Editing John Candy (section)

==Career==
===1971–1978: Early career and ''SCTV'' ===
In 1971, Candy was cast in a small part as a [[Shriners|Shriner]] in ''Creeps'' by David E. Freeman, a new Canadian play about [[cerebral palsy]], in the inaugural season of the [[Tarragon Theatre]] in Toronto.{{r|Knelman|p=22}} Candy guest-starred on a Canadian children's television series, ''[[Cucumber (Canadian TV series)|Cucumber]]'', and made a brief, uncredited appearance in ''[[Class of '44]]'' (1973) as his first ever appearance in a feature film. He had a small part in ''[[The ABC Afternoon Playbreak]]'' ("Last Bride of Salem") and had a regular role on the TV series ''[[Dr. Zonk and the Zunkins]]'' (1974–75).

Candy became a member of Toronto's branch of [[The Second City]] in 1972.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/thevarsity103/page/n659|title=Candy's Dandy, but...|publisher=[[The Varsity (newspaper)|The Varsity]]|access-date=December 9, 2021}}</ref> He gained wide [[North America]]n popularity when he became a cast member on the influential [[Edmonton]] and later Toronto-based comedy-variety show ''Second City Television'' (''SCTV''). [[NBC]] picked the show up in 1981 and quickly became a fan favorite. It won [[Emmy Award]]s for the show's writing in 1981 and 1982.<ref name=biography1>{{cite web| url=http://www.biography.com/people/john-candy-9542625| title=John Candy| website=[[Biography (TV program)|Biography]]| access-date=July 23, 2020| archive-date=March 30, 2019| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330021016/https://www.biography.com/people/john-candy-9542625| url-status=live}}</ref> Among Candy's ''[[Second City Television|SCTV]]'' characters were unscrupulous street-beat TV personality Johnny LaRue, 3-D horror [[auteur]] Doctor Tongue, [[sycophant]]ic and easily amused talk-show sidekick William B. Williams, and Melonville's corrupt Mayor Tommy Shanks.

In 1975 he played Richie, an accused killer, in the episode "Web of Guilt" on the [[Television in Canada|Canadian]] TV show ''[[Dr. Simon Locke|Police Surgeon]]''.<ref>[http://www.tvarchive.ca/database/18160/police_surgeon/episode_guide/ Episode Guide – Police Surgeon (Series) (1971–1975)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191017173027/http://www.tvarchive.ca/database/18160/police_surgeon/episode_guide/ |date=October 17, 2019 }}<br />January 23, 1975 – "Web of Guilt" Dr. Locke intervenes when a woman judge (Nancy Olson) endangers herself by becoming too protective of her brother, who is accused of murder. Richie: John Candy. Bonnie: Helen Shaver. Scharfman: Don McGill.</ref> He was in ''[[It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time]]'' (1975), shot in Canada, as well as the children's sitcom ''[[Coming Up Rosie]]'' (1975–78) with [[Dan Aykroyd]]. Candy had a small role in ''[[Tunnel Vision (1976 film)|Tunnel Vision]]'' (1976).

During the series' run he appeared in films such as ''[[The Clown Murders]]'' (1976) and had a lead in a low-budget comedy, ''[[Find the Lady (1976 film)|Find the Lady]]'' (1976) (both co-starring fellow Canadian actor [[Lawrence Dane]]). In 1976, Candy played a supporting role (with [[Rick Moranis]]) on [[Peter Gzowski]]'s short-lived late-night television talk show ''[[90 Minutes Live]]''. In 1978, Candy had a small role as a bank employee (with [[Christopher Plummer]] and [[Elliott Gould]]) in the Canadian thriller ''[[The Silent Partner (1978 film)|The Silent Partner]]''. He guest starred on such shows as ''[[The David Steinberg Show]]'' and ''[[King of Kensington]]''.

===1979–1987: Hollywood breakthrough ===
In 1979, Candy took a brief [[hiatus (television)|hiatus]] from ''SCTV'' and began a more active film career, appearing in a minor role in ''[[Lost and Found (1979 film)|Lost and Found]]'' (1979) and playing a [[United States Army|U.S. Army]] soldier in [[Steven Spielberg]]'s big-budget comedy ''[[1941 (film)|1941]]''. He returned to [[Canada]] for roles in ''[[The Courage of Kavik, the Wolf Dog]]'' (1980) and the action thriller ''[[Deadly Companion|Double Negative]]'' (1980). He had a supporting role as easygoing parole officer Burton Mercer in ''[[The Blues Brothers (film)|The Blues Brothers]]'' (1980), starring Aykroyd, and did an episode of [[Jack London's Tales of the Klondike|''Tales of the Klondike'']] (1981) for Canadian TV.

