'80s and '90s babies will easily recognize John Candy from the many classic comedies he either starred in or appeared in before his tragic death in 1994. Candy was well-liked both on and off camera for the impressions he did on the sketch comedy classic series SCTV, for his jolly demeanor, and for the variety of lovable characters he played.
Candy was very much in demand as his career picked up steam, but that uptick was cut short when the actor, who struggled with obesity, depression, and anxiety, succumbed to a heart attack while filming his last movie, Wagon's East. This is the story of the lovable comedy legend who gave the world Uncle Buck, The Polka Guy from Home Alone, and so many other wonderful characters.
10 He Rose To Fame Thanks To SCTV
John Candy grew up in Ontario, Canada, where did not show much interest in acting until he went to college. There he began to appear in plays. Slowly but surely, he began to take on small roles in a variety of television series ranging from kid shows to dramas. In 1972, Candy officially joined the famous Second City Comedy troupe through their Toronto syndicate, an offshoot of the famous SC troupe from Chicago. Names attached to SC include both SNL and SCTV icons like Jim Belushi, Dan Akroyd, Eugene Levy, and Rick Moranis, to name just a few. Between the late 1970s and early 1980s, SCTV became a wildly popular sketch comedy show, especially after being picked up by NBC to fill the time slot following SNL.
9 One Of His First Movies Was A Spielberg Flop
After SCTV became so popular, Candy and the other stars began to dabble in other Hollywood ventures. Candy's co-star Harold Ramis would go on to write and direct many comedy classics, including National Lampoon's Vacation and Stripes, both of which feature Candy. But one of Candy's first starring roles was the project 1941, the infamous World War II comedy that was directed by Steven Spielberg and ended up being one of the few flops of his career.
8 The Blues Brothers Was A Breakthrough For Him
Although landing a Spielberg role usually skyrockets a person to fame, the fact 1941 flopped so hard prevented that for Candy. But, all was not lost. Soon after 1941, Candy landed a supporting role where he got to work with one of 1941's stars yet again in a much more popular film. The star was John Belushi and the film was The Blues Brothers. In the film, Candy played a probation officer keen on arresting Belushi's character, Jake Blues, for parole violations. The Blues Brothers is considered by many to be one of the greatest comedies ever made. From there on out, Candy was in demand.
7 Stripes
Candy kept working in television and in other small film roles to pay the bills, but soon after The Blues Brothers came one of Harold Ramis' breakout films, Stripes, starring Bill Murray. Candy played the lovable recruit Dewey in the film, setting in stone his frequent casting as likeable yet slightly absent-minded characters.
6 He Was In A Popular Cult Classic Animated Film
Fun fact about Candy's career, he also did a little bit of voice acting, and he can be heard in one of the most popular cult classic animated features to come out of the 1980s. Candy was the voice of several characters in the Heavy Metal, most notable of which is probably the "Den segments." In addition to this and his work with Ramis, Candy would also develop a working relationship with director John Hughes, who wrote Vacation, and would appear in several of his films. He would eventually star in one of Hughes' most popular films, Planes Trains And Automobiles.
5 He Played Tom Hanks' Brother
Candy's career was consistently on the rise throughout the 1980s, and it showed little signs of slowing down, making his 1994 death all the more tragic. Still, while he was alive he enjoyed casting in so many classic films. One of these classics was director Ron Howard's Splash, the Tom Hanks rom-com about a man who falls in love with a mermaid. Candy played Hanks' womanizing brother in the film.
4 His Hollywood Career Picked Up In The Late 1980s
By the late 1980s, he was very much in demand as both a supporting player for comic relief and a featured star. His career began to grow exponentially thanks to films like Uncle Buck, Cool Runnings, Home Alone, Planes Trains And Automobiles, and Mel Brooks' classic Star Wars parody Spaceballs.
3 He Dabbled In Drama In A Controversial Oliver Stone Classic
Candy did dive into serious dramatic roles occasionally, but they were rare instances as he was typecast as either comic relief or some sort of oafish character. However, he did get to live a little more dangerously in his role in Oliver Stone's controversial film JFK. The film was the subject of intense debate when it came out due to its subscription to the idea that President Kennedy's assassination was the result of a government conspiracy.
2 He Struggled With Mental And Physical Health In Private
While he played fun-loving characters on screen, Candy struggled in private. It is no secret that Candy struggled with obesity his whole career, something he was able to channel into his comedy roles. But while he was able to laugh about his size on screen, in real life Candy's weight problem was the result of constant overeating, which was caused by frequent panic attacks.
1 He Died Of A Heart Attack In 1994
In addition to his eating binges, Candy was a notoriously heavy drinker and a chain smoker. All of this eventually took a toll on his health and in 1994, Candy died suddenly from a heart attack while filming Wagon's East. The film was eventually completed using stunt doubles and was dedicated to his memory. His funeral was attended by several of his former co-stars, including Eugene Levy, Jim Belushi, Rick Moranis, and Demi Moore. He might be gone but John Candy will forever live on in the hearts of comedy fans for decades to come thanks to his many delightful roles and films.