at Network to bring Chris’ inspiring, funny and tragic story to his many fans, as well as introducing him to a whole new generation of comedy fans.”
“In his short life, Chris Farley was able to create a family of characters that have endeared him to comedy fans throughout the world,” adds Network CEO Derik Murray, “We very much look forward to working with Kevin and the rest of the Farley family to recount Chris’ life and work, and the impact he had on all those around him, in an authentic, moving, and of course very funny, way.”
I Am Chris Farley features interviews with David Space, Lorne Michaels, Kevin Farley, Mike Myers, Adam Sandler, Bob Odenkirk, Bob Saget and Christina Applegate. It’s out in a limited theatrical release on July 31, and will be available on VOD and DVD on August 11th.
Last Updated: June 30, 2015
