John Franklin Candy (October 31, 1950 – March 4, 1994) was a Canadian actor and comedian who is best known for his work in

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...

films. Candy first rose to national prominence in the 1970s as a member of the

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

branch of

the Second City The Second City is an improvisational comedy enterprise. It is the oldest improvisational theater troupe to be continuously based in Chicago, with training programs and live theaters in Toronto and New York. Since its debut in 1959, it has b ...

and its SCTV sketch comedy series. He rose to international fame in the 1980s with his roles in comedy films such as '' Stripes'' (1981), '' Splash'' (1984), ''

Brewster's Millions ''Brewster's Millions'' is a comedic novel written by George Barr McCutcheon in 1902, originally under the pseudonym of Richard Greaves. The plot concerns a young man whose grandfather leaves him $1 million in a will, but a competing will from ...

'' (1985), '' Armed and Dangerous'' (1986), ''

Spaceballs ''Spaceballs'' is a 1987 American space opera parody film co-written, produced and directed by Mel Brooks. It primarily parodies the original ''Star Wars'' trilogy, but also other popular franchises such as ''Star Trek'', '' Alien'', '' The Wi ...

'' (1987), '' Planes, Trains and Automobiles'' (1987), '' The Great Outdoors'' (1988), '' Uncle Buck'' (1989), and '' Cool Runnings'' (1993). He also appeared in supporting roles in ''

The Blues Brothers The Blues Brothers (formally, The Fabulous Blues Brothers’ Show Band and Revue) are an American blues and soul music, soul revue band founded in 1978 by comedians Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi, who met and began collaborating as original cast ...

'' (1980), ''

National Lampoon's Vacation ''National Lampoon's Vacation'', sometimes referred to as simply ''Vacation'', is a 1983 American black comedy road film directed by Harold Ramis and starring Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Imogene Coca, Randy Quaid, John Candy, and Chris ...

'' (1983), ''

Little Shop of Horrors Little Shop of Horrors may refer to: * '' The Little Shop of Horrors'', a 1960 American film * ''Little Shop of Horrors'' (musical), a 1982 musical based on the 1960 film * ''Little Shop of Horrors'' (1986 film), a 1986 American film based on th ...

'' (1986), ''

Home Alone ''Home Alone'' is a 1990 American Christmas comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dar ...

'' (1990) and '' Nothing but Trouble'' (1991). In addition to his work as an actor, Candy was a co-owner of the

Toronto Argonauts The Toronto Argonauts (officially the Toronto Argonaut Football Club and colloquially known as the Argos) are a professional Canadian football team based in Toronto, Ontario. The Argonauts compete in the East Division (CFL), East Division of t ...

of the

Canadian Football League The Canadian Football League (CFL; , LCF) is a Professional gridiron football, professional Canadian football league in Canada. It comprises nine teams divided into two divisions, with four teams in the East Division (CFL), East Division and f ...

(CFL), and the team won the 1991 Grey Cup under his ownership. He died in 1994 at the age of 43. His final two film appearances, '' Wagons East'' (1994) and '' Canadian Bacon'' (1995), are dedicated to his memory.

Early life and education

John Franklin Candy was born on October 31, 1950, in Newmarket, and grew up in Toronto, Ontario. He was brought up in a

working class The working class is a subset of employees who are compensated with wage or salary-based contracts, whose exact membership varies from definition to definition. Members of the working class rely primarily upon earnings from wage labour. Most c ...

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

family. His childhood home was at 217 Woodville Avenue in

Toronto, Ontario Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

. According to the 1921 Canadian census records Candy's father Sidney James (1920–1955) was born to English parents who immigrated to

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

in 1913. John Candy's mother, Evangeline Valeria (

née The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...

Aker; 1916–2009) was of Polish descent. His father died of complications of

heart disease Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is any disease involving the heart or blood vessels. CVDs constitute a class of diseases that includes: coronary artery diseases (e.g. angina pectoris, angina, myocardial infarction, heart attack), heart failure, ...

at age 35 in 1955 when John was four years old. Candy attended Neil McNeil Catholic High School where he was the treasurer of the student council and was a star

offensive tackle Offensive may refer to: * Offensive (military), type of military operation * Offensive, the former name of the Dutch political party Socialist Alternative * Fighting words, spoken words which would have a tendency to cause acts of violence by the ...

on the school's

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

team and participated in drama club. Long before considering acting, Candy dreamed of becoming a professional football player, but a knee injury during his high school football career prevented him from fulfilling his dream. He later enrolled in Centennial College to study journalism, and then went to

McMaster University McMaster University (McMaster or Mac) is a public research university in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main McMaster campus is on of land near the residential neighbourhoods of Ainslie Wood, Ontario, Ainslie Wood and Westdale, Ontario, Westd ...

