John Candy

John Candy, Comedian

Big man John Candy, the lovable loser from comedic film classics like Stripes and Splash, was gifted with a remarkable versatility and deadpan delivery that made him one of the funniest actors of his generation.

Born in 1950 on Halloween night, Candy was raised in Toronto, Canada, mostly under the care of his mother and aunt. A heart ailment claimed Candy’s father when the comedian was an adolescent.

“I was a real heavy kid,” he once told the Los Angeles Times, according to a report by the Gale Group. “I didn’t go out on a lot of dates. Saturday nights I stayed home and watched Carol Burnett with my parents.”

After briefly considering a career in journalism, Candy started taking acting classes at community college. He played minor roles in low budget Canadian films before joining legendary Chicago comedy troupe Second City and it’s television offshoot SCTV, proving ground to other comedic giants like Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray and Gilda Radner.

Candy gained instant notoriety for playing several versatile roles,  most notably Luciano Pavarotti and Julia Child.

The next natural step was feature film, and Candy made lasting impressions with minor but standout roles in Stripes, starring Bill Murray, Spaceballs, and Planed, Trains and Automobiles, where he starred alongside Steve Martin.

Candy’ shortlived career and life came to an abrupt end when he suffered a massive heart attack while filming Wagons East with Richard Lewis in Mexico.