In 1980, Candy hosted a short-lived NBC television program, ''Roadshow'', described by The Washington Post as "improvisational journalism".<ref>{{Cite news|last=Shales|first=Tom|date=1980-11-29|title=Television|language=en-US|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1980/11/29/television/799b637c-8637-4763-8556-906741832c9f/|access-date=2021-05-29|issn=0190-8286|archive-date=February 23, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250223061102/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1980/11/29/television/799b637c-8637-4763-8556-906741832c9f/|url-status=live}}</ref> Appearing as himself, Candy and a video crew traveled in a tour bus to [[Baton Rouge, Louisiana]] (home of [[Louisiana State University]]), and [[Carbondale, Illinois]] (home of [[Southern Illinois University Carbondale]]), and interviewed college students amid party atmospheres such as the latter's Halloween street celebration.<ref>{{Citation|title=r/Carbondale - NBC Roadshow- Carbondale Halloween 1980 (with John Candy)|date=May 25, 2021|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Carbondale/comments/nkrins/nbc_roadshow_carbondale_halloween_1980_with_john/|access-date=May 29, 2021|archive-date=May 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525144943/https://www.reddit.com/r/Carbondale/comments/nkrins/nbc_roadshow_carbondale_halloween_1980_with_john/|url-status=live}}</ref> He also obtained backstage access to interview Midge Ure, the lead singer of the [[United Kingdom|UK]] electronic band [[Ultravox]], which performed a concert on the SIU campus the evening of 10/31/80. It is unknown if more than two episodes aired.

Candy played the lovable, mild-mannered Army recruit Dewey Oxberger in ''[[Stripes (film)|Stripes]]'' (1981), directed by Canadian [[Ivan Reitman]], which was one of the most successful films of the year. He provided voices for multiple characters in the animated film ''[[Heavy Metal (film)|Heavy Metal]]'' (1981), most notably as the title character in the "[[Den (comics)|Den]]" segment, which was well-received,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?_r=1&res=9805EFDF153BF934A3575BC0A967948260&partner=Rotten%20Tomatoes |work=[[The New York Times]] |first=Janet |last=Maslin |title='Heavy Metal', Adult Cartoon |date=August 7, 1981}}</ref> including by the character's creator, [[Richard Corben]], who singled out Candy's humorously lighthearted interpretation of the title character as excellent.<ref>{{Cite comic | writer=Corben, Richard | date=1989 | story=Letters page | title=Den | issue=5 | page=Inside front cover.}}</ref>

From 1981 to 1983, Candy appeared in ''[[SCTV Network]]'' on television. He made a cameo appearance in [[Harold Ramis]]' ''[[National Lampoon's Vacation]]'' (1983), his first collaboration with [[John Hughes (filmmaker)|John Hughes]], who wrote the script. Candy appeared on ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' twice (hosting in 1983) while still appearing on ''SCTV''. According to writer-comedian [[Bob Odenkirk]], Candy was reputedly the "most-burned potential host" of ''SNL'', in that he was asked to host many times, only for plans to be changed by the ''SNL'' staff at the last minute.<ref name=Shales>{{cite book| first1=Tom| last1=Shales| author2=James Andrew Miller| title=Live From New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3Qx0AwAAQBAJ&q=john+candy| date=September 9, 2014| publisher=Little Brown & Co.| page=345| isbn=978-0316295079}}</ref> Candy headlined in the Canadian film ''[[Going Berserk]]'' (1983). He was approached to play the character of accountant Louis Tully in ''[[Ghostbusters]]'' (1984), starring Aykroyd and directed by Reitman, but ultimately did not get the role because of his conflicting ideas of how to play the character; the part went instead to SCTV colleague [[Rick Moranis]], whose ideas were better received. However, Candy did make a contribution to the franchise, as one of the many people chanting "Ghostbusters" in the video for [[Ray Parker Jr.]]'s hit [[Ghostbusters (song)|single]] for the film.

