John Candy

Early life

John Franklin Candy was born in Newmarket, Ontario, on October 31, 1950, the son of Evangeline Valeria (née Aker; 1916–2009) and Sidney James (1920–1955). His paternal grandparents were English immigrants who had moved to Canada in 1913, while his mother had Polish and Ukrainian ancestry. Candy was raised in a working-class Catholic family in Toronto, where his childhood home was at 217 Woodville Avenue. On October 31, 1955Candy's fifth birthdayhis father died from complications of heart disease at the age of 35.

Candy attended Neil McNeil Catholic High School, where was the treasurer of the student council, a star offensive tackle on the football team, and a member of the drama club. Before he considered acting, he dreamed of becoming a professional football player, which he was forced to abandon after a knee injury in high school. He later studied journalism at Centennial College before joining McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. 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, in the inaugural season of the Tarragon Theatre in Toronto. Candy guest-starred on a Canadian children's television series, Cucumber, and made a brief, uncredited appearance in Class of '44 (1973) as his feature film debut. He had a small part in The ABC Afternoon Playbreak ("Last Bride of Salem") and had a regular role on the TV series Dr. Zonk and the Zunkins (1974–75). He played the role of Wally Wypyzypywchuk in the CBC children's show Coming Up Rosie (1975).

Candy became a member of Toronto's branch of The Second City in 1972. He gained wide North American popularity when he became a cast member on the influential Toronto-based comedy-variety show Second City Television (SCTV). NBC picked the show up in 1981 and quickly became a fan favourite. It won Emmy Awards 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 Doctor Tongue, sycophantic and easily amused talk-show sidekick William B. Williams, and Melonville's corrupt Mayor Tommy Shanks.

In 1974, Candy made his TV debut when he appeared on the Canadian TV show Police Surgeon, playing street gang and heist member Ramone in "Target: Ms. Blue", and in a later episode the same season as Richie, an accused killer, in the episode "Web of Guilt". 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. Candy had a small role in Tunnel Vision (1976).

During the series's 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) on Peter Gzowski'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 and Elliott Gould) 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, which moved to Edmonton for a time. Candy stayed in Toronto and headlined his own short-lived sketch show Big City Comedy. He also began a more active film career, appearing in a minor role in Lost and Found (1979) and playing a U.S. Army soldier in Steven Spielberg's big-budget comedy 1941. He returned to Canada for roles in The Courage of Kavik, the Wolf Dog (1980) and the action thriller Double Negative (1980). He had a supporting role as easygoing parole officer Burton Mercer in The Blues Brothers (1980), 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".

Candy played the lovable, mild-mannered Army recruit Dewey Oxberger in Stripes (1981), directed by Canadian Ivan Reitman, 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 returned to SCTV Network on television. Still based in Edmonton for Candy's first few episodes after returning, the show returned to Toronto in 1982. He made a cameo appearance in Harold Ramis' National Lampoon's Vacation (1983), his first collaboration with John Hughes, who wrote the script. Candy appeared on Saturday Night Live twice (hosting in 1983) while still appearing on SCTV. According to writer-comedian Bob Odenkirk, 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).

Candy once again left SCTV in 1983, prior to its final season, to concentrate on his film career. He was approached to play the character of accountant Louis Tully in Ghostbusters (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 Rick Moranis, 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'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, 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. He was Richard Pryor's best friend in Brewster's Millions (1985) and had a cameo in the Sesame Street film Follow That Bird (1985). Candy's first lead role in a Hollywood film came with Summer Rental (1985), directed by Carl Reiner. He was reunited with Hanks in Volunteers (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 Little Shop of Horrors (1986) and appeared in Really Weird Tales (1987). He also had a supporting role in Mel Brooks's Spaceballs (1987).

