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John Candy

John Candy, at the time of his death in 1994, was one of the best-loved comic actors in film, known for his funny yet touchingly human portrayals in such hits as Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Uncle Buck and Home Alone.

Candy's career began in 1972, joining Chicago's famed Second City. Two years later, along with Joe Flaherty, Gilda Radner, Dan Aykroyd, Eugene Levy and Rosemary Radcliffe, he formed the first Canadian Second City cast in Toronto. The enormous popularity of Second City led to the acclaimed series SCTV, which was filmed in Edmonton and Toronto and featured Candy, Flaherty, Levy, Andrea Martin, Catherine O'Hara, Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis. The show ran from 1976 to 1983 and was considered by many critics to be one of the best programs of the decade. In 1979, Candy shared an ACTRA Award for Best Performance in Television and received a Best Writer nomination. He achieved the same recognition in 1982 and won Emmy Awards in 1982 and 1983 for outstanding writing.

In 1984, Candy and Eugene Levy wrote and performed The Last Polka, an hour-long HBO comedy special documenting the careers of Yosh and Stan Schmenge, the polka-loving brothers from Leutonia. The Last Polka received ACE Award nominations for Best Special and Best Performances in a Variety Special for Candy and Levy.

After co-starring in numerous Canadian features including Silent Partner with Christopher Plummer and Elliot Gould, Candy began a string of successful roles in such U.S. films as Steven Spielberg's 1941, The Blues Brothers with John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd and Stripes with Bill Murray. His successful association with writer/producer/director John Hughes resulted in such box-office hits as National Lampoon's Vacation with Chevy Chase, The Great Outdoors with Dan Aykroyd, Planes, Trains and Automobiles with Steve Martin, Uncle Buck with Amy Madigan, and Home Alone.

Candy's forty-plus films include Splash, Brewster's Millions, Volunteers, Little Shop of Horrors, Oliver Stone's J.F.K. and Cool Runnings.

The actor made his directorial debut with Hostage For A Day for the Fox Network. Also for television, he starred in Camp Candy, an animated television series syndicated worldwide.

John Candy died while working on the film Wagons East after finishing CANADIAN BACON.


Note: This profile was written in or before 2002.

John Candy Facts

Birth NameJohn Franklin Candy
OccupationActor
BirthdayOctober 31, 1950
SignScorpio
BirthplaceToronto, Ontario, Canada
Date of deathMarch 4, 1994 (Durango, Mexico, age 43)
Height6' 2" (1m88)  How tall is John Candy compared to you?

Selected Filmography

Spaceballs
The Great Outdoors
Stripes
Nothing But Trouble
The Relic
Uncle Buck
Little Shop of Horrors
Bob's New Suit
The Blues Brothers
National Lampoon's Vacation
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