. He started acting while at college.

Career

1971–1978: Early career and ''SCTV''

In 1971, Candy was cast in a small part as a Shriner in ''Creeps'' by David E. Freeman, a new Canadian play about

cerebral palsy Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of movement disorders that appear in early childhood. Signs and symptoms vary among people and over time, but include poor coordination, spasticity, stiff muscles, Paresis, weak muscles, and tremors. There may b ...

, in the inaugural season of the

Tarragon Theatre The Tarragon Theatre is a theatre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and one of the main centers for contemporary playwriting in the country.

in Toronto. Candy guest-starred on a Canadian children's television series, ''

Cucumber The cucumber (''Cucumis sativus'') is a widely-cultivated creeping vine plant in the family Cucurbitaceae that bears cylindrical to spherical fruits, which are used as culinary vegetables.Class of '44'' (1973) as his first ever appearance in a feature film. He had a small part in ''

The ABC Afternoon Playbreak ''The ABC Afternoon Playbreak'' is an American television anthology series that was broadcast on ABC from 1973 to 1975. The ninety-minute dramas aired once a month and featured some of the more popular television and film stars of the 1970s (Dia ...

'' ("Last Bride of Salem") and had a regular role on the TV series '' Dr. Zonk and the Zunkins'' (1974–75). Candy became a member of Toronto's branch of

The Second City The Second City is an improvisational comedy enterprise. It is the oldest improvisational theater troupe to be continuously based in Chicago, with training programs and live theaters in Toronto and New York. Since its debut in 1959, it has b ...

in 1972. He gained wide

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

n popularity when he became a cast member on the influential

Edmonton Edmonton is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Alberta. It is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Central Alberta ...

and later Toronto-based comedy-variety show ''Second City Television'' (''SCTV'').

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...

picked the show up in 1981 and quickly became a fan favorite. It won

Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...

s for the show's writing in 1981 and 1982. Among Candy's '' SCTV'' characters were unscrupulous street-beat TV personality Johnny LaRue, 3-D horror

auteur An (; , ) is an artist with a distinctive approach, usually a film director whose filmmaking control is so unbounded and personal that the director is likened to the "author" of the film, thus manifesting the director's unique style or thematic ...

Doctor Tongue,

sycophant In modern English, sycophant denotes an "insincere flatterer" and is used to refer to someone practising sycophancy (i.e., insincere flattery to gain advantage). The word has its origin in the legal system of Classical Athens, where it had a d ...

ic and easily amused talk-show sidekick William B. Williams, and Melonville's corrupt Mayor Tommy Shanks. In 1975 he played Richie, an accused killer, in the episode "Web of Guilt" on the

Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

TV show '' Police Surgeon''. He was in '' It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time'' (1975), shot in Canada, as well as the children's sitcom '' Coming Up Rosie'' (1975–78) with

Dan Aykroyd Daniel Edward Aykroyd ( ; born July 1, 1952) is a Canadian actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. Aykroyd was a writer and an original member of the "Not Ready for Prime Time Players" cast on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Nigh ...

. Candy had a small role in ''

Tunnel Vision Tunnel vision is the loss of peripheral vision with retention of central vision, resulting in a constricted circular tunnel-like field of vision. Causes Tunnel vision can be caused by: Eyeglass users Eyeglass users experience tunnel vision ...

'' (1976). During the series' run he appeared in films such as '' The Clown Murders'' (1976) and had a lead in a low-budget comedy, '' Find the Lady'' (1976) (both co-starring fellow Canadian actor Lawrence Dane). In 1976, Candy played a supporting role (with

Rick Moranis Frederick Allan Moranis (; born April 18, 1953) is a Canadian actor, comedian, musician, producer, songwriter and writer. Moranis appeared in the sketch comedy series '' Second City Television'' (''SCTV'') in the 1980s and starred afterward in s ...

