Peter Farrelly
Encyclopedia
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 Kid
.
, the son of Mariann, a nurse practitioner, and Robert Leo Farrelly, a doctor. He was raised in Cumberland, Rhode Island
and graduated from Providence College
. He has described himself as a relatively poor student who partied hard, before moving onto a salesman job in Boston, Massachusetts. Farrelly dreamed of being a writer and spent many sales trips out on the road thinking up stories. According to Farrelly, he had been living with a friend in Las Vegas, Nevada
and working on a novel. One day he woke up with another hangover and decided it was time to go to church. Put off by the priest's incessant plea for donations, Farrelly left the Mass early. Standing alone outside in the hot sun, Farrelly looked down and saw a used condom laying on the church steps. He took this as a sign and left Las Vegas that day. He returned back east and finished his novel, Outside Providence.
, Farrelly submitted the work and was pleasantly surprised that he was accepted. He studied writing for a while at UMass-Amherst, but was ultimately dissatisfied with the program, and transferred to Columbia University
in New York City, which Farrelly said he found very satisfying. He later became interested in screenwriting which lead him to directing, which was a career decision made by him after seeing many of his works sold but unproduced.
Together with his brother, Bobby Farrelly
, he has written, directed, and produced several comedy films including There's Something About Mary
, Dumb and Dumber, Kingpin
, Shallow Hal
, Me, Myself and Irene
, Stuck on You
, and Fever Pitch
. They also conceived the Seinfeld
episode "The Virgin"
(4.10). Dumb and Dumber was also written by Bennett Yellin. Yellin has been credited with contributing to numerous other Farrelly Brothers films as well.
In 2006, Farrelly directed the manlaws.com series of television commercials for the Miller Lite
beer brand, which featured actor Burt Reynolds
, American football player Jerome Bettis
, climber Aron Ralston
, and professional wrestler Triple H
.
Farrelly is a published novelist, with works including Outside Providence
and The Comedy Writer
.
Farrelly is also a board member on DeskSite
.
Farrelly brothers
Peter John Farrelly and Robert Leo "Bobby" Farrelly, Jr. , professionally known as the Farrelly Brothers are screenwriters 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;...
are mostly famous for directing and producing gross-out humor romantic comedy
Romantic Comedy
Romantic Comedy can refer to* Romantic Comedy , a 1979 play written by Bernard Slade* Romantic Comedy , a 1983 film adapted from the play and starring Dudley Moore and Mary Steenburgen...
films such as, Dumb and Dumber, Me, Myself and Irene
Me, Myself and Irene
Me, Myself & Irene is a 2000 American comedy film directed by the Farrelly Brothers, and starring Jim Carrey and Renée Zellweger. Chris Cooper, Robert Forster, Richard Jenkins, Daniel Greene, Anthony Anderson, Jerod Mixon, and Mongo Brownlee co-star...
, 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....
and 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...
.
Early life
Farrelly was born in Phoenixville, PennsylvaniaPhoenixville, Pennsylvania
Phoenixville is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States, northwest of Philadelphia, at the junction of French Creek with the Schuylkill River. The population is 16,440 as of the 2010 Census.- History :...
, the son of Mariann, a nurse practitioner, and Robert Leo Farrelly, a doctor. He was raised in 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 graduated from Providence College
Providence College
Providence College is a private, coeducational, Catholic university located about two miles west of downtown Providence, Rhode Island, United States, the state's capital city. With a 2010–2011 enrollment of 3,850 undergraduate students and 735 graduate students, the College specializes in academic...
. He has described himself as a relatively poor student who partied hard, before moving onto a salesman job in Boston, Massachusetts. Farrelly dreamed of being a writer and spent many sales trips out on the road thinking up stories. According to Farrelly, he had been living with a friend in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
and working on a novel. One day he woke up with another hangover and decided it was time to go to church. Put off by the priest's incessant plea for donations, Farrelly left the Mass early. Standing alone outside in the hot sun, Farrelly looked down and saw a used condom laying on the church steps. He took this as a sign and left Las Vegas that day. He returned back east and finished his novel, Outside Providence.
Career
Farrelly decided to take a plunge and pursue writing full time, which prompted him to quit his job and head to Cape Cod, Massachusetts where he got a job as a waiter. On one of the tables he was waiting, Farrelly struck up a conversation with a writing professor from UMass Amherst, who encouraged Farrelly to apply to graduate school. Farrelly said he did not think his chances were good, considering he did poorly in college but the professor said not everything is judged by grades. With what would later be Outside ProvidenceOutside 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...
, Farrelly submitted the work and was pleasantly surprised that he was accepted. He studied writing for a while at UMass-Amherst, but was ultimately dissatisfied with the program, and transferred to Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in New York City, which Farrelly said he found very satisfying. He later became interested in screenwriting which lead him to directing, which was a career decision made by him after seeing many of his works sold but unproduced.
Together with his brother, Bobby Farrelly
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...
, he has written, directed, and produced several comedy films 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...
, 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...
, Me, Myself and Irene
Me, Myself and Irene
Me, Myself & Irene is a 2000 American comedy film directed by the Farrelly Brothers, and starring Jim Carrey and Renée Zellweger. Chris Cooper, Robert Forster, Richard Jenkins, Daniel Greene, Anthony Anderson, Jerod Mixon, and Mongo Brownlee co-star...
, Stuck on You
Stuck On You (2003 film)
Stuck On You is a 2003 comedy film directed by the Farrelly brothers and starring Matt Damon and Greg Kinnear as conjoined twins, whose conflicting aspirations provide both conflict and humorous situations, in particular when one of them wishes to move to Hollywood, California to pursue a career as...
, and 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...
. They also conceived the Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld 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 "The Virgin"
The Virgin (Seinfeld episode)
"The Virgin" is the fiftieth episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 10th episode of the 4th season. It aired on November 11, 1992. The cast assembled to read this episode's script on October 14, 1992, and it was filmed six days later, on October 20....
(4.10). Dumb and Dumber was also written by Bennett Yellin. Yellin has been credited with contributing to numerous other Farrelly Brothers films as well.
In 2006, Farrelly directed the manlaws.com series of television commercials for the Miller Lite
Miller Lite
Miller Lite is a 4.2% abv pale lager brand sold by MillerCoors of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Sibling beers include Miller Genuine Draft and Miller High Life.-History:...
beer brand, which featured actor Burt Reynolds
Burt Reynolds
Burton Leon "Burt" Reynolds, Jr. is an American actor. Some of his memorable roles include Bo 'Bandit' Darville in Smokey and the Bandit, Lewis Medlock in Deliverance, Bobby "Gator" McCluskey in White Lightning and sequel Gator, Paul Crewe and Coach Nate Scarborough in The Longest Yard and its...
, American football player Jerome Bettis
Jerome Bettis
Jerome Abram "The Bus" Bettis is a retired American football halfback who played for the NFL's Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers. Bettis is considered one of the best big backs ever because his footwork and power, and is currently fifth on the National Football League's all-time...
, climber Aron Ralston
Aron Ralston
Aron Lee Ralston is an American mountain climber and inspirational public speaker. He is widely known for having survived a 2003 canyoneering accident in Utah in which he was forced to amputate his own right arm with a dull pocketknife in order to free himself from a dislodged boulder.The incident...
, and professional wrestler Triple H
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
.
Farrelly is a published novelist, with works 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...
.
Farrelly is also a board member on DeskSite
DeskSite
DeskSite is a privately held media company based in Orange County, California. The company operates a video advertising network expressly designed to target television budgets from national advertisers...
.