Chris Farley, beloved stand-up comedian, writer and actor, passed away on December 18, 1997 at the age of 33. Chris Farley was born in Madison, Wisconsin, on February 15, 1964 as the youngest of 5 children. In his teenage years, he began performing at Madison’s Ark Improv Theatre before beginning his sketch comedy career at Chicago’s Improv Olympic. Farley’s big break came in 1990 when he joined the cast of NBC’s Saturday Night Live. During his 7-year tenure, he made unforgettable impressions as Matt Foley, the motivational speaker, Benny, the redneck family man and dozens of other characters. Farley also co-starred in several motion pictures, including Tommy Boy, Beverly Hills Ninja and Almost Heroes. He starred in hilariously memorable music videos for Aerosmith, The Three Amigos and The Blues Brothers. Farley possessed an unwavering ability to bring joy and laughter and will be dearly missed by friends and fans alike.