A new Amazon Prime Video documentary examines how actor John Candy built an enduring legacy through his side-splitting comedic performances and kindness to his co-stars.
Directed by Colin Hanks and produced by Ryan Reynolds, John Candy: I Like Me—which begins streaming Friday, October 10, on Amazon Prime Video—also reflects on the sadness that still lingers from Candy’s tragic death at age 43.
Candy was an established Hollywood star thanks to memorable films such as the Tom Hanks-led romantic fantasy Splash (1984) and Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987), starring another comedy legend, Steve Martin. But those who laughed at his onscreen antics likely didn’t know of the actor’s secret struggles behind the scenes, which sadly culminated in his death on March 4, 1994.
Candy was making one of his final movies when he suffered a heart attack
Even after prominent starring roles in movie such as Uncle Buck (1989) alongside young Macaulay Culkin and Delirious (1991), Candy hoped his acting career would talk another leap in 1994.
The actor was set to appear in Wagons East!, a comedy about an alcoholic wagon train leader in the Wild West. According to People, Candy finished shooting his last scenes for the movie and felt he had given one of his best performances in any project.
Candy called his co-stars, Richard Lewis and Robert Picardo, in the early morning of March 4 to celebrate a job well done. “He was like a little kid who had had a great day at camp,'' Picardo said. “He wanted to thank us.”
Little did they know it would be their last conversation. As Picardo and Lewis arrived on set, a production assistant told them Candy had suffered a heart attack and died. “And then, we both began to weep,” Picardo said.
Wagons East! shot its final scenes using CGI and body doubles to replace Candy and was released in August 1994. It became Candy’s penultimate movie appearance.
Candy dealt with anxiety and had a family history of heart disease
Candy struggled with obesity throughout his career and, contrary to what his smoking and drinking habits might suggest, regularly tried to improve his weight. His son Chris told The Hollywood Reporter in 2016 that Candy regularly hired trainers and was an avid golfer.
However, Candy’s children have suggested the actor was unaware of a genetic predisposition to heart disease. According to The Washington Post, the actor’s father, Sidney, died of a heart attack at age 35, just before John’s 5th birthday. His family spoke little about the tragedy.
“He grew up with heart disease. My sister and I are very well aware of it and take care of ourselves. His father had a heart attack, his brother had a heart attack. It was in the family,” his son Chris told THR.
“We are fortunate to have more [family history and fitness] information than he was able to. I don’t think he was aware of the genetic heart disease that was in the family. You wish he had figured it out.”
Those around Candy during his final days also detailed his increasing anxiety, resulting in a full anxiety attack during the filming of Wagons East! that he tried to keep to himself. Candy died soon after the incident.
“When I heard how they found him, and it looked like he had sat up on the side of the bed and opened up the Bible and was reading from it and just passed away on the bed, I remember thinking how he was trying to find home,” Candy’s friend Don Lake says in the new documentary.
Candy’s co-stars remember him for his kindness
Candy’s death was a shock to his friends and family. Actor Eugene Levy recalled that Interstate 405 running along Los Angeles—infamous for its near-constant gridlock traffic—was shut down for Candy's funeral procession, something that had only happened for presidential or papal visits.
Actor Catherine O’Hara, who shared the screen with Candy and Culkin in the 1990 holiday classic Home Alone, delivered an emotional eulogy for the actor at a memorial service in Toronto.
Candy’s gravesite is located at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California, right next to another Hollywood legend, actor Fred MacMurray.
Even more than 30 years after his death, those who worked with Candy still remember the actor’s generosity on set. Culkin, the former child star, appears in the documentary and discusses how Candy made it a priority to check on him amid his deteriorating relationship with father Kit Culkin.
“It doesn’t happen that often. It actually happened less as time went on,” Culkin said. “I wish I got more of that in my life. It’s important that I remember that. I remember John caring when not a lot of people did.”
Planes, Trains and Automobiles co-star Steve Martin told the Fly on the Wall podcast with David Spade and Dana Carvey that Candy was “so sweet,” and the pair ad-libbed so well together they had to make a deal to stop in order to speed up production. He also described a monologue scene that was mostly cut from the movie, but showcased Candy’s dramatic acting talent.
“I was 2 feet across from him doing the offscreen, and I thought, ‘I’m seeing one of the great performances I’ve ever seen with his speech.’ And I got to be there.”
More stars are expected to share their own memories of the comedy great in John Candy: I Like Me, which begins streaming Friday, October 10, on Amazon Prime Video.
Tyler Piccotti joined the Biography.com staff as an Associate News Editor and is now the News and Culture Editor. He previously worked as a reporter and copy editor for a daily newspaper recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors. In his current role, he shares the true stories behind your favorite movies and TV shows and profiles rising musicians, actors, and athletes. When he's not working, you can find him at the nearest amusement park or movie theater and cheering on his favorite teams.
