Chevy Chase's Warning to Chris Farley About Comedy's Physical Price

When Saturday Night Live prepares to launch its British version next year, it will carry forward a legacy built on the backs of comedy legends who paid dearly for their craft. Among those who sacrificed the most was Chris Farley, whose manic energy and total commitment to every sketch made him unforgettable to American audiences, even if he remained relatively unknown across the Atlantic.

A Comedy Icon's Dangerous Dedication

Farley brought an unpredictable wildness to Studio 8H that audiences couldn't get enough of. His willingness to throw his body around, strip down, and create complete mayhem during live broadcasts set him apart from his castmates, who included future stars like Chris Rock and Adam Sandler. Off camera, Farley was just as intense, constantly pulling pranks and shocking colleagues with impressions ranging from serial killers to beloved characters.

But this physical approach to comedy came with serious consequences. Like his idol John Belushi before him, Farley's larger-than-life persona masked deep personal struggles with substance abuse that began in his mid-twenties and would ultimately define his short career.

The Mentor Who Saw the Danger

Among the SNL veterans Farley looked up to, none impressed him more than Chevy Chase, one of the show's original cast members who had successfully transitioned to movie stardom through hits like National Lampoon's Vacation and Fletch. Writer Fred Wolf witnessed their relationship firsthand: "I was in such awe of Chevy, and I know Farley was too. Chevy was very nice to Farley, and Farley would sort of sit at his feet and listen to him talk – because Farley was physical, Chevy was physical, and Chevy was telling Farley that he was worried about him throwing out his back or getting into the same problems that Chevy got into because of his physicality. Chevy would talk to Farley and be very nice to him. And Farley just loved it."

Following in Dangerous Footsteps

Farley's hero worship ran deep. As a child, he had even taped his eyebrow to mimic Belushi's appearance. SNL creator Lorne Michaels observed this devotion: "We often said Chris was the child John and Danny (Aykroyd) never had but would have had if they'd had a child. Chevy came to see Chris once, and Chris was doing his falls, and Chevy said, 'Don't you use anything to break your fall?' Chris said, 'What do you mean? Did you?' Chris had welts all over his chest. He just assumed that that was the price you paid for doing it."

Despite achieving his dream of movie success with Tommy Boy and Black Sheep alongside David Spade, Farley's addictions worsened. By 1995, SNL had fired him, and by 1997, his deteriorating health was visible during public appearances. He had been cast as the voice of Shrek when a heroin and cocaine overdose claimed his life at 33 – the exact same age Belushi was when he died from a similar overdose, forcing Mike Myers to completely reimagine the animated character.