John Candy Net Worth, Career, Notable Films, Personal Life and Death
John Candy was a celebrated Canadian actor and comedian whose net worth reached $15 million at the time of his passing in 1994. He died on March 4, 1994, from a heart attack at the age of 43 while filming Wagons East! in Durango, Mexico.
Notable Films
John Candy’s filmography includes several iconic movies such as:
- Stripes
- Cool Runnings
- Splash
- Summer Rental
- Spaceballs
- The Great Outdoors
- Uncle Buck
Additionally, he appeared in notable films like JFK, Only the Lonely, Home Alone, Who’s Harry Crumb?, Planes, Trains, & Automobiles, Little Shop of Horrors, Armed and Dangerous, Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird, Vacation, and The Blues Brothers. His talent earned him two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program for SCTV Network 90 in 1982 and 1983. Candy was also inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame and honored with a Canadian postage stamp.
Early Life
John Franklin Candy was born on October 31, 1950, in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. He was the son of Sidney James Candy and Evangeline Candy, both devout Catholics. Tragically, his father passed away from heart disease when Candy was just a child. During his teenage years, Candy attended Neil McNeil Catholic High School in Toronto. Initially aspiring to be a football player, his dreams were dashed due to a knee injury. He later enrolled at Centennial College to study journalism but transferred to McMaster University, where he began participating in acting activities.
Career
John Candy’s career took off as he landed minor roles in television series such as Cucumber, The ABC Afternoon Playbreak, and Dr. Zonk and the Zunkins. He gained fame in the 1970s as a member of the Toronto branch of The Second City and its sketch comedy series, Second City Television (SCTV). His memorable characters on SCTV included Johnny LaRue, Doctor Tongue, and William B. Williams. The show garnered significant attention when NBC picked it up in 1981, winning two Emmy Awards for writing during that period.
After a brief hiatus from SCTV, Candy ventured into film with minor roles in Lost and Found (1979) and as a U.S. Army soldier in Steven Spielberg’s comedy 1941. He returned to Canada to star in films like The Courage of Kavik, the Wolf Dog, and the action thriller Double Negative. His role as Burton Mercer, a parole officer in The Blues Brothers (1980), marked another significant step in his career.
John Candy’s breakout role came when he portrayed Tom Hanks’s womanizing brother in the romantic comedy Splash (1984). He also co-wrote and starred in The Last Polka (1985) alongside Eugene Levy. His first major lead role was in Summer Rental (1985), directed by Carl Reiner. In subsequent years, he collaborated with John Hughes on several projects including:
- Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987)
- She’s Having a Baby (1988)
- The Great Outdoors (1988)
- Uncle Buck (1989)
He also produced and starred in the animated series Camp Candy on NBC featuring his children. In 1990 and 1991, he appeared in Hughes films like Home Alone and Career Opportunities. His last major roles included appearances in Only the Lonely (1991) and the hit film Cool Runnings (1993). In 1994, he made his directorial debut with Hostage for a Day, followed by final roles in Canadian Bacon and Wagons East.
Personal Life and Death
John Candy married Rosemary Hobor in 1979; they had two children: Jennifer (born February 1980) and Chris (born September 1984). Throughout his life, Candy faced challenges with anxiety and weight management. He struggled with binge eating due to stress, compounded by health issues related to smoking and alcohol use. On March 4, 1994, John Candy suffered a heart attack while filming Wagons East. His funeral took place at St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church in Los Angeles, where he was entombed at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City.
A special memorial service organized by his former improvisation troupe, Second City, was broadcast across Canada. In recognition of his contributions to entertainment, Candy was inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame in 1998. In 2006, Canada Post honored him with a postage stamp. To commemorate what would have been his 70th birthday, Toronto’s mayor declared October 30th as “John Candy Day” in October 2020.
