John Candy

John Candy

John Candy was a Canadian actor and comedian known mainly for his work in Hollywood films. He rose to fame as a member of the Toronto branch of the Second City. Candy died of a heart attack in 1994 at the age of 43. His final two films, Wagons East and Canadian Bacon, are dedicated to his memory.

About John Candy in brief

Summary John CandyJohn Candy was a Canadian actor and comedian known mainly for his work in Hollywood films. He rose to fame as a member of the Toronto branch of the Second City and its Second City Television series. Candy died of a heart attack in 1994 at the age of 43. His final two films, Wagons East and Canadian Bacon, are dedicated to his memory. In addition to his work as an actor, Candy was co-owner of the Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts from 1991 until his death. He was of English and Scottish descent, while his mother was of Polish and Ukrainian descent. His father, Sidney James Candy, died at age 35 in 1955 when John was only five years old. He dreamed of becoming a football player long before acting was a consideration, but an injury to his knee prevented him from playing. He later enrolled in Centennial College to study journalism, and then went to McMaster University. He had a small role in The ABC Afternoon Playbreak and had a regular role on the TV series Dr. Zonk and the Zunkins. In 1975, he played Richie, an accused killer, in episode \”Web of Guilt\” on the Canadian TV show Police Surgeon. In 1978, Candy had asmall role as a bank employee in the Canadian thriller The Silent Partner. He starred on The David Steinberg Show and The Lady King of Kensington.

He also had a lead role in a low-budget comedy, The Clown Murders. He played street-beat TV personality Johnny LaRue, 3-D horror auteur Doctor Tongue, sycophantic and easily amused talk-show sidekick William B. Williams, and Melonville’s corrupt Mayor Tommy Shanks. Mimicryry was one of Candy’s talents, which he used often at SCTV. Celebrities impersonated by Candy include Jerry Mathers, Divine, Orson Welles, Jimmy Child, and Luciano Pavarotti, Tip O’Neill, Andrew Sarris, Merlin Olsen, and Howard Sittler. During the run of the series’ run he appeared in films like The clown Murders and The Last Polka. He won Emmy Awards for the show’s writing in 1981 and 1982. NBC picked the show up in 1981 and it quickly became a fan favorite, It won Emmy awards for the shows’ writing in 1982 and 1983. Candy also appeared in It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time, shot in Canada, as well as the children’s sitcom Coming Up Rosie with Dan Aykroyd. In 1976, Candy played a supporting role on Peter Gzowski’s short-lived, late-night television talk show, 90 Minutes Live. He appeared in a small, uncredited appearance in Class of ’44. He was in the TV show Cucumber, and made a small cameo appearance in A Man Walks On To A Man’s Life, shot in Toronto, Canada.