Candy played [[Tom Hanks]]'s womanizing brother in the hit romantic comedy'' [[Splash (film)|Splash]]'', generally considered his break-out role.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001006/bio| title=John Candy: Biography| website=[[IMDb]]| access-date=August 19, 2019}}</ref> After the success of the film, he had signed a three-picture development and producing deal with [[Walt Disney Pictures]], and he would develop and executive produce various theatricals as planned starring vehicles for himself.<ref>{{Cite news|date=May 16, 1984|title=Candy Signed For 3 Disney Pics; Also Tapped for U's 'Millions'|page=44|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref>

Candy went back to Canada to star in ''[[The Last Polka]]'' (1985), which he also wrote with co-star [[Eugene Levy]]. He was [[Richard Pryor]]'s best friend in ''[[Brewster's Millions (1985 film)|Brewster's Millions]]'' (1985) and had a cameo in the ''[[Sesame Street]]'' film ''[[Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird|Follow That Bird]]'' (1985). Candy's first lead role in a Hollywood film came with ''[[Summer Rental]]'' (1985), directed by [[Carl Reiner]].<ref name="new">{{cite news| title=A ghostly film that's no 'kiddie movie'| first=Aljean| last=Harmetz| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/08/09/movies/at-the-movies.html| newspaper=The New York Times| date=August 9, 1985| page=C16| url-access=limited| archive-date=November 25, 2017| access-date=July 24, 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171125153218/http://www.nytimes.com/1985/08/09/movies/at-the-movies.html| url-status=live}}</ref> He was reunited with Hanks in ''[[Volunteers (1985 film)|Volunteers]]'' (1985), though the film did not do as well as ''Splash''. He had a cameo in ''[[The Canadian Conspiracy]]'' (1985) and appeared alongside Martin Short in ''Dave Thomas: The Incredible Time Travels of Henry Osgood'' (1985) in Canada. Candy's next starring role in a Hollywood film was the box office disappointment ''[[Armed and Dangerous (1986 film)|Armed and Dangerous]]'' (1986) with Levy and [[Meg Ryan]].<ref name=latimes>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-08-28-ca-13992-story.html|title=JOHN CANDY'S READY TO TAKE CONTROL : My agent is always telling me--'it's not called show art, it's show business.' And I have to learn that . . .|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|last=Goldstein|first=Patrick|date=August 28, 1986|access-date=March 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627135943/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-08-28-ca-13992-story.html|archive-date=June 27, 2019}}</ref> He had a cameo in ''[[Little Shop of Horrors (1986 film)|Little Shop of Horrors]]'' (1986) and appeared in ''Really Weird Tales'' (1987). He also had a supporting role in [[Mel Brooks]]'s ''[[Spaceballs]]'' (1987).

===1987–1995: John Hughes films and final roles ===
[[File:John Candy and Dan Aykroyd during production of The Great Outdoors.jpg|thumb|right|Candy with [[Dan Aykroyd]] in 1987]]
In 1987, Candy co-starred in ''[[Planes, Trains & Automobiles]]'' with [[Steve Martin]], written and directed by [[John Hughes (filmmaker)|John Hughes]]. The film had positive reviews.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/57780|title=AFI Catalog|access-date=June 19, 2024|archive-date=December 4, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241204074730/https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/57780|url-status=live}}</ref> The film grossed $49,530,280 at the US box office.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Planes, Trains & Automobiles|website=Box Office Mojo|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl3395847681/weekend}}</ref> He appeared in a cameo role in [[John Hughes (filmmaker)|Hughes]]'s ''[[She's Having a Baby]]'' (1988) and then starred in a film written by Hughes, ''[[The Great Outdoors (film)|The Great Outdoors]]'' (1988) which co-starred Aykroyd.

Candy provided the voice for Don the Horse in ''[[Hot to Trot]]'' (1988) and starred in a flop comedy, considered by some to be a cult classic, ''[[Who's Harry Crumb?]]'' (1989), which he also produced. He was also in the box office flop ''[[Speed Zone]]'' aka ''Cannonball Fever'' (1989), however, he had another hit film with Hughes as writer and director in ''[[Uncle Buck]]'' (1989). Candy also produced and starred in a Saturday-morning animated series on NBC titled ''[[Camp Candy]]'' in 1989. The show was set in a fictional summer camp run by Candy, featured his two children in supporting roles, and also spawned a brief comic book series published by [[Marvel Comics]]' [[Star Comics]] imprint.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.comics.org/series/4015/| title=Camp Candy| website=[[Grand Comics Database]]| access-date=December 15, 2019| archive-date=July 28, 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728125235/https://www.comics.org/series/4015/| url-status=live}}</ref> During this time, he also made the television film ''The Rocket Boy'' (1989) in Canada.

