Time flies, doesn't it? Thirty years have passed since the beloved comedy Tommy Boy hit theaters, and director Peter Segal, now 62, is opening up about the making of the film that made us laugh and brought us closer to its stars, David Spade and the late Chris Farley. In a recent interview with ReMind, Peter dished out some juicy behind-the-scenes secrets that will make you appreciate this classic even more.
Shooting Without a Full Script: How Did They Pull It Off?
Believe it or not, when filming began on this road-trip buddy comedy, the script was only about two-thirds complete. Yes, you read that right! Peter Segal and his team took a leap of faith, trusting the comedic genius of David Spade and Chris Farley to carry the film to greatness. The duo's natural chemistry and improvisational skills were nothing short of extraordinary, and they rolled with the punches like pros.
Peter recalled, "I think they had more guts than me because every week at Saturday Night Live, you’re starting with a blank page, and by Saturday, you have 90 minutes of live television." At the time, both David and Chris were huge stars on Saturday Night Live, so they were no strangers to winging it. Peter added, "So not having a complete script didn’t phase them much, because David is such a great engine of ideas and improv, and he would serve up a pitch to Chris, and Chris would knock it out of the park."
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How Did the Script Come Together?
Now, you might be wondering how they managed to shoot a movie without a finished script. Peter explained that the original writers had taken on another project, leaving him in the lurch. "They went off, it was too big an assignment for them. They had actually sold another show and they went off to do that, and I was sort of left there," he said. But Peter didn’t let that stop him. He enlisted the help of comedian and screenwriter Fred Wolf to complete the screenplay.
When filming began, the script was a mere 66 pages long. Peter recalled, "Fred Wolf came in to help me, and just the way it worked, we only had that number of pages by the time we started filming. I said, 'This is insane. We’re going to be making this up.' It’s like laying out train tracks in front of the locomotive every day, but that was the challenge." Despite the pressure, Peter and Fred worked tirelessly to ensure the movie came together seamlessly.
The Magic of David and Chris’ Real-Life Friendship
Peter also shared how David and Chris’ real-life friendship translated into their on-screen chemistry. "Their chemistry, you could feel it was palpable," Peter explained. "They adored each other, but they were also kind of like an old married couple. They would get into arguments." He recounted a time when David went out to dinner with Rob Lowe, and Chris got jealous. "He was a jilted lover, [saying] 'How was your date with Rob?' And they argued about it the next day, and I’m like, 'Guys, let’s get back to work. What’s going on here?'"
Peter gushed, "But they absolutely adored each other. I think this was their best work together." Their collaboration extended beyond Tommy Boy, as they also starred together in SNL and the 1996 comedy Black Sheep. Tragically, Chris’s career was cut short when he was found dead in his Chicago apartment following a drug overdose in December 1997.
