Farrelly brothers
Encyclopedia
Peter John Farrelly
(born December 17, 1956) and Robert Leo "Bobby" Farrelly, Jr.
(born June 17, 1958), professionally known as the Farrelly Brothers are screenwriter
s and directors
of ten comedy films
, including There's Something About Mary
; Dumb and Dumber; Kingpin
; Hall Pass; Me, Myself & Irene; Shallow Hal
; Stuck on You; Osmosis Jones
; Fever Pitch
(also known as The Perfect Catch outside of America) and the 2007 remake of The Heartbreak Kid
.
The Farrelly brothers are from Cumberland, Rhode Island
, and many of their movies partially take place in that state, or elsewhere in New England
. Sports play a large part in their films and they have cast many popular sports stars for cameo appearance
s. The Farrelly brothers frequently cast Rob Moran
, Steve Tyler
and sports figures (e.g. Cam Neely
; Roger Clemens
; Brett Favre
) in their films.
They have been both praised and criticized for their humorous use of disability
. They frequently depict able-bodied people as stupid (Dumb and Dumber) while they show disabled people as being aspirational (Shallow Hal, Stuck on You) or gifted (Me, Myself & Irene).
They use slapstick
and toilet humor, often with a soundtrack of upbeat, light rock songs. Their films often contain flashback scenes that show how a character was affected by a traumatic event.
The female interests in three of their movies are named Mary: Dumb and Dumber; There's Something about Mary; Shallow Hal (RoseMary). Their mother's name is Mariann. Peter Farrelly
has published books including Outside Providence
and The Comedy Writer
. The quote, "The heart wants what the heart wants" is repeated both in Me, Myself and Irene and The Heartbreak Kid.
The Farrelly Brothers founded a production company called Conundrum Entertainment and were producing the comedy series Unhitched
on FOX before it was cancelled.
The Farrelly Brothers are currently filming The Three Stooges
as the film's directors and producers. The film will star Chris Diamantopoulos
as Moe Howard
, Sean Hayes
as Larry Fine
, and Will Sasso
as Curly Howard
.
Peter Farrelly
Peter John Farrelly is an American film director, screenwriter, producer and novelist. The Farrelly Brothers are mostly famous for directing and producing gross-out humor romantic comedy films such as, Dumb and Dumber, Me, Myself and Irene, There's Something About Mary and The Heartbreak...
(born December 17, 1956) and Robert Leo "Bobby" Farrelly, Jr.
Bobby Farrelly
Robert Leo "Bobby" Farrelly, Jr. is an American film director, screenwriter and producer.-Life and career:Farrelly was born in Cumberland, Rhode Island, the son of Mariann, a nurse practitioner, and Robert Leo Farrelly, a doctor. He is a graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He has been...
(born June 17, 1958), professionally known as the Farrelly Brothers are screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
s and directors
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
of ten comedy films
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
, including There's Something About Mary
There's Something About Mary
There's Something About Mary is a 1998 American comedy film, directed by the Farrelly brothers, Bobby and Peter. It stars Cameron Diaz, Matt Dillon and Ben Stiller, and it is a combination of romantic comedy and gross-out film....
; Dumb and Dumber; Kingpin
Kingpin (film)
Kingpin is a 1996 slapstick comedy film directed by the Farrelly brothers and starring Woody Harrelson, Randy Quaid, Vanessa Angel, and Bill Murray...
; Hall Pass; Me, Myself & Irene; Shallow Hal
Shallow Hal
Shallow Hal is a 2001 romantic comedy film starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Jack Black, and Jason Alexander. It was directed by the Farrelly Brothers and filmed in and around Charlotte, North Carolina as well as Sterling and Princeton, Massachusetts at Wachusett Mountain.- Plot :Hal Larson is a...
; Stuck on You; Osmosis Jones
Osmosis Jones
Osmosis Jones is a 2001 live-action/animated comedy film directed by Tom Sito and Piet Kroon for the animated segments and the Farrelly brothers for the live-action segments...
; Fever Pitch
Fever Pitch (2005 film)
Fever Pitch, which was released as The Perfect Catch outside of the United States and Canada, is a 2005 Farrelly brothers romantic comedy film. It is a remake of a 1997 British film of the same name. Both films are loosely based on the Nick Hornby book of the same name, a best-selling memoir in...
(also known as The Perfect Catch outside of America) and the 2007 remake of The Heartbreak Kid
The Heartbreak Kid (2007 film)
The Heartbreak Kid is a 2007 romantic comedy film directed by Bobby and Peter Farrelly. Starring Ben Stiller and Malin Åkerman, The Heartbreak Kid is a remake of the italian film Luna di miele in tre and a version of the 1972 film of the same name. Also starring are Michelle Monaghan, Jerry...