) on

Peter Gzowski Peter John Gzowski (July 13, 1934 – January 24, 2002), known colloquially as "Mr. Canada", or "Captain Canada",Mary Gazze Canadian Press via The ''Toronto Star'', August 23, 2010. Retrieved 2016-06-27. was a Canadian broadcaster, write ...

's short-lived late-night television talk show '' 90 Minutes Live''. In 1978, Candy had a small role as a bank employee (with

Christopher Plummer Arthur Christopher Orme Plummer (December 13, 1929 – February 5, 2021) was a Canadian actor. His career spanned seven decades, gaining him recognition for his performances in film, stage and television. His accolades included an Academy Aw ...

and

Elliott Gould Elliott Gould (; né Goldstein; born August 29, 1938) is an American actor. Gould's breakthrough role was in the film ''Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice'' (1969), for which he received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. The ...

) in the Canadian thriller '' The Silent Partner''. He guest starred on such shows as '' The David Steinberg Show'' and '' King of Kensington''.

1979–1987: Hollywood breakthrough

In 1979, Candy took a brief hiatus from ''SCTV'' and began a more active film career, appearing in a minor role in ''

Lost and Found A lost and found (American English) or lost property (British English), or lost articles (also Canadian English) is an office in a public building or area where people can go to retrieve Lost, mislaid, and abandoned property, lost articles th ...

'' (1979) and playing a U.S. Army soldier in

Steven Spielberg Steven Allan Spielberg ( ; born December 18, 1946) is an American filmmaker. A major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, Spielberg is widely regarded as one of the greatest film directors of all time and is ...

's big-budget comedy ''

1941 The Correlates of War project estimates this to be the deadliest year in human history in terms of conflict deaths, placing the death toll at 3.49 million. However, the Uppsala Conflict Data Program estimates that the subsequent year, 1942, wa ...

''. He returned to

for roles in '' The Courage of Kavik, the Wolf Dog'' (1980) and the action thriller ''

Double Negative A double negative is a construction occurring when two forms of grammatical negation are used in the same sentence. This is typically used to convey a different shade of meaning from a strictly positive sentence ("You're not unattractive" vs "You ...

'' (1980). He had a supporting role as easygoing parole officer Burton Mercer in ''

'' (1980), starring Aykroyd, and did an episode of ''Tales of the Klondike'' (1981) for Canadian TV. In 1980, Candy hosted a short-lived NBC television program, ''Roadshow'', described by The Washington Post as "improvisational journalism". Appearing as himself, Candy and a video crew traveled in a tour bus to

Baton Rouge, Louisiana Baton Rouge ( ; , ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It had a population of 227,470 at the 2020 United States census, making it List of municipalities in Louisiana, Louisiana's second-m ...

(home of

Louisiana State University Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as Louisiana State University (LSU), is an American Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louis ...

), and

Carbondale, Illinois Carbondale is a city in Jackson County, Illinois, United States, within the Southern Illinois region informally known as "Little Egypt". As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 25,083, making it the most po ...

(home of

Southern Illinois University Carbondale Southern Illinois University (SIU) is a public research university in Carbondale, Illinois, United States. Chartered in 1869, SIU is the oldest and flagship campus of the Southern Illinois University system. SIU enrolls students from all 50 sta ...

), and interviewed college students amid party atmospheres such as the latter's Halloween street celebration. He also obtained backstage access to interview Midge Ure, the lead singer of the UK electronic band

Ultravox Ultravox (earlier styled as Ultravox!) were a British new wave band, formed in London in April 1974 as Tiger Lily. Between 1980 and 1986, they scored seven Top Ten albums and seventeen Top 40 singles in the UK, the most successful of which wa ...

, which performed a concert on the SIU campus the evening of 10/31/80. It is unknown if more than two episodes aired. Candy played the lovable, mild-mannered Army recruit Dewey Oxberger in '' Stripes'' (1981), directed by Canadian

Ivan Reitman Ivan Reitman (; October 27, 1946 – February 12, 2022) was a Canadian film director and producer. He was known for his comedy films, especially in the 1980s and 1990s. Reitman was the owner of The Montecito Picture Company, founded in 1998. ...

