Faces of Milwaukee: Chris Farley

Hi guyyyys! Lana here. This is one of those circumstances where the subject you are drawing teaches you a lot in the process. It took me three days to draw Chris Farley. The first headshot I chose of Chris, freshly graduated from Marquette University, did not accurately capture his essence. I ultimately had to switch gears. I changed my inspiration picture to a far later picture of Chris that truly showed him. He was not smiling. He was likely coked up. His eyes were blood shot and he had clearly seen some shit. The picture was real, even if it was heartbreaking.

Christopher Crosby Farley was born to a loving Irish Catholic Family with five children in Madison, WI. After high school, he lived in Milwaukee while attending Marquette University. Chris played rugby and double majored in Communications and Theatre at Marquette. When he graduated from Marquette, Chris worked at the Scotch Oil company that his father Tom owned before eventually attending Second City Theatre in Chicago.

The comedic mannerisms and the deep crouching pep talks of his MU Rugby coach inspired the Matt Foley character first developed by Bob Odenkirk at Second City and later played by Farley on Saturday Night Live. Farley joined the cast of SNL in 1990. Farley, Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider and David Spade were known as the “Bad Boys.” Farley was suspended and eventually fired from SNL before moving on to star in Comedies like Tommy Boy, Coneheads, Black Sheep and Beverly Hills Ninja. The role of Shrek was written for Chris Farley. He had recorded 80% of the first movie before it was scrapped and Mike Myers took over after Farley’s death.

Farley struggled to control his alcoholism, substance abuse and over indulgence. His physical comedy was a source of self-flagellation and his need to feel liked by everyone. He used food, alcohol, and drugs to cope with his insecurity. He went to rehab 17 times and was repeatedly steered towards recovery by his agent and by his fellow SNL Actors and friends. Adam Sandler spoke about Farley’s death in 2019. "We’d tell him, 'Son, you’ll wind up like [John] Belushi and [John] Candy,' he said, 'Those guys are my heroes, that’s all fine and dandy'" SNL Comedian John Belushi died from a speedball overdose at 33 years old.

Chevy Chase used tougher advice, "Look, you're not John Belushi. And when you overdose or kill yourself, you will not have the same acclaim that John did. You don't have the record of accomplishment that he had."

Chris Farley was found dead at age 33 by his brother in his Chicago Apartment in the John Hancock building on December 18, 1997. He died from an overdose of morphine and cocaine after a four-day binge of alcohol and drugs, leaving a huge chasm of unfulfilled possibility.