.
The Farrelly brothers are from Cumberland, Rhode Island
Cumberland, Rhode Island
Cumberland is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States, incorporated in 1746. The population was 33,506 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, and many of their movies partially take place in that state, or elsewhere in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
. Sports play a large part in their films and they have cast many popular sports stars for cameo appearance
Cameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
s. The Farrelly brothers frequently cast Rob Moran
Rob Moran
Rob Moran is an American film and television actor. He played the role of a bartender in Dumb and Dumber and a trans hostess in Shallow Hal. He starred in the American teen drama South Of Nowhere where he portrayed the head of Carlin Family...
, Steve Tyler
Steve Tyler (actor)
Steve Tyler is an American actor and stage producer.-Biography:Tyler was born in Brookline, Massachusetts. He lives in Los Angeles, California where he is an active participant in the city's artistic, political and philanthropical communities...
and sports figures (e.g. Cam Neely
Cam Neely
Cameron Michael Neely is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played right wing for the Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League from 1983 to 1996. He currently serves as the president of the Boston Bruins.-Playing career:Cam Neely was born in Comox,...
; Roger Clemens
Roger Clemens
William Roger Clemens , nicknamed "Rocket", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who broke into the league with the Boston Red Sox, whose pitching staff he would help anchor for 12 years. Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards, more than any other pitcher. He played for four different teams over...
; Brett Favre
Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...
) in their films.
They have been both praised and criticized for their humorous use of disability
Disability
A disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.Many people would rather be referred to as a person with a disability instead of handicapped...
. They frequently depict able-bodied people as stupid (Dumb and Dumber) while they show disabled people as being aspirational (Shallow Hal, Stuck on You) or gifted (Me, Myself & Irene).
They use slapstick
Slapstick
Slapstick is a type of comedy involving exaggerated violence and activities which may exceed the boundaries of common sense.- Origins :The phrase comes from the batacchio or bataccio — called the 'slap stick' in English — a club-like object composed of two wooden slats used in Commedia dell'arte...
and toilet humor, often with a soundtrack of upbeat, light rock songs. Their films often contain flashback scenes that show how a character was affected by a traumatic event.
The female interests in three of their movies are named Mary: Dumb and Dumber; There's Something about Mary; Shallow Hal (RoseMary). Their mother's name is Mariann. Peter Farrelly
Peter Farrelly
Peter John Farrelly is an American film director, screenwriter, producer and novelist. The Farrelly Brothers are mostly famous for directing and producing gross-out humor romantic comedy films such as, Dumb and Dumber, Me, Myself and Irene, There's Something About Mary and The Heartbreak...
has published books including Outside Providence
Outside Providence
Outside Providence is an English language novel by writer, producer, and director Peter Farrelly, published in 1988.-Plot summary:Largely an autobiographical tale, the novel revolves around Timothy "Dildo" Dunphy, a ne'er-do-well from the city of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, which borders Providence...
and The Comedy Writer
The Comedy Writer
The Comedy Writer is a novel by Peter Farrelly.The story revolves around Henry Halloran, a young man who quits his sales job in New England and moves to Los Angeles to pursue his dream of becoming a comedic screenwriter...
. The quote, "The heart wants what the heart wants" is repeated both in Me, Myself and Irene and The Heartbreak Kid.
The Farrelly Brothers founded a production company called Conundrum Entertainment and were producing the comedy series Unhitched
Unhitched
Unhitched is an American television comedy that aired as a mid-season replacement on Fox from March 2, 2008 to March 30, 2008. The series was originally scheduled to premiere at 9:30 pm ET, but aired 30 minutes later due to the runover of Nascar. The show is created by Kevin Barnett, Mike Bernier...
on FOX before it was cancelled.
The Farrelly Brothers are currently filming The Three Stooges
The Three Stooges (film)
The Three Stooges is an upcoming slapstick comedy film based on the mid-20th century comedy shorts of the same name. It was produced, written and directed by the Farrelly brothers and co-written by Mike Cerrone...
as the film's directors and producers. The film will star Chris Diamantopoulos
Chris Diamantopoulos
-Early Life:Diamantopoulos was born in Toronto, Canada and he attended East York Collegiate Institute. He is of Greek descent.-Career:He portrayed Robin Williams in Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of 'Mork & Mindy', a television movie about the behind-the-scenes drama during the making of...
as Moe Howard
Moe Howard
Moses Harry Horwitz , known professionally as Moe Howard, was an American actor and comedian best known as the leader of The Three Stooges, the farce comedy team who starred in motion pictures and television for four decades...