, which was one of the most successful films of the year. He provided voices for multiple characters in the animated film '' Heavy Metal'' (1981), most notably as the title character in the " Den" segment, which was well-received, including by the character's creator, Richard Corben, who singled out Candy's humorously lighthearted interpretation of the title character as excellent. From 1981 to 1983, Candy appeared in '' SCTV Network'' on television. He made a cameo appearance in

Harold Ramis Harold Allen Ramis ( ; November 21, 1944 – February 24, 2014) was an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. His film acting roles include Egon Spengler in ''Ghostbusters'' (1984) and ''Ghostbusters II'' (1989), and as Russell Ziskey in '' St ...

' ''

'' (1983), his first collaboration with John Hughes, who wrote the script. Candy appeared on ''

Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...

'' twice (hosting in 1983) while still appearing on ''SCTV''. According to writer-comedian

Bob Odenkirk Robert John Odenkirk (; born October 22, 1962) is an American actor, screenwriter, comedian, and producer. He started his career as a comedian and comedy writer before expanding his career by acting in dramatic works. His List of awards and no ...

, Candy was reputedly the "most-burned potential host" of ''SNL'', in that he was asked to host many times, only for plans to be changed by the ''SNL'' staff at the last minute. Candy headlined in the Canadian film '' Going Berserk'' (1983). He was approached to play the character of accountant Louis Tully in ''

Ghostbusters ''Ghostbusters'' is a 1984 American supernatural comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. It stars Bill Murray, Aykroyd, and Ramis as Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, and Egon Spengler, three eccentric ...

'' (1984), starring Aykroyd and directed by Reitman, but ultimately did not get the role because of his conflicting ideas of how to play the character; the part went instead to SCTV colleague

, whose ideas were better received. However, Candy did make a contribution to the franchise, as one of the many people chanting "Ghostbusters" in the video for Ray Parker Jr.'s hit single for the film. Candy played

Tom Hanks Thomas Jeffrey Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is an American actor and filmmaker. Known for both his comedic and dramatic roles, he is one of the most popular and recognizable film stars worldwide, and is regarded as an American cultural icon. Ha ...

's womanizing brother in the hit romantic comedy'' Splash'', generally considered his break-out role. After the success of the film, he had signed a three-picture development and producing deal with

Walt Disney Pictures Walt Disney Pictures is an American film Film production company, production company and subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios (division), the Walt Disney Studios, a division of Disney Entertainment, which is owned by the Walt Disney Company. The st ...

, and he would develop and executive produce various theatricals as planned starring vehicles for himself. Candy went back to Canada to star in '' The Last Polka'' (1985), which he also wrote with co-star

Eugene Levy Eugene Levy (born December 17, 1946) is a Canadian actor and comedian. Known for portraying flustered and unconventional figures, Levy has won multiple accolades throughout his career including four Primetime Emmy Awards, a Grammy Award, and ...

. He was

Richard Pryor Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor Sr. (December 1, 1940 – December 10, 2005) was an American stand-up comedian and actor. Known for reaching a broad audience with his trenchant observations and storytelling style, he is widely regarded ...

's best friend in ''

'' (1985) and had a cameo in the ''

Sesame Street ''Sesame Street'' is an American educational television, educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation, and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Worksh ...

'' film '' Follow That Bird'' (1985). Candy's first lead role in a Hollywood film came with '' Summer Rental'' (1985), directed by

Carl Reiner Carl Reiner (March 20, 1922 – June 29, 2020) was an American actor, author, comedian, director and screenwriter whose career spanned seven decades. He was the List of awards and nominations received by Carl Reiner, recipient of many awards and ...

. He was reunited with Hanks in ''

Volunteers Volunteering is an elective and freely chosen act of an individual or group giving their time and labor, often for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergenc ...

'' (1985), though the film did not do as well as ''Splash''. He had a cameo in '' The Canadian Conspiracy'' (1985) and appeared alongside Martin Short in ''Dave Thomas: The Incredible Time Travels of Henry Osgood'' (1985) in Canada. Candy's next starring role in a Hollywood film was the box office disappointment '' Armed and Dangerous'' (1986) with Levy and Meg Ryan. He had a cameo in ''

'' (1986) and appeared in ''Really Weird Tales'' (1987). He also had a supporting role in

Mel Brooks Melvin James Brooks (né Kaminsky; born June 28, 1926) is an American actor, comedian, filmmaker, and songwriter. With a career spanning over seven decades, he is known as a writer and director of a variety of successful broad farces and parodie ...

