John Candy
John Candy | |
---|---|
Durango City, Durango, Mexico | |
Burial place | Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, California, U.S. |
Alma mater | |
Occupations |
|
Years active | 1971-1994 |
Television | Second City Television |
Spouse |
Rosemary Margaret Hobor
(m. 1979) |
Children | 2 |
John Franklin Candy (October 31, 1950 – March 4, 1994).
In addition to his work as an actor, Candy was a co-owner of the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (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 and Canadian Bacon, are dedicated to his memory.
Early life and education
Candy was born on October 31, 1950, in
Candy attended
Career
1971–1978: Early career and SCTV
In 1971, Candy was cast in a small part as a
Candy became a member of Toronto's branch of
In 1975 he played Richie, an accused killer, in the episode "Web of Guilt" on the Canadian TV show Police Surgeon.[14] 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' run he appeared in films such as The Clown Murders (1976) and had a lead in a low-budget comedy, Find the Lady (1976).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
In 1980, Candy hosted a short-lived NBC television program, Roadshow, described by The Washington Post as "improvisational journalism.[15]" Appearing as himself, Candy and a video crew traveled in a tour bus to Baton Rouge, Louisiana (home of Louisiana State University), and Carbondale, Illinois, home of Southern Illinois University Carbondale), and interviewed college students amid party atmospheres such as the latter's Halloween street celebration.[16] He also obtained backstage access to interview Midge Ure, the lead singer of the UK electronic band Ultravox, 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, 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,[17] including by the character's creator, Richard Corben, who singled out Candy's humorously lighthearted interpretation of the title character as excellent.[18]
From 1981 to 1983, Candy appeared in
Candy played Tom Hanks's womanizing brother in the hit romantic comedy Splash, generally considered his break-out role.[20] 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.[21]
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 on 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.[22] 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.[23] 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).
1987–1995: John Hughes films and final roles
Candy had a hit film when he starred in
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' Star Comics imprint.[24] 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
In 1991,
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.[25][26][27] 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.[28][29] These three shelved projects have been alleged as cursed because Candy, John Belushi, Sam Kinison, and Chris Farley were each attached to all three roles; they all died before they could make any of these films.[30][31] Candy was originally considered to play Alec Guinness's role in the remake of the 1950 film Last Holiday, with Carl Reiner directing.[32] Eventually the role was played by Queen Latifah in a loose remake released in 2006.[30] 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.[33][34] 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.[35]
Personal life
Candy and his wife Rosemary Hobor had two children, Christopher Michael and Jennifer Anne.
Sports
In 1991,
Health problems and death
Candy publicly shared his experiences of living with severe anxiety and panic attacks.[42]
Candy died in his sleep at the age of 43, on March 4, 1994, in
Legacy
Candy's funeral was held at St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church in Los Angeles. Candy was entombed in the mausoleum at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City. His crypt lies just above that of a fellow actor, Fred MacMurray. On March 18, 1994, a special memorial service for Candy, produced by his former improvisation troupe the Second City, was broadcast across Canada.[48]
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 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.[49] In May 2006, Candy became one of the first four entertainers ever honored by Canada Post by being featured on a postage stamp.[50] On October 31, 2020, Toronto Mayor John Tory proclaimed "John Candy Day" in honor of what would have been John Candy's 70th birthday.
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 [the suicide of] Kurt Cobain, and nobody mentioned John Candy at all. I have a special little spot in my heart for him."[51]
After his death, the John Candy Visual Arts Studio at
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1973 | Class of '44 | Paule | Uncredited |
1975 | It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time | Kopek | |
1976 | Tunnel Vision | Cooper | |
The Clown Murders | Ollie | ||
Find the Lady | Kopek | ||
1978 | The Silent Partner | Simonsen | |
1979 | Lost and Found | Carpentier | |
