chris farley the cable guy

Chris Farley almost starred in The Cable Guy

Adam Sandler and Ben Stiller were also considered for the lead role.

The Cable Guy is a cult classic among comedy fans. Directed by Ben Stiller, the film tells the story of deranged cable installer Ernie “Chip” Douglas, forcing a friendship with a reluctant client. The titular character is played by Jim Carrey, further asserting his star status in Hollywood in 1996.

The Cable Guy was not originally supposed to star Jim Carrey.

However, Jim Carrey was not the first choice for the lead role. When Columbia Pictures purchased the script for $750,000 in 1994, they originally envisioned Saturday Night Live funnyman Chris Farley starring in The Cable Guy. Ultimately, Farley was unavailable due to a scheduling conflict with Black Sheep. The latter film was a critical flop, failing to replicate the success of, Tommy Boy, Chris Farley and David Spade’s previous film together.

Following Farley’s unavailability, Adam Sandler was considered for the role of Chip. There was also a point where Ben Stiller was slated to star in as well as direct the film. Jim Carrey ended up landing The Cable Guy. He received $20-million for the gig, a record for a comedy film at the time. The film grossed over $102-million worldwide on a $47-million budget.


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