's ''

'' (1987).

1987–1995: John Hughes films and final roles

John Candy and Dan Aykroyd during production of The Great Outdoors

In 1987, Candy co-starred in '' Planes, Trains & Automobiles'' with

Steve Martin Stephen Glenn Martin (born August 14, 1945) is an American comedian, actor, writer, producer, and musician. Known for Steve Martin filmography, his work in comedy films, television, and #Discography, recording, he has received List of awards a ...

, written and directed by John Hughes. The film had positive reviews. The film grossed $49,530,280 at the US box office. He appeared in a cameo role in Hughes's '' She's Having a Baby'' (1988) and then starred in a film written by Hughes, '' The Great Outdoors'' (1988) which co-starred Aykroyd. Candy provided the voice for Don the Horse in '' Hot to Trot'' (1988) and starred in a flop comedy, considered by some to be a cult classic, '' Who's Harry Crumb?'' (1989), which he also produced. He was also in the box office flop '' Speed Zone'' aka ''Cannonball Fever'' (1989), however, he had another hit film with Hughes as writer and director in '' Uncle Buck'' (1989). Candy also produced and starred in a Saturday-morning animated series on NBC titled '' Camp Candy'' in 1989. The show was set in a fictional summer camp run by Candy, featured his two children in supporting roles, and also spawned a brief comic book series published by

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is a New York City–based comic book publishing, publisher, a property of the Walt Disney Company since December 31, 2009, and a subsidiary of Disney Publishing Worldwide since March 2023. Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin G ...

Star Comics Star Comics was an imprint of Marvel Comics that began in 1984 and featured titles that were aimed at child readers and were often adaptations of children's television series, animated series or toys. The last comic published under the imprint ...

imprint. During this time, he also made the television film ''The Rocket Boy'' (1989) in Canada. Candy also provided the voice of Wilbur the Albatross in Disney's animated film '' The Rescuers Down Under'' (1990) and had a cameo in two more films written by Hughes, the blockbuster hit film ''

'' (1990) and the box office flop '' Career Opportunities'' (1991). According to Candy's biography, he was in talks to play Bette Midler's working-class husband in the 1990 film '' Stella''. However, when he was informed that Midler demanded he do a screen test, Candy became incredulous proclaiming "Who the (expletive) does she think she is?!" and declined.

John Goodman John Stephen Goodman (born June 20, 1952) is an American actor. He rose to prominence in television before becoming an acclaimed and popular film actor. Goodman has received List of awards and nominations received by John Goodman, various acc ...

was eventually cast in the role. From 1988 to 1990, Candy hosted "Radio Kandy", a

hot adult contemporary Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the 1980s to the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul ...

radio music countdown syndicated by Premiere Networks. In 1991, Chris Columbus wrote and directed '' Only the Lonely'' with John Hughes serving as co-producer, and starring Candy and

Maureen O'Hara Maureen O'Hara (; 17 August 1920 – 24 October 2015) was an Irish-born naturalized American actress who became successful in Hollywood from the 1940s through to the 1960s. She was a natural redhead who was known for playing passionate b ...

; it was well reviewed but not a big hit. Candy also had a supporting role in '' Nothing But Trouble'' (1991), Dan Aykroyd's notorious box office flop. Also unsuccessful were the comedies '' Delirious'' (1991) and '' Once Upon a Crime...'' (1992). During this time, Candy played a small dramatic role as Dean Andrews Jr., a shady Southern lawyer in

Oliver Stone William Oliver Stone (born ) is an American filmmaker. Stone is an acclaimed director, tackling subjects ranging from the Vietnam War and American politics to musical film, musical Biographical film, biopics and Crime film, crime dramas. He has ...

's ''

JFK John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also known as JFK, was the 35th president of the United States, serving from 1961 until Assassination of John F. Kennedy, his assassination in 1963. He was the first Catholic Chur ...

