John Candy Biography

Quick Facts

NAME: John Candy
OCCUPATION: Film Actor
BIRTH DATE: October 31, 1950
DEATH DATE: March 04, 1994
PLACE OF BIRTH: Toronto, Canada
PLACE OF DEATH: Durango, Mexico
Full Name: John Franklin Candy

Best Known For

Comedian John Candy was a regular performer for the Second City comedy troupe’s TV show, SCTV, and co-starred with Tom Hanks in the movie Splash.

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John Candy

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John Candy. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 04:30, May 19, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/john-candy-9542625.

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John Candy. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/john-candy-9542625 [Accessed 19 May 2013].

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"John Candy," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/john-candy-9542625 (accessed May 19, 2013).

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John Candy [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 19] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/john-candy-9542625.

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John Candy, http://www.biography.com/people/john-candy-9542625 (last visited May 19, 2013).

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John Candy. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/john-candy-9542625. Accessed May 19, 2013.

Synopsis

John Candy was born October 31, 1950, in Toronto, Canada. He got his big break when he was offered membership in the Second City comedy troupe. In 1984, he co-starred with Tom Hanks in the film Splash, and became a movie star. Audiences loved Candy for his roly-poly good nature and wry humor. A veteran of more than 40 films, in 1994, he died of a heart attack while shooting a film in Mexico.

Early Life

Actor and comedian John Franklin Candy was born on October 31, 1950, in Toronto, Canada. Candy took drama courses at a community college and held various odd jobs before winning his first acting job in a children's theater group in his native Ontario.

Big Break

After a series of small parts in television commercials and low-budget Canadian films, Candy got his big break when he was offered membership in the Second City comedy troupe. In 1977, he became a regular performer and writer for the group's television show, SCTV, along with Harold Ramis and Eugene Levy. Candy was a featured performer by the time the show came to network television in 1981. He won Emmys for the show's writing in 1981 and 1982.

In 1984, the Ron Howard directed comedy Splash, in which he co-starred with Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah, made Candy a movie star. Although he was sometimes criticized for his choice of roles, audiences loved Candy for his roly-poly good nature and wry humor. Some of his most popular films included The Blues Brothers (1980), Spaceballs (1987), featuring Mel Brooks; Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987), co-starring Steve Martin; Uncle Buck (1989) and the Disney feature Cool Runnings (1993).

Other Endeavors

The veteran of more than 40 films, Candy was also an avid sports fan and co-owner of a Canadian Football League franchise, the Toronto Argonauts. With actors Dan Aykroyd and Jim Belushi, he owned a chain of blues bars and restaurants called House of Blues.

Death

At 6 feet 3 inches tall, Candy weighed over 250 pounds and often spoke of having a problem controlling his weight. Sadly, on March 4, 1994, while shooting a film (Wagons East) in Durango, Mexico, Candy died in his sleep of a heart attack.