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
The Guy from Harlem The Guy from Harlem The Guy from Harlem is a 1977 American Blaxploitation film directed by Rene Martinez, Jr. The film is also known as The Good Guy from Harlem. Al Connors (Loye Hawkins) is a private detective operating in Miami, Florida. Upon arrival at his office he's told by his secretary that an old CIA contact and friend had been trying to get a hold of him in Al's absence from the office. The CIA contact, David McLeod, arrives shortly afterwards in order to enlist Al's services to protect the wife of an African head of state in town