Chris Farley never acted a day in his life.

Before Chris co-opted the personas of Matt Foley, Tommy Boy, or an obese, wanna-be Chippendale’s dancer, he was a funny-as-hell Chris Farley.

Chris was always in character as himself during our time together at Marquette University in Milwaukee 40-something years ago.

SNL premiered as NBC’s “Saturday Night” on October 11, 1975. Earlier that day, the Red Sox beat the Reds 6-0 in Game 1 of the World Series. Both the game and the show aired in Boston on WBZ-TV.

During one of Sparky Anderson’s pitching changes in Boston’s 6-run 7th inning, Curt Gowdy read a promo telling viewers of the show’s debut later that night.

Legend has it the show almost didn’t air.

Like so many at age 50, SNL has lost its fastball.

Many of the show’s alumni, however, continue to grow larger in legend.

Like John Belushi, Chris died of a drug overdose at age 33. Chris lived and died in much the same way as his idol and comedic forerunner.

And like Belushi, Chris has only become more iconic and funnier in the decades after his way-too-soon passing.

“I want to live fast and die young,” Chris said. Probably 500 times.

Schroeder Hall was considered the best dorm on the Marquette campus and enjoyed co-ed status by floor. That was risqué during the early 1980s for a Jesuit university in the Upper Midwest.

Sophomore year, several new faces joined us at 8 South.

Chris landed in Room 815, just 5 doors down the hall from me and my roommate, John Feehery.

Chris’ antics were well known by that time. He had swiped his freshman roommate’s meal card — only to turn it into the scorer’s table during a Marquette basketball game at the MECCA featuring Doc Rivers at point guard.

Those of us in 8 South enjoyed the camaraderie that comes with being in a college dorm within walking distance of at least 2 dozen bars and 2 breweries. We went to the same parties before ending up after midnight on Wells Street. And at the famed Avalanche Bar come closing time. But only after polishing off multiple 50-cent Red, White and Blue beers and smashing the bottles on the floor.

But the show was wherever Chris happened to be.

“At the Pig House keg parties, he liked to go up on top of the truck that delivered the kegs and take his pants off. He seemed very proud of that,” John, a partner in EFB Advocacy in Washington, recalled this week via email. “I had him in a French Literature class once. He seemed a lot more interested in working out his future comic routines than learning anything about French literature.”

Still, it was better to have Chris on your floor than not have Chris on your floor.

“Chris had a personal rule that he would never destroy the dorm floor that he lived in, so we were delighted that he lived on our floor our sophomore year,” John added.

And when Chris did eventually cause damage, he fessed up to the destruction. We honored our group “Omertà” but made it clear to Chris how unfair it was for everyone to pay $25 (real money back then) apiece to cover it.

Among Chris’ other infamous antics at Marquette:

– Running through a big plate glass window at the student union late at night.

– Being the pioneer-innovator behind a rugby club drinking game called “butt quarters” — which requires no additional explanation.

– Betting any girl willing a kiss that he could do a handstand. Given his hidden athletic prowess, he always cashed.

Chris was a devout, if not somewhat anguished, Roman Catholic. He went to Mass almost daily. His “Matt Foley” character was a nod to the priest he met at Marquette and who ministered to him for the rest of his life.

Before he was Fr. Foley, Matt Foley was my freshman roommate’s older brother. I met him on my first day at Marquette.

Whenever the subject of Chris is raised, I say with 100% certainty that the Chris Farley you knew on SNL, or in the movies, or on stage, was the same one we knew at Marquette.

What changed for Chris was the world around him. After he found fame and fortune in Chicago, New York, and Hollywood, those excesses that tormented him on his worst days, were available whenever and wherever he wanted.

Nothing about Chris came as a surprise after we parted ways in college. When Chris was named to the SNL cast, on the same day as Chris Rock, I knew he’d be funny. He did not disappoint.

Sadly, I felt the same inevitability when he died in 1997.

At least he’ll be able to make us laugh forever.

As only Chris could.

Herald sports columnist Bill Speros (aka OBF) was a member of the Marquette University College of Journalism – Class of 1986. He can be reached at bsperos1@gmail.com.