Chris Farley’s life ended in tragedy on December 18, 1997, at just 33, but the fatal downward spiral began days earlier.
Known for his appearance on Saturday Night Live, Farley’s life seemed almost too good to be true. But behind the scenes, it painted a very different picture.
The comedian struggled with obesity, alcoholism, and substance abuse – issues that plagued him from his early acting days through the height of his fame.
On Sunday, December 14, Farley spent the night partying at the Chicago club Karma. By about 2 a.m. on Monday, he had moved the party to his apartment, reportedly using cocaine for nearly seven more hours, according to Entertainment Weekly.
That evening, he continued to celebrate, attending the 38th-anniversary event for Second City, the Chicago improv company where he launched his career.
“He was partying too much and had no sense of direction,” former Chicago Bulls player Dennis Rodman told PEOPLE after encountering Farley that night and having one of his bodyguards help him home.
Farley was eventually discovered dead in his 60th-floor apartment at the 100-story John Hancock Tower in downtown Chicago. His younger brother, John, found his body.
“He died alone on a linoleum floor,” Father Matt Foley, a friend of Farley’s and the inspiration for one of his famous SNL characters, said in the documentary I Am Chris Farley. “It was not what we wanted for him or what he wanted for himself.”
As a cast member of SNL, Farley was cherished for his fearless comedy that won over audiences week after week.
But on set, he was given a stern talking-to by his bosses after letting his personal life seep into his professional work. Saturday Night Live producer Lorne Michaels had even suspended Farley from the show several times due to his drug and alcohol use.
His hard-partying lifestyle saw him weighing 296 pounds on a 5’8.” Comedian Tom Arnold, a close friend of Farley’s, told USA Today: “I always told Chris, ‘You can’t be fat and do drugs… You pick one. You just can’t do everything.’”
An autopsy revealed that Farley had died of an overdose of a combination of cocaine and heroin, commonly known as a “speedball.” Advanced atherosclerosis as well as asthma and Type 2 Diabetes was cited as a “significant contributing factor”.
Despite his personal struggles, Farley carved out a memorable film career, starring in comedies such as Airheads, Tommy Boy, Black Sheep, Beverly Hills Ninja, and Almost Heroes, bringing the same wild energy to the big screen that had made him a household name.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.the-express.com ’