1941 | Pvt. Foley | ||
1980 | Deadly Companion | John | |
The Blues Brothers | Parole Officer Burton Mercer | ||
1981 | Stripes | Dewey "Ox" Oxberger | |
Heavy Metal | Den / Dan, Desk Sergeant, Robot | Voice roles | |
1982 | It Came from Hollywood | Himself | |
1983 | National Lampoon's Vacation | Russ Lasky | |
Going Berserk | John Bourgignon | ||
1984 | Splash | Freddie Bauer | |
1985 | Brewster's Millions | Spike Nolan | |
Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird | The Policeman | ||
Summer Rental | Jack Chester | ||
Volunteers | Tom Tuttle | ||
1986 | Armed and Dangerous | Frank Dooley | |
Little Shop of Horrors
|
Wink Wilkinson | ||
1987 | Spaceballs | Barf | |
Planes, Trains and Automobiles | Del Griffith | ||
1988 | She's Having a Baby | Chet (from The Great Outdoors) | Uncredited |
The Great Outdoors | Chester "Chet" Ripley | ||
Hot to Trot | Don | Voice role | |
1989 | Who's Harry Crumb? | Harry Crumb | Also Executive Producer |
Speed Zone | Charlie Cronan | a.k.a. Cannonball Fever[53] | |
Uncle Buck | Buck Russell | ||
1990 | Masters of Menace | Beer Truck Driver | |
Home Alone | Gus Polinski – Polka King of the Midwest | ||
The Rescuers Down Under | Wilbur | Voice role | |
1991 | Nothing but Trouble | Dennis Valkenheiser, Eldona Valkenheiser | |
Career Opportunities | C. D. Marsh | Uncredited | |
Only the Lonely | Danny Muldoon | ||
Delirious | Jack Gable | ||
JFK | Dean Andrews Jr. | ||
1992 | Once Upon a Crime | Augie Morosco | |
1993 | Rookie of the Year | Cliff Murdoch (announcer) | Uncredited |
Cool Runnings | Irving "Irv" Blitzer | ||
1994 | Wagons East | James Harlow | Released posthumously |
1995 | Canadian Bacon | Sheriff Bud Boomer | Filmed in 1993;[54] released posthumously |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1972 | Cucumber | Weatherman | Unknown episodes |
Dr. Simon Locke | Richie Beck / Ramon | 2 Episodes | |
1974 | The ABC Afternoon Playbreak | 2nd son | Episode: "Last Bride of Salem" |
Dr. Zonk and the Zunkins | Unknown episodes | ||
1976 | The David Steinberg Show | Spider Reichman / Spider | 6 Episodes |
90 Minutes Live | (various) | TV series | |
1976–1977 | Coming Up Rosie | Wally Wypyzypychwk | TV series (With Rosemary Radcliffe, Dan Aykroyd and Catherine O'Hara) |
1976–1979 | Second City TV | Johnny LaRue / / Various | 50 episodes |
1977 | King of Kensington | Bandit | Episode: "The Hero" |
1980 | The Courage of Kavik, the Wolf Dog
|
Pinky | Television film |
Big City Comedy | Himself (host) / various | Television series (sketch comedy) | |
Roadshow | Himself (host) / various | "Improvisational journalism" (at least 2 episodes) | |
1981 | Tales of the Klondike | Hans Nelson | Miniseries 1 episode |
Saturday Night Live | Juan Gavino | Episode: "George Kennedy/Miles Davis" (uncredited) | |
1981–1983 | SCTV Network 90 | Johnny LaRue / Zontar / Dr. Tongue / Yosh Shmenge / Various | 38 episodes |
1982 | The Billy Crystal Comedy Hour | Orson Welles | 1 episode |
1983 | Saturday Night Live | Host | Episode: "John Candy/Men at Work" |
SCTV Channel | Various | Episode: "Maudlin O' the Night" | |
1984 | The New Show | Luciano Pavarotti / Orson Welles / Various | 5 episodes |
1985 | Martin Short: Concert for the North Americas | Marcel | Television film |
The Canadian Conspiracy | (various) | Television film | |
The Last Polka | Yosh Shmenge, Pa Shmenge | Television film | |
1987 | Really Weird Tales | Howard Jensen ('Cursed with Charisma') | Television film |
1988 | Sesame Street, Special | Yosh Shmenge | Television film |
1989 | The Rocket Boy | The Hawk | Television film |
Camp Candy | Himself, Yosh Shmenge, Dr. Tongue, Various | 40 episodes, main voice role | |
The Wonderful World of Disney
|
Himself | Episode: "Donald, the Star-Struck Duck" | |
1990 | The Dave Thomas Comedy Show | One episode | |
1992 | Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories | Narrator | Episode: "Blumpoe the Grumpoe Meets Arnold the Cat/Millions of Cats" |
Boris and Natasha: The Movie | Kalishak | Television film | |
1994 | Hostage for a Day | Yuri Petrovich | Final television film |
Music videos
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1984 | Ray Parker Jr.: Ghostbusters | John Candy | Cameo - Uncredited |
1991 | The Traveling Wilburys: Wilbury Twist | John Candy | Cameo - Uncredited |
Accolades
References
- ISBN 978-0-313-29931-5.
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- ^ "John Candy: The legacy of a cinematic legend". Far Out magazine. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
- ^ Schneider, Karen S. (March 21, 1994). "Exit Laughing". People. Retrieved September 22, 2017.
- ^ "Candy, Sidney Genealogy / Census". Government of Canada. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
- ^ ISBN 978-1466878433.
- ^ "The Tragic Death of John Candy's Father". Grunge magazine. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
- ^ "The Sport John Candy Tried to Play Professionally". www.Grunge.com. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
- ISBN 9781466878433.
