Once oveheard saying, regarding his talent, "I know how to do '
Fatty Fall Down'."
He overdosed on morphine and cocaine in his Chicago apartment; he was found by his brother; he was 33 years old. A "significant factor" w/r/t his OD was his weight, 296 lbs, which narrowed his arteries.
After graduating Marquette University in Milwaukee(studying theater and communication), Farley studied at the Improve Olympic theatre school in Chicago during the 80's, then he went on the Second City and their improv team, also in Chicago, and, in 1990, moved to SNL until 1995, then movies, during which he played the same character over and over again.
A stripper known as Heidi Hauser seems to be the last person to see him alive, and she witnessed his usage of cocaine and heroin (see: John Belushi, who also died at 33).
Honestly, really, the word genius is thrown around a lot. Farley was funny, but he wasn't groundbreaking or anything. I feel bad criticizing the dead, but I gotta be honest here.
After Janeane Garofalo (see: Mystery Men, The Truth About Cats and Dogs) said she would return to SNL when it had more mature comedy, Farley said, "Mature comedy . . . what is that, like commenting on politics and world events? I'm not much for sophistication. If I had a brain, maybe."
He was born in Madison, Wisconson.
Select Films & TV:
1998: Edwards and Hunt as Hunt
1997: Beverly Hills Ninja as Haru
1996: Black Sheep as Mike Donnelly
1995: Tommy Boy as Tommy Callahan Jr.
1995: Billy Madison as Bus Driver
1994: Airheads as Wilson
1993: Wayne's World 2 as Milton
1993: Coneheads as Ronnie
1992: Wayne's World as Security Guard
1990-1995: Saturday Night Live as Himself