'' (1991), and had a cameo in the television film '' Boris and Natasha: The Movie'' (1992). Candy starred in his first comedic hit in a number of years with '' Cool Runnings'' (1993), a story of the first Jamaican national bobsleigh team attempting to make it to the

1988 Winter Olympics The 1988 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XV Olympic Winter Games () and commonly known as Calgary 1988 were a multi-sport event held from February 13 to 28, 1988, with Calgary, Calgary, Alberta as the main host city. This marks the m ...

. He also had a cameo in the successful '' Rookie of the Year'' (1993). He made his directorial debut in the 1994 comedy television film '' Hostage for a Day''. His last appearances were in '' Wagons East'' (1994) and '' Canadian Bacon'' (1995).

Unfinished projects

Candy was in talks to portray Ignatius J. Reilly in a now-shelved film adaptation of John Kennedy Toole's

Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prizes () are 23 annual awards given by Columbia University in New York City for achievements in the United States in "journalism, arts and letters". They were established in 1917 by the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made his fo ...

–winning novel '' A Confederacy of Dunces''. He had also expressed interest in portraying Atuk in a film adaptation of

Mordecai Richler Mordecai Richler (January 27, 1931 – July 3, 2001) was a Canadian writer. His best known works are ''The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (novel), The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz'' (1959) and ''Barney's Version (novel), Barney's Versi ...

's '' The Incomparable Atuk'' and Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle in a biopic based on the

silent film A silent film is a film without synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...

comedian's life. These three shelved projects have been alleged as cursed because Candy,

John Belushi John Adam Belushi ( ; January 24, 1949 – March 5, 1982) was an American comedian, actor, singer and musician. He was one of seven ''Saturday Night Live'' cast members of the first season. He was arguably the most popular member of the ''Satur ...

Sam Kinison Samuel Burl Kinison ( ; December 8, 1953 – April 10, 1992) was an American stand-up comedian and actor. A former Pentecostal preacher, he performed stand-up routines that were characterized by intense sudden tirades, punctuated with his distin ...

, and

Chris Farley Christopher Crosby Farley (February 15, 1964 – December 18, 1997) was an American actor and comedian. He was a member of Chicago's Second City Theatre and later a cast member of the NBC sketch comedy show ''Saturday Night Live'' for fiv ...

were each attached to all three roles; they all died before they could make any of these films. Candy was originally considered to play

Alec Guinness Sir Alec Guinness (born Alec Guinness de Cuffe; 2 April 1914 – 5 August 2000) was an English actor. In the BFI, British Film Institute listing of 1999 of BFI Top 100 British films, the 100 most important British films of the 20th century ...

's role in the

remake A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same s ...

of the 1950 film '' Last Holiday'', with

directing. Eventually the role was played by

Queen Latifah Dana Elaine Owens (born March 18, 1970), known professionally by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American rapper, singer, and actress. She has received various accolades, including a Grammy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe ...

in a loose remake released in 2006. Candy was also slated to collaborate with John Hughes again in a comedy opposite

Sylvester Stallone Sylvester Gardenzio "Sly" Stallone (; born July 6, 1946) is an American actor and filmmaker. In a Sylvester Stallone filmography, film career spanning more than fifty years, Stallone has received List of awards and nominations received by Syl ...

, titled ''Bartholomew vs. Neff''. Candy and Stallone were to have portrayed feuding neighbors. In the animated

Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...

film ''

Pocahontas Pocahontas (, ; born Amonute, also known as Matoaka and Rebecca Rolfe; 1596 – March 1617) was a Native American woman belonging to the Powhatan people, notable for her association with the colonial settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. S ...

'', the role of Redfeather the Turkey was written for him, but was subsequently cut from the film after his death.

Stephen King Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author. Dubbed the "King of Horror", he is widely known for his horror novels and has also explored other genres, among them Thriller (genre), suspense, crime fiction, crime, scienc ...

reportedly wanted Candy to portray Billy Halleck in the

film adaptation A film adaptation transfers the details or story of an existing source text, such as a novel, into a feature film. This transfer can involve adapting most details of the source text closely, including characters or plot points, or the original sou ...

of his novel '' Thinner''.