1987–1994: John Hughes films and final roles

In 1987, Candy co-starred in Planes, Trains & Automobiles with Steve Martin, 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, featuring his two children in supporting roles, and also spawned a brief comic book series published by Marvel Comics' Star Comics 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 cameos in two more films written by Hughes, the blockbuster hit film Home Alone (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 was eventually cast in the role. From 1988 to 1990, Candy hosted "Radio Kandy", a hot adult contemporary 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; 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's JFK (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. 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–winning novel A Confederacy of Dunces. He had also expressed interest in portraying Atuk in a film adaptation of Mordecai Richler's The Incomparable Atuk and Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle in a biopic based on the silent film comedian's life. These three shelved projects have been alleged as cursed because Candy, John Belushi, Sam Kinison, and Chris Farley were each attached to all three films; they all died before they could make any of these movies. Candy was originally considered to play Alec Guinness' role in the remake of the 1950 film Last Holiday, with Carl Reiner directing. Eventually the role was played by Queen Latifah in a loose remake released in 2006. Candy was also slated to collaborate with John Hughes again in a comedy opposite Sylvester Stallone, titled Bartholomew vs. Neff. Candy and Stallone were to have portrayed feuding neighbors. In the animated Disney film Pocahontas, the role of Redfeather the Turkey was written for him, but was subsequently cut from the film after his death. Stephen King reportedly wanted Candy to portray Billy Halleck in the film adaptation of his novel Thinner.

Other ventures

Candy, Bruce McNall, and Wayne Gretzky became co-owners of the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts in 1991. 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 prospects such as Raghib Ismail. The Argonauts took home the 1991 Grey Cup, beating Calgary 36–21 in the final. McNall's name was the only one originally etched onto the Grey Cup trophy as an owner of the team, with Candy's and Gretzky's names finally added to the trophy in 2007.

Personal life

Candy married Rosemary Hobor in 1979. They had two children together, and lived in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles for many years.

Candy was a Catholic. He was open about his experiences with severe anxiety and panic attacks.

Death

While filming Wagons East in the Mexican city of Durango, Candy suffered a heart attack in his sleep and died at the age of 43 on March 4, 1994. He had long struggled with his weight, weighing over 375 lb (170 kg) at some points in his life.

Candy had a number of risk factors for a heart attack: obesity, a strong family history (his father had died of a heart attack at age 35 on Candy's fifth birthday, though Candy's own children said he was unaware of his genetic risk), his habit of smoking a pack of cigarettes per day, and his abuse of alcohol and cocaine. He was concerned about his weight and once lost 100 lb (45 kg) over a summer while preparing to film Planes, Trains and Automobiles. He frequently dieted and exercised with personal trainers.

Legacy

Candy's funeral was held at St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church in Los Angeles with a eulogy by Dan Aykroyd. He was entombed in the mausoleum at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City.

On March 18, 1994, a special memorial service for Candy, produced by his former improvisation troupe the Second City, was broadcast across Canada. Catherine O'Hara gave the eulogy, while her sister Mary Margaret O'Hara sang her song "Dark, Dear Heart".

Wagons East, completed using a stunt double and special effects, was released five months after Candy's death. His final completed film was Canadian Bacon, a satirical comedy by Michael Moore 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 in 1998. In May 2006, Candy became one of the first four entertainers ever honoured by Canada Post 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 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 Dan Aykroyd at the 2007 Grey Cup festivities in Toronto in November 2007.

Experimental rock band Ween's album Chocolate and Cheese, 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 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 that the Canadian Screen Awards be given the official nickname "The Candys", both in honour of him and because the name suggests Canada.

American comedian Conan O'Brien met Candy while studying at Harvard University and told him, "Mr. Candy, I'm thinking I might try comedy." Candy replied very seriously, "You don't try comedyyou do it or you don't do it." O'Brien said this advice led to his career in comedy.

John Candy: I Like Me, a documentary film about Candy's life and career directed by Colin Hanks, premiered as the opening film of the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival on September 4. Some archival footage of Candy was also seen in the documentary film You Had to Be There, which premiered at the same festival two days later.

Filmography

Film

Television

Music videos

Accolades

References

References

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