Years after Chris Farley’s sudden death, generations continue to discover and watch cult classics like Black Sheep and Tommy Boy. The one thing viewers still cite is the amazing chemistry between Farley and his Saturday Night Live castmate and friend David Spade. Their off-screen friendship made the funny guy-straight man dynamic sweet and enduring. More than three decades after those movies were released, Spade reminisced about their Hollywood success and how close they were to collaborate on a third movie.
Their onscreen pairings allowed the late comedian to play the goofball while the David Spade played the snarky underling in charge of him. They fell right in place in those two movies, building on their SNL personas.
Spade opened up about his time with the late comedic actor to Esquire. He recalled meeting the comedian along with fellow SNL castmates Adam Sandler and Chris Rock on their first day at the late-night institution. The actor remembered the two actors hitting it off immediately, laughing and goofing around. He emphasized Chris Farley got every joke – high-brow or not – as the four actors shared a small office. Upon being asked about their work together, the comedian broke down why their films were so successful during the mid-1990s.
There was also Ace Ventura back then and Billy Madison. It was a big, fun time and the movies didn’t cost a lot. It was a huge payoff for them. Two years after Tommy Boy came out they told us it made $100 million on video. We couldn’t believe it. It really grew over time. We talked about doing another one, but Farley wanted to do more drama, so I said, go do that. I ran into him two months before [he died] and he was like, ‘Everyone always talks about Tommy Boy and Black Sheep. It’s not as much fun out there. Let’s try to get one going again … .’ I think about Farley every day. I have his old coat from Tommy Boy.
It’s sweet that David Spade still has his coat from the cult classic. All I can think about is Farley swinging his arms in Spade’s jacket saying, “Fat guy in a little coat.” The fact that they were thinking of re-teaming again was a missed opportunity. It‘s bittersweet to think about the direction the duo would’ve gone in for the film. Unfortunately, the comedic actor’s career was extinguished before the duo could reunite on the big screen. At least, the Emperor’s New Groove actor can look at the late comedian’s coat to remember their friendship and movie partnership.
The comedian’s final run-in with the late actor recalled the last time fellow SNL alum Chris Rock saw Chris Farley before his death. As the late comedian was battling substance abuse, Rock felt after touring the Tommy Boy actor’s apartment that it would be the last time seeing his friend alive. Though both stories were heartbreaking, the comedy icon’s legacy has continued to live on through yearly tributes from his family and friends as well as recollections from SNL star Kenan Thompson and Dune’s Timothee Chalamet.
If you want to love Chris Farley even more, check out these cool behind-the-scenes facts. In the meantime, get your fill of Farley’s onscreen antics by watching Black Sheep and Tommy Boy through an Amazon Prime subscription.