Personal life

Candy and his wife Rosemary Hobor had two children, Christopher Michael and Jennifer Anne. He was a

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

. Candy was a longtime resident of

Brentwood, Los Angeles Brentwood is a suburban neighborhood in the Westside region of Los Angeles, California. History General Modern development began after the establishment of the Pacific Branch of the National Home for Disabled Soldiers and Sailors in the ...

Sports

In 1991, Bruce McNall,

Wayne Gretzky Wayne Douglas Gretzky ( ; born January 26, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for four teams from 1979 to 1999. Nicknamed "the Great One ...

, and Candy became owners of the

. The celebrity ownership group attracted attention in Canada, and the team spent a significant amount of money, even signing some highly touted

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

prospects such as wide receiver Raghib Ismail. The Argonauts took home the 1991 Grey Cup, beating Calgary 36–21 in the final. Only McNall's name was originally etched onto the

Grey Cup The Grey Cup () is both the championship game of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the trophy awarded to the victorious team playing in the namesake championship of professional Canadian football. The game is contested between the winners ...

trophy as an owner of the team, but in 2007, Candy's and Gretzky's names were added as well.

Health problems and death

Candy publicly shared his experiences of living with severe

anxiety Anxiety is an emotion characterised by an unpleasant state of inner wikt:turmoil, turmoil and includes feelings of dread over Anticipation, anticipated events. Anxiety is different from fear in that fear is defined as the emotional response ...

and

panic attack Panic attacks are sudden periods of intense fear and Comfort, discomfort that may include palpitations, otherwise defined as a Tachycardia, rapid, Arrhythmia, irregular Heart rate, heartbeat, Hyperhidrosis, sweating, chest pain or discomfort, s ...

s. Candy died in his sleep at the age of 43, on March 4, 1994, in

Durango Durango, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Durango, is one of the 31 states which make up the Political divisions of Mexico, 32 Federal Entities of Mexico, situated in the northwest portion of the country. With a population of 1,832,650 ...

, Mexico, while filming '' Wagons East''; a spokeswoman said that Candy's cause of death was a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...

. He struggled with weight change and weighed more than at some points in his life. Candy had a number of risk factors for heart attack, including strong family history (his father had died prematurely of a heart attack, although his children say he was unaware of his genetic risk), smoking a pack of

cigarette A cigarette is a narrow cylinder containing a combustible material, typically tobacco, that is rolled into Rolling paper, thin paper for smoking. The cigarette is ignited at one end, causing it to smolder; the resulting smoke is orally inhale ...

s a day,

obesity Obesity is a medical condition, considered by multiple organizations to be a disease, in which excess Adipose tissue, body fat has accumulated to such an extent that it can potentially have negative effects on health. People are classifi ...

alcohol abuse Alcohol abuse encompasses a spectrum of alcohol-related substance abuse. This spectrum can range from being mild, moderate, or severe. This can look like consumption of more than 2 drinks per day on average for men, or more than 1 drink per ...

, and

cocaine Cocaine is a tropane alkaloid and central nervous system stimulant, derived primarily from the leaves of two South American coca plants, ''Erythroxylum coca'' and ''Erythroxylum novogranatense, E. novogranatense'', which are cultivated a ...

use. However, Candy was concerned about his weight. He once lost over a summer while preparing to film ''Planes, Trains and Automobiles''. He frequently dieted and exercised with trainers because of his family history."Autopsy: The Last Hours of John Candy." ''Autopsy: The Last Hours of...''. Nar. Eric Meyers.

Executive producer Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the production of media. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights or royalties). In film ...

s Suzy Davis and Michael Kelpie.

Reelz Reelz (formerly known as Reelz Channel) is an American digital cable and satellite television network owned by Hubbard Broadcasting. The network's programming was formerly devoted to entertainment-oriented programming focusing on the Hollywood ...

, March 3, 2019. Television.

Legacy

Candy's funeral was held at

St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church is a Catholic Church, Catholic church in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Los Angeles Archdiocese, Our Lady of the Angels Pastoral Region. The church is located on Sunset Boulevard in the affluent ...

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

. Candy was entombed in the mausoleum at Holy Cross Cemetery in

Culver City Culver City is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 40,779. It is mostly surrounded by Los Angeles, but also shares a border with the unincorporated area of Ladera Heights to the ea ...

