We all recognize Chris Farley as a notable Marquette alumnus, but other colorful characters have walked down Wisconsin Avenue in the last 125 years. Some are famous, some are infamous. Here's a deeper look at two you may have heard about before.

William Gates, College of Communication '95

William Gates captured the hearts and minds of America when he co-starred with Arthur Agee Jr. in the documentary "Hoop Dreams." The story follows the two young men from a rough neighborhood in Chicago through their recruitment to a premier basketball high school in the suburbs and finally to college.

In the film, both Gates and Agee experience tough times. Gates suffers injuries to his leg while Agee witnesses family and friends succumb to the dangers of his neighborhood.

Gates grew up in the notoriously violent Cabrini Green neighborhood on the near north side of Chicago. He was recruited by St. Joseph's High School in Westchester, a western suburb of Chicago.

There, he started for the varsity basketball team as a freshman and worked his way into regional spotlight, which eventually brought him to Marquette on a full scholarship under then-head coach Kevin O'Neill.

"I had a great time at Marquette," Gates said.

Although at the end of the documentary he appears to be weary of life on the court, Gates later said the cameramen caught him at a bad time.

"I was like most freshmen, away from home and very homesick," he said.

While at Marquette, Gates said he was still dedicated to basketball and tried to get involved with the student body as much as possible.

"Our hangout spot was Real Chili," he said.

Associate Athletic Director Tom Ford was Gates' adviser at Marquette.

Filmed during Gates' high school years, the documentary was released during his senior year at Marquette, Ford said.

"I started the year fully committed to basketball and school but that lasted only a half a semester," Gates said. "At every city we played at, all these reporters would want to talk to me about my story."

Gates said the athletic department handled most of the interviews for him.

Ford said Gates had to continually get interviews and appearances checked out by an NCAA review board so he could maintain his eligibility.

"I knew it was a distraction and I didn't want the movie to overshadow what we were trying to do as a team," Gates said.

The distraction was bittersweet because it complicated the season but also served as a recruiting tool for Marquette, he said.

In 1995 Marquette went to the NIT final, and Gates played off the bench.

After graduation, Gates said he toured the world speaking about the movie, but the game of basketball was still very close to his heart.

"I still play, I still talk trash, and I hope I can keep playing until I turn 60," he said. "I still talk to (Agee) too."

Gates is now a senior pastor at Living Faith Community Center in the same neighborhood in which he grew up.

Joseph McCarthy, School of Law '35

Off the court and onto the political field: Marquette produced an infamous alum in Joseph McCarthy.

He was born in 1908 on a farm near Appleton, where he worked until he came to Marquette in 1930 after just one year of high school.

McCarthy graduated with a law degree five years later, but during his time at Marquette he was also involved in the Boxing Club, taking the role of a coach after two years.

"I want to teach the boys how to avoid punishment rather than take it," McCarthy said in a 1932 Tribune article. "I also want to develop in them a sense of self-confidence."

He was elected class president his junior year, was a member of the Delta Theta Phi, the legal fraternity, and was a member of the Franklin Club, an organization of orators and debators.

Six hours after his 1935 graduation, McCarthy joined a law firm and began his career as a lawyer.

The unknown senator from Wisconsin, McCarthy soared to national prominence in 1950 when he proclaimed that he had the names of 205 communists working in the State Department.

In later speeches, the number dropped to 57 people, then finally to three.

McCarthy's popularity grew, and he was re-elected for a second term in the Senate.

Accusations flew and McCarthy led the purge of suspected communists in government positions, but he hit a roadblock at the Army hearings in October 1953.

At that point, McCarthy was investigating communist infiltration in the Army. The hearings did not prove fruitful for McCarthy and because they were in front of a national audience, his credibility was damaged.

Back at Marquette, students and faculty alike were discussing the merits of McCarthy's accusations.

According to University Archives, 55 prominent academic figures denounced McCarthyism in October 1952. Five of them were Marquette faculty members.

Also that year, McCarthy made an appearance at the Eagles Club and was greeted by protests from Marquette students.

According to University Archives, Joseph Ritz, a '52 journalism graduate, walked through an angry group of McCarthy supporters after protesting. With his back turned to McCarthy, he heard the senator condemn him.

"We have another communist in the audience, ladies and gentlemen," he said. "Another one of Moscow's dupes."

McCarthy lost almost all of his power when he was censured by the Senate in December 1954.

In his later years, McCarthy began to drink heavily, which led to his death on May 2, 1957.

University Archives holds McCarthy's personal papers, which were donated by his widow in 1961. They will not be released until 2050, in accordance with his family's wishes.