Candy also provided the voice of Wilbur the Albatross in Disney's animated film ''[[The Rescuers Down Under]]'' (1990) and had a cameo in two more films written by Hughes, the blockbuster hit film ''[[Home Alone]]'' (1990) and the box office flop ''[[Career Opportunities (film)|Career Opportunities]]'' (1991). According to Candy's biography, he was in talks to play Bette Midler's working-class husband in the 1990 film ''[[Stella (1990 film)|Stella]]''. However, when he was informed that Midler demanded he do a screen test, Candy became incredulous proclaiming "Who the (expletive) does she think she is?!" and declined. [[John Goodman]] was eventually cast in the role. From 1988 to 1990, Candy hosted "Radio Kandy", a [[hot adult contemporary]] radio music countdown syndicated by [[Premiere Networks]].

In 1991, [[Chris Columbus (filmmaker)|Chris Columbus]] wrote and directed ''[[Only the Lonely (film)|Only the Lonely]]'' with John Hughes serving as co-producer, and starring Candy and [[Maureen O'Hara]]; it was well reviewed but not a big hit. Candy also had a supporting role in ''[[Nothing But Trouble (1991 film)|Nothing But Trouble]]'' (1991), Dan Aykroyd's notorious box office flop. Also unsuccessful were the comedies ''[[Delirious (1991 film)|Delirious]]'' (1991) and ''[[Once upon a Crime (1992 film)|Once Upon a Crime...]]'' (1992).  During this time, Candy played a small dramatic role as [[Dean Andrews Jr.]], a shady Southern lawyer in [[Oliver Stone]]'s ''[[JFK (film)|JFK]]'' (1991), and had a cameo in the television film ''[[Boris and Natasha: The Movie]]'' (1992). Candy starred in his first comedic hit in a number of years with ''[[Cool Runnings]]'' (1993), a story of the first [[Jamaica national bobsleigh team|Jamaican national bobsleigh team]] attempting to make it to the [[1988 Winter Olympics]]. He also had a cameo in the successful ''[[Rookie of the Year (film)|Rookie of the Year]]'' (1993). He made his directorial debut in the 1994 comedy television film ''[[Hostage for a Day]]''. His last appearances were in ''[[Wagons East]]'' (1994) and ''[[Canadian Bacon]]'' (1995).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/60276-WAGONS-EAST?cxt=filmography|title=Wagons East!|website=AFI Catalog|access-date=June 21, 2024|archive-date=June 21, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240621203234/https://catalog.afi.com/Film/60276-WAGONS-EAST?cxt=filmography|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Canadian Bacon|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/59844-CANADIAN-BACON?cxt=filmography|website=AFI Catalog}}</ref>