- ^ "50 things you didn't know about Centennial College, Part 1". www.centennialcollege.ca. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
- ISSN 1189-9417. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
- ^ "Candy's Dandy, but..." The Varsity. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
- ^ "John Candy". Biography. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
- ^ Episode Guide – Police Surgeon (Series) (1971–1975)
January 23, 1975 – "Web of Guilt" Dr. Locke intervenes when a woman judge (Nancy Olson) endangers herself by becoming too protective of her brother, who is accused of murder. Richie: John Candy. Bonnie: Helen Shaver. Scharfman: Don McGill. - ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
- ^ r/Carbondale - NBC Roadshow- Carbondale Halloween 1980 (with John Candy), retrieved May 29, 2021
- ^ Maslin, Janet (August 7, 1981). "'Heavy Metal', Adult Cartoon". The New York Times.
- ^ Corben, Richard (w). "Letters page" Den, no. 5, p. Inside front cover. (1989).
- ISBN 978-0316295079.
- ^ "John Candy: Biography". IMDb. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
- ^ "Candy Signed For 3 Disney Pics; Also Tapped for U's 'Millions'". Variety. May 16, 1984. p. 44.
- ^ Harmetz, Aljean (August 9, 1985). "A ghostly film that's no 'kiddie movie'". The New York Times. p. C16.
- ^ Goldstein, Patrick (August 28, 1986). "JOHN CANDY'S READY TO TAKE CONTROL : My agent is always telling me--'it's not called show art, it's show business.' And I have to learn that . . ". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on June 27, 2019. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
- ^ "Camp Candy". Grand Comics Database. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
- ^ Fretts, Bruce (May 19, 2000). "A Confederacy of Dunces celebrates its 20th anniversary". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
- ^ Hyman, Peter (December 14, 2006). "A Conspiracy of Dunces: Will John Kennedy Toole's comic masterpiece ever reach the big screen?". Slate. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
- Splitsider. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
- ^ Raouf, Neda (February 21, 1999). "The 'Atuk' Curse". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
- ^ Bovsun, Mara (September 1, 2012). "Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle, acquitted for murder of Virginia Rappe in 1922, never recovered from all the bad press". New York Daily News. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
- ^ a b Evans, Bradford (June 2, 2011). "The Lost Roles of John Candy". Splitsider. Archived from the original on May 20, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
- ^ Evans, Bradford (March 3, 2011). "The Lost Roles of John Belushi". Splitsider. Archived from the original on May 17, 2018. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
- ^ Siskel, Gene (March 30, 1986). "Sour Movies Keep Candy Just Short Of Sweet Success". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
- ^ "SHORT TAKES : Stallone in Line for Comedy Role". Los Angeles Times. July 30, 1990. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
- ^ Carter, Bill (August 4, 1991). "Him Alone". The New York Times. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
- ^ Evans, Bradford (June 2, 2011). "The Lost Roles of John Candy". Vulture. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
- ^ a b c Parker, Ryan (October 24, 2016). "John Candy Remembered: His Children Share New Stories About Their Late Father On the Eve of His Birthday". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
- ^ King, David A. (November 27, 2017). "Comedic genius, faithful Catholic, John Candy left legacy of brilliant, classic movies". The Georgia Bulletin. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
- ^ Schwarz, Chris (November 24, 2011). "TSN special remembers John Candy's impact on the Argos". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. Reuters. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
- ISSN 1189-9417. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
- ^ a b Brunt, Stephen (November 21, 2007). "Candy never stopped caring". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. Retrieved October 5, 2009.
- ^ "Gretzky, Candy to get names etched on Grey Cup". CBC News. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
- ^ Kelly, Laura (December 3, 2020). "The Tragic Death Of John Candy". Grunge.com. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
- ^ "No drugs were involved in Candy's death". New Straits Times. Kuala Lumpur. Reuters. March 6, 1994.
- ^ a b c Collins, Glenn (March 5, 1994). "John Candy, Comedic Film Star, Is Dead of a heart attack at 43". The New York Times. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
- ^ a b c Sanchez, Rosa (February 26, 2019). "Deadly Addiction: John Candy Smoked 'A Pack A Day' Before Heart Attack Death At 43". Star. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
- ^ "Autopsy: The Last Hours of John Candy." Autopsy: The Last Hours of.... Nar. Eric Meyers. Executive producers Suzy Davis and Michael Kelpie. Reelz, March 3, 2019. Television.
- Quill and Quire.
- CanWest. Archived from the originalon January 29, 2006. Retrieved January 29, 2007.
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- ^ Dean, Chuck (April 6, 1995). "Q&A: Ween". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 23, 2017. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
- ^ Howell, Peter (March 15, 2016). "Chair of Canadian film/TV academy is sweet on calling awards 'the Candys'". Toronto Star. Retrieved March 15, 2016.
- ^ "Speed Zone (1989)". American Film Institute.
- ^ Bradley, Ed (April 26, 1995). "Moore Gets to 'Super Bowl' of Film Makers". Flint, Michigan: The Flint Journal via Dog Eat Dog Films (Michael Moore official site). Archived from the original on January 22, 2013. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
- ^ "John Candy". Television Academy. Retrieved September 29, 2020.