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
Ernest Cable, 1st Baron Cable Ernest Cable, 1st Baron Cable Ernest Cable, 1st Baron Cable (1 December 1859 – 28 March 1927) was an Indian-born British merchant and financier. Born in Calcutta, he was the eldest son of George Hebberd Cable, a superintendent with the Indian Customs and Excise Service. His mother Emily Maria, was the daughter of William Pickersgill, who had served in the Royal Navy. Cable was educated privately and at the University of Calcutta. After his education Cable became first employed in Calcutta at Ashburner and Co and then worked for Lyall, Rennie and Co, both trading agencys. Aged seventeen he joined