===Unfinished projects===
Candy was in talks to portray Ignatius J. Reilly in a now-shelved film adaptation of [[John Kennedy Toole]]'s [[Pulitzer Prize]]–winning novel ''[[A Confederacy of Dunces]]''.<ref>{{cite magazine| last=Fretts| first=Bruce| title=''A Confederacy of Dunces'' celebrates its 20th anniversary| magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]| url=http://www.ew.com/article/2000/05/19/confederacy-dunces-celebrates-its-20th-anniversary| date=May 19, 2000| access-date=July 26, 2015| archive-date=August 23, 2015| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150823103902/http://www.ew.com/article/2000/05/19/confederacy-dunces-celebrates-its-20th-anniversary| url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine| last=Hyman| first=Peter| title=A Conspiracy of Dunces: Will John Kennedy Toole's comic masterpiece ever reach the big screen?| date=December 14, 2006| magazine=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]| url=http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/hollywood/2006/12/a_conspiracy_of_dunces.html| access-date=July 26, 2015| archive-date=July 7, 2015| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150707030821/http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/hollywood/2006/12/a_conspiracy_of_dunces.html| url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal| last=Evans| first=Bradford| title=10 Actors Who Came Close to Starring in 'A Confederacy of Dunces'| journal=[[Splitsider]]| url=http://splitsider.com/2013/03/8-actors-who-came-close-to-starring-in-a-confederacy-of-dunces/| date=March 28, 2013| access-date=July 26, 2015| archive-date=April 29, 2018| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180429064237/http://splitsider.com/2013/03/8-actors-who-came-close-to-starring-in-a-confederacy-of-dunces/| url-status=dead}}</ref> He had also expressed interest in portraying [[Atuk]] in a film adaptation of [[Mordecai Richler]]'s ''[[The Incomparable Atuk]]'' and [[Roscoe Arbuckle|Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle]] in a biopic based on the [[silent film]] comedian's life.<ref>{{cite news| last=Raouf| first=Neda| title=The 'Atuk' Curse| newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]| url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-feb-21-tm-10276-story.html| date=February 21, 1999| access-date=August 6, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| last=Bovsun| first=Mara| title=Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle, acquitted for murder of Virginia Rappe in 1922, never recovered from all the bad press| newspaper=[[New York Daily News]]| url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/justice-story/roscoe-fatty-arbuckle-acquitted-murder-virginia-rappe-1922-recovered-bad-press-article-1.1149824| date=September 1, 2012| access-date=August 12, 2015| archive-date=June 2, 2023| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230602164757/https://www.nydailynews.com/news/justice-story/roscoe-fatty-arbuckle-acquitted-murder-virginia-rappe-1922-recovered-bad-press-article-1.1149824| url-status=live}}</ref> These three shelved projects have been alleged as cursed because Candy, [[John Belushi]], [[Sam Kinison]], and [[Chris Farley]] were each attached to all three roles; they all died before they could make any of these films.<ref name=split /><ref>{{cite news| last=Evans| first=Bradford| title=The Lost Roles of John Belushi| journal=Splitsider| url=http://splitsider.com/2011/03/the-lost-roles-of-john-belushi/| date=March 3, 2011| access-date=August 12, 2015| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180517201328/http://splitsider.com/2011/03/the-lost-roles-of-john-belushi/| archive-date=May 17, 2018| url-status=dead}}</ref> Candy was originally considered to play [[Alec Guinness]]'s role in the [[Last Holiday (2006 film)|remake]] of the 1950 film ''[[Last Holiday (1950 film)|Last Holiday]]'', with [[Carl Reiner]] directing.<ref>{{cite news| last=Siskel| first=Gene| title=Sour Movies Keep Candy Just Short Of Sweet Success| newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]| url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1986/03/30/sour-movies-keep-candy-just-short-of-sweet-success/| date=March 30, 1986| access-date=July 26, 2015| archive-date=July 8, 2024| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240708192701/https://www.chicagotribune.com/1986/03/30/sour-movies-keep-candy-just-short-of-sweet-success/| url-status=live}}</ref> Eventually the role was played by [[Queen Latifah]] in a [[Last Holiday (2006 film)|loose remake]] released in 2006.<ref name=split>{{cite journal|last=Evans|first=Bradford|title=The Lost Roles of John Candy| journal=Splitsider| url=http://splitsider.com/2011/06/the-lost-roles-of-john-candy/| date=June 2, 2011| access-date=July 26, 2015| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180520084658/http://splitsider.com/2011/06/the-lost-roles-of-john-candy/| archive-date=May 20, 2018| url-status=dead}}</ref> Candy was also slated to collaborate with John Hughes again in a comedy opposite [[Sylvester Stallone]], titled ''Bartholomew vs. Neff''. Candy and Stallone were to have portrayed feuding neighbors.<ref>{{cite news| title=SHORT TAKES : Stallone in Line for Comedy Role| date=July 30, 1990| newspaper=Los Angeles Times| url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-07-30-ca-997-story.html| access-date=August 19, 2018| archive-date=November 24, 2018| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181124201324/http://articles.latimes.com/1990-07-30/entertainment/ca-997_1_sylvester-stallone| url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| last=Carter| first=Bill| title=Him Alone| date=August 4, 1991| newspaper=[[The New York Times]]| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/08/04/magazine/him-alone.html| access-date=August 19, 2018| archive-date=June 29, 2018| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180629074213/https://www.nytimes.com/1991/08/04/magazine/him-alone.html| url-status=live}}</ref> In the animated [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]] film ''[[Pocahontas (1995 film)|Pocahontas]]'', the role of Redfeather the Turkey was written for him, but was subsequently cut from the film after his death.<ref>{{cite journal |first=Bradford |last=Evans |url=http://www.vulture.com/2011/06/the-lost-roles-of-john-candy.html |title=The Lost Roles of John Candy |journal=Vulture |date=June 2, 2011 |access-date=June 29, 2019 |archive-date=October 19, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181019003530/http://www.vulture.com/2011/06/the-lost-roles-of-john-candy.html |url-status=live }}</ref>  [[Stephen King]] reportedly wanted Candy to portray Billy Halleck in the [[Thinner (film)|film adaptation]] of his novel ''[[Thinner (novel)|Thinner]]''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Zinski|first=Dan|title=Stephen King Wanted John Candy To Play The Lead In One Of The Worst Adaptations Of His Work|website=Screen Rant|date=January 18, 2024 |url=https://screenrant.com/thinner-movie-cast-john-candy-billy-stephen-king/|accessdate=January 22, 2024}}</ref>