. His crypt lies just above that of a fellow actor,

Fred MacMurray Frederick Martin MacMurray (August 30, 1908 – November 5, 1991) was an American actor. He appeared in more than one hundred films and a successful television series in a career that spanned nearly a half-century. His career as a major film le ...

. On March 18, 1994, a special memorial service for Candy, produced by his former improvisation troupe the Second City, was broadcast across Canada. ''Wagons East'' was completed using a stunt double and special effects and released five months after Candy's death. His final completed film was ''Canadian Bacon'', a satirical comedy by

Michael Moore Michael Francis Moore is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and author. Moore's work frequently addresses various Social issue, social, political, and economic topics. He first became publicly known for his award-winning debut ...

released a year after Candy's death. Candy played American sheriff Bud Boomer, who led an "invasion" of Canada. Candy recorded a voice for the TV film '' The Magic 7'' in the early 1990s. The film remained in production for years owing to animation difficulties and production delays, and it was eventually shelved. Candy was posthumously inducted into

Canada's Walk of Fame Canada's Walk of Fame () in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is a walk of fame that acknowledges the achievements and accomplishments of Canadians who have excelled in their respective fields. It is a series of maple leaf-like stars embedded in 13 de ...

in 1998. In May 2006, Candy became one of the first four entertainers ever honored by

Canada Post Canada Post Corporation (, trading as Canada Post (), is a Canadian Crown corporation that functions as the primary postal operator in Canada. Originally known as Royal Mail Canada (the operating name of the Post Office Department of the Can ...

by being featured on a postage stamp. On October 31, 2020, Toronto Mayor John Tory proclaimed "John Candy Day" in honor of what would have been John Candy's 70th birthday. '' Blues Brothers 2000'' is dedicated to three people, including Candy, who played a supporting role in the original ''Blues Brothers''. A tribute to Candy was hosted by

at the 2007 Grey Cup festivities in Toronto in November 2007.

Experimental rock Experimental rock, also called avant-rock, is a subgenre of rock music that pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique or which experiments with the basic elements of the genre. Artists aim to liberate and innovate, wit ...

band Ween's album ''

Chocolate and Cheese ''Chocolate and Cheese'' is the fourth studio album by the American rock band Ween, first released on September 27, 1994, through Elektra Records. It was the first Ween album to be recorded in a professional studio, in contrast to the four-trac ...

'', released in 1994, is "dedicated in loving memory to John Candy (1950–1994)". At the time lead singer Gene Ween remarked, "There was so much going on about

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...

of] Kurt Cobain, and nobody mentioned John Candy at all. I have a special little spot in my heart for him." After his death, the John Candy Visual Arts Studio at Neil McNeil Catholic High School in Toronto was dedicated in his honour. Candy, one of the school's most famous alumni, said during one of his annual visits to the school, "My success is simply rooted in the values and discipline and respect for others that I was taught at Neil McNeil." It has been suggested, among others, that the Canadian Screen Awards be given the official nickname "The Candys", both in honour of the actor and because the name suggests Canada. American comedian

Conan O'Brien Conan Christopher O'Brien (born April 18, 1963) is an American television host, comedian, writer, actor, and producer. He is best known for having hosted Late-night talk show, late-night talk shows, beginning with ''Late Night with Conan O'B ...

credits Candy as giving him advice that led to his career in comedy. O'Brien met Candy while at Harvard and said, "Mr. Candy... I'm thinking I might try comedy." To this, Candy replied very seriously: "You don't try comedy. You do it or you don't do it."

Filmography

Film

Television

Music videos

Accolades

References

External links

JohnCandy.com – The home of everything John Candy
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Candy, John 1950 births 1994 deaths 20th-century Canadian male actors Burials at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City Canadian expatriate male actors in the United States Canadian impressionists (entertainers) Canadian male film actors Canadian male television actors Canadian male voice actors Canadian male comedians Canadian male television writers Canadian television writers Canadian people of Polish descent Canadian Roman Catholics Canadian sketch comedians Canadian television personalities Centennial College alumni Male actors from Toronto Actors from Newmarket, Ontario Primetime Emmy Award winners Toronto Argonauts owners 20th-century Canadian comedians 20th-century Canadian screenwriters Comedians from Toronto Canadian Comedy Award winners Canadian Screen Award winning writers Screenwriters from Toronto