The Cable Guy won by Columbia Pictures at a price of $1 million. The role of the Cable Guy was originally written for Chris Farley, who turned it down due to scheduling difficulties. Jim Carrey joined the production, receiving a then record $20 million to star. Following Carrey's signing, Columbia hired Judd Apatow to produce. The studio rebuffed Apatow's interest in directing, but accepted his suggestion to invite Ben Stiller, star of his eponymous show on which Apatow had worked. The original screenplay by Lou Holtz, Jr. was a lighter comedy, described by Apatow as "a "What About Bob?" annoying friend movie" where
Bill Cable "Playgirl", "Playboy", "OUI", "Ah Men - Clothing Catalog", "That Look! - Clothing Catalog", "Frederick's of Hollywood - Clothing Catalog", "QQ Magazine", "After Dark", "California Scene", "Honcho", "The Best of Gallery", "MANPOWER!", "DAVID", "In Touch", "Blue Boy", "BARFLY", "GROOVY GUY", "VECTOR", "Celebrity Sleuth", "H.E.L.P. Drummer", "DRUMMER", "BODY", "International", "Entertainment West", "HIT & FUN", "Scream Queens", "Olympus" (first edition in January 1972) and "Mandate" (first edition in April 1975). Cable acted in mainstream films, including gay and straight erotic films, as a film stuntman and apparitions for TV productions. His first cinematic movie, "Bijou" (1972), was directed by Wakefield Poole. Cable starred