John Candy

John Franklin Candy (October 31, 1950 – March 4, 1994) was a Canadian comedy actor known mainly for his work in Hollywood films. Candy rose to fame as a member of the Toronto branch of the Second City and its related Second City Television series, and through his appearances in such comedy films as Stripes, Splash, Cool Runnings, Summer Rental, The Great Outdoors, Spaceballs, and Uncle Buck, as well as more dramatic roles in Only the Lonely and JFK. One of his most renowned onscreen performances was as Del Griffith, the loquacious, on-the-move shower-curtain ring salesman in the John Hughes comedy Planes, Trains and Automobiles. While filming the Western parody Wagons East!, Candy died of a heart attack in Durango, Mexico, on March 4, 1994, aged 43. His final two films, Wagons East! and Canadian Bacon, are dedicated to his memory. 2Biography 3Early life and career (1950–1980) Candy was born in 1950 in Newmarket, Ontario. The son of Sidney James Candy and Evangeline (Aker) Candy, he was brought up in a working-class Roman Catholic family. Candy's father was of English and Scottish descent, while his mother was of Polish and Ukrainian descent. Candy studied at Neil McNeil Catholic High School, later enrolled in the Centennial Community College to study journalism, and went to McMaster University for higher education. His first film role was a small, uncredited appearance in the 1973 film Class of '4