Will Ferrell: Seasons 21-27

Ferrell

Before SNL

John Will Ferrell was born on July 16, 1967 in Irvine, California. While growing up in Southern California, Ferrell was an easy-going and mild-mannered boy who enjoyed organizing his collection of Matchbox cars. Ferrell attended University High School, where the extent of his comedic talent consisted of the fake voices he used while reading the daily announcements over the P.A. system. (Fun Fact: Ferrell set his high school’s record for most field goals made during his time on the school’s football team.) After graduating from high school Ferrell decided to stay local and attended the University of Southern California to major in sports journalism.

Ferrell graduated from USC in 1989 and earned himself an internship with NBC’s sports department. During one of Ferrell’s on-air segments, he received a considerable amount of laughter following an ad-libbed joke. This event ultimately inspired Ferrell to pursue a career in comedy, a form of entertainment he felt far more suited for. Ferrell began taking acting classes and subsequently landed himself a spot as a member of the famous, Los Angeles-based improv group, The Groundlings. It was through his work with The Groundlings during the early 1990s that allowed Ferrell to gain the attention of Saturday Night Live producer, Lorne Michaels be hired as a cast member for the show’s 1995-1996 season.

 

Studio 8H

Ferrell’s first season at SNL was a tumultuous one. After almost completely cleaning house following a season typified by terrible ratings, NBC executives were counting on SNL to deliver the type of performances that had allowed it to remain on the air for twenty years. After taking some time to find his niche with the rest of the cast, Ferrell began to assume the role that Phil Hartman had filled for so many years as the show’s “glue”. Ferrell began to be the first choice for a number of the show’s top writers, and as a result, developed a number of beloved characters. One of the best displays of Ferrell’s all-in style of character acting was his character Gene Frenkle, the cowbell player for the band Blue Oyster Cult.

VH1 Behind the Music: Blue Oyster Cult

Ferrell was also known for his hilariously accurate impersonations of celebrities and political figures. His most famous being former U.S. President, George W. Bush.

George W. Bush Cold Opening

Ferrell decided to leave SNL in 2002 after the conclusion of season 27 to devote more time to his film career.

 

Outside Work

Prior to leaving SNL, Ferrell had already starred in a number of successful films, namely Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery in 1997 and A Night at the Roxbury in 1998. (Fun Fact: In order to keep Ferrell at SNL for season 27, NBC payed him an unprecedented $350,000 plus salary.) One of Ferrell’s first major successes was his portrayal of Buddy the elf in the 2003 film, Elf.

Ferrell followed up his transformation into a household name, courtesy of Elf’s widespread popularity, by starring in and co-writing the 2004 cult classic, Anchorman- The Legend of Ron Burgundy.

However, Ferrell’s most ambitious project to date was the 2006 film Stranger Than Fiction, which struck a much more serious tone and showcases Ferrell’s acting skills than any of his other films.

Some other films starring Ferrell include: Zoolander in 2001, Old School in 2003, Starksy & Hutch in 2004, Kicking and Screaming in 2005, The Producers in 2005, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby in 2006, Blades of Glory in 2007, Semi-Pro in 2008, Step Brothers in 2008, Land of the Lost in 2009, The Other Guys in 2010, Megamind in 2010, Everything Must Go in 2011, The Campaign in 2012, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues in 2013, and The Lego Movie in 2014.

 

Opinion

Will Ferrell is without a doubt, my all-time favorite actor. With at least one new film being released every year since he switched to film full time, Ferrell is a great example of a consummate professional, who is obviously more than dedicated to his work. Ferrell’s brand of comedy centers on his ability to be able to take joke to the brink and his continued devotion to giving his full effort whenever on screen. It was almost unfair to try and pick three films that exemplified his historic career. When his career is all said and done, I’m absolutely positive that Ferrell will be regarded as one of the great legends of comedy.

 

For more Will Ferrell, check out his videos on Funny or Die.

 

Ferrell America

4 thoughts on “Will Ferrell: Seasons 21-27

  1. Christian James Morris

    I agree with Mike. Will Ferrell has become immortal in the comedy world. I’m not sure if that’s just for our generation or not, but it holds some truth. The popular movies he was in were cult classics, emphasis on the cult. People who like Will Ferrell movies REALLY like Will Ferrell movies. For a good reason too. They’re darn good.

  2. Michael Harrell

    Will Ferrell is no doubt one of the greatest actors to ever live. It has become a necessity to watch Elf around Christmas time every year ever since it came out. Yes the movie is corny, but it is by far the best corniness there is. All of his movies and skits hold a certain special place in comedy history.

  3. cpk5093

    Will Ferrell is one of my all-time favorite SNL cast members. Any George Bush skit was always entertaining, and he’s just a funny guy in general. Honestly, I wish there were more people like Will Ferrell on SNL right now, because I think the new cast is currently a little bland. Besides just SNL, Elf and Step Brothers are personal favorites, and I’m sure there will be more from him in the future.

  4. Nick Capri

    NEEDS MORE COWBELL!!! So great. I watched the Harold Crick clip and couldn’t take him seriously. I didn’t know he was in any movies that didnt involve him making crude jokes every 30 seconds haha.

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