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| Birth Name(s) : John Candy |
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Full John Candy Biography
John Franklin Candy (October 31, 1950 – March 4, 1994) was a Canadian comedian and actor. He rose to fame as a member of the Toronto, Canada, branch of The Second City, often playing lovable losers and characters with bad luck but big hearts. While his film roles were mostly comedic, such as those in Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Summer Rental and Uncle Buck, he had dramatic roles in movies such as Only the Lonely, Cool Runnings and JFK.
By 1980, he began a more active film career having appeared as a soldier in Steven Spielberg's big-budget comedy 1941 and had a supporting role as a police chief in The Blues Brothers. A year later, Candy played the lovable, mild-mannered Army recruit Dewey Oxberger in 1981's Stripes, one of the most successful films of the year. In the next two years, Candy did a small cameo in Harold Ramis' National Lampoon's Vacation, appeared on Saturday Night Live twice (hosting in 1983) while still appearing on SCTV.
In 1983, Candy was approached to play the character of accountant Louis Tully in Ghostbusters (completed and released 1984), but ultimately did not get the role due to his conflicting ideas of how to play the character; the part went instead to Rick Moranis. (However, Candy was one of the many celebrities who appeared chanting "Ghostbusters" in Ray Parker, Jr.'s hit single for the movie). In 1984, Candy played Tom Hanks's womanizing brother in the hit romantic comedy Splash, considered to be his breakout role.
He also continued to provide memorable bit roles, including a "weird" disc jockey in the comic musical film Little Shop of Horrors, and a state trooper in the Sesame Street film Follow That Bird.
He also produced and starred in an Saturday morning animated series on NBC entitled 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.
Candy attempted to reinvigorate his acting career by broadening his range and playing more dramatic roles. In 1991, Candy appeared in a light romantic comedy-drama, Only the Lonely which saw him as a Chicago cop torn between his overbearing mother (Maureen O'Hara) and his new girlfriend (Ally Sheedy). The same year and in rare form, Candy played a dramatic role as Dean Andrews, a shady Southern lawyer in Oliver Stone's JFK.
Candy died in his sleep on March 4, 1994 while on location in Durango, Mexico, filming Wagons East!. He was 43 years old. An autopsy revealed that he had suffered the complete blockage of one of his coronary arteries leading to a myocardial infarction and a fatal cardiac arrhythmia.
At the time of his death, Candy had been making a concerted effort to improve his health; he had recently quit smoking and was losing weight. As his family had a history of heart disease, he had been warned by doctors several times before to reduce his weight. There is public evidence to indicate that Candy was highly self-conscious about his weight all his life. A few years before his death, he canceled a scheduled appearance hosting a CBC awards show because the ceremony's advertising campaign jokingly touted him as "the biggest star in Canada". (Leslie Nielsen hosted the show instead.)
Candy is survived by his wife, Rosemary Margaret (Hobor), whom he married in 1979, and their two children, Jennifer and Christopher. His funeral Mass was held at St. Martin of Tours Church. Candy is interred in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.
On March 18, 1994, a special memorial service for John Candy produced by his former improv troupe The Second City was broadcast live on CHCH TV (Hamilton, Ontario) and transmitted via satellite to eight stations across Canada.
Candy's final completed movie was Canadian Bacon, a satirical comedy by Michael Moore that was released the year after his death. Candy played American sheriff Bud Boomer who led the "attack" against Canada.
Candy was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame. In May 2006, Candy became one of the first four entertainers ever honoured by Canada Post by being featured on a postage stamp.
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.
The 1994 Ween album Chocolate and Cheese is dedicated to Candy.Inside Sleevenote of Album FNCD314 dedicated in loving memory to John Candy (1950-1994) |
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