, Sean Hayes
Sean Hayes (actor)
Sean Patrick Hayes is an American actor and comedian. He is widely known for his role as Jack McFarland in the NBC sitcom Will & Grace, for which he won an Emmy Award, four SAG Awards, one American Comedy Award, and six Golden Globes nominations.He also portrayed comedian Jerry Lewis in the...
as Larry Fine
Larry Fine
Louis Feinberg , known professionally as Larry Fine, was an American comedian and actor, who is best known as a member of the comedy act The Three Stooges.-Early life:...
, and Will Sasso
Will Sasso
William "Will" Sasso is a Canadian comedian and actor. He is most notable for his membership in the recurring cast of comedians on the American sketch comedy series MADtv, spending five seasons on the show.-Early life:...
as Curly Howard
Curly Howard
Jerome Lester "Jerry" Horwitz , better known by his stage name Curly Howard, was an American comedian and vaudevillian. He is best known as a member of the American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges, along with his older brothers Moe Howard and Shemp Howard, and actor Larry Fine...
.
Filmography
The brothers both directed and wrote/co-wrote the screenplay for all their films, except where otherwise noted:- Dumb and Dumber (1994)
- KingpinKingpin (film)Kingpin is a 1996 slapstick comedy film directed by the Farrelly brothers and starring Woody Harrelson, Randy Quaid, Vanessa Angel, and Bill Murray...
(1996) (directed only) - There's Something About MaryThere's Something About MaryThere's Something About Mary is a 1998 American comedy film, directed by the Farrelly brothers, Bobby and Peter. It stars Cameron Diaz, Matt Dillon and Ben Stiller, and it is a combination of romantic comedy and gross-out film....
(1998) - Outside ProvidenceOutside Providence (film)Outside Providence is a 1999 American film adaptation of Peter Farrelly's 1988 novel of the same name. Like the book, the film is a fictionalized account of Farrelly's own experiences at Kent School, a prep school in Kent, Connecticut.-Plot:...
(1999) (screenplay and produced only) - Me, Myself & Irene (2000)
- Say It Isn't So (2001) (produced only)
- Osmosis JonesOsmosis JonesOsmosis Jones is a 2001 live-action/animated comedy film directed by Tom Sito and Piet Kroon for the animated segments and the Farrelly brothers for the live-action segments...
(2001) (directed live-action sequences only) - Shallow HalShallow HalShallow Hal is a 2001 romantic comedy film starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Jack Black, and Jason Alexander. It was directed by the Farrelly Brothers and filmed in and around Charlotte, North Carolina as well as Sterling and Princeton, Massachusetts at Wachusett Mountain.- Plot :Hal Larson is a...
(2001) - Stuck on You (2003)
- Fever PitchFever Pitch (2005 film)Fever Pitch, which was released as The Perfect Catch outside of the United States and Canada, is a 2005 Farrelly brothers romantic comedy film. It is a remake of a 1997 British film of the same name. Both films are loosely based on the Nick Hornby book of the same name, a best-selling memoir in...
(2005) (directed only) - The Ringer (2005) (produced only)
- The Heartbreak KidThe Heartbreak Kid (2007 film)The Heartbreak Kid is a 2007 romantic comedy film directed by Bobby and Peter Farrelly. Starring Ben Stiller and Malin Åkerman, The Heartbreak Kid is a remake of the italian film Luna di miele in tre and a version of the 1972 film of the same name. Also starring are Michelle Monaghan, Jerry...
(2007) - Hall PassHall Pass (2011 film)Hall Pass is a 2011 comedy film produced and directed by the Farrelly brothers and co-written by them along with Pete Jones, the writer/director of Stolen Summer. It stars Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis, Stephen Merchant, Jenna Fischer and Christina Applegate...
(2011) - The Three StoogesThe Three Stooges (film)The Three Stooges is an upcoming slapstick comedy film based on the mid-20th century comedy shorts of the same name. It was produced, written and directed by the Farrelly brothers and co-written by Mike Cerrone...
(2012) (directed and produced)
Television credits
- "The Virgin", SeinfeldSeinfeldSeinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
episode (1992) (co-writers) - UnhitchedUnhitchedUnhitched is an American television comedy that aired as a mid-season replacement on Fox from March 2, 2008 to March 30, 2008. The series was originally scheduled to premiere at 9:30 pm ET, but aired 30 minutes later due to the runover of Nascar. The show is created by Kevin Barnett, Mike Bernier...
(2008) (producers, directed pilot)