John Candy Birthday & Fun Facts

John Candy Birthday Highlights

Birth Name

John Franklin Candy

Place Of Birth

Newmarket, Canada

Age

73 years old

Birth Date

October 31 1950

John Candy Facts

Child Star?

no

Occupation

Actor, Comedian

Education & Qualifications

Net Worth

$15,000,000

Current Partner

Rosemary Hobor

Children

Christopher Michael, Jennifer Anne

Canadian actor and comedian John Candy who was also known as John Franklin Candy, was most known for his roles in Hollywood movies.

In the Canadian Football League (CFL), Candy was a co-owner of the Toronto Argonauts, and the team won the Grey Cup in 1991. Canadian Bacon and Wagons East, his last two feature roles, are produced in his honor.

Please continue reading to learn more interesting facts about the age, net worth, birthday, height, biography, and facts of John Candy.

What was John Candy's net worth?

The net worth of John Candy was about $15 million when he died.

How much did John Candy earn per year?

The major sources of his revenue were obtained through his acting profession and stand-up comedy appearances.

How tall was John Candy?

John Candy was 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) tall.

How old was John Candy?

He was born on October 31, 1950, and he passed away when he was 43 years old on March 4, 1994, due to a heart attack.

The main reasons for his death due to a heart attack were his family history and his habit of binge eating, especially when he faced professional struggles. There was a stage in his life when he weighed 300 lbs (140 kg). For preparing for new roles, he was always ready to lose weight, and he lost about 100 pounds for his film.

John Candy was born in Toronto and raised in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. 217 Woodville Avenue in East York, Ontario, was his childhood home.

Candy went to Toronto's Neil McNeil Catholic High School for his education. Long before preferring acting, his goal was to become a football player, but a knee injury stopped him from doing so. Later, he enrolled at Centennial College to study journalism and then moved to McMaster University. During his time in college, he began acting.

John Candy grew up as the son of Sidney James Candy (1920–1955) and Evangeline Candy (1916–2009).

When Candy was five years old, his father, who was 35 at that time, passed away due to a heart attack.

Rosemary Hobor was the wife of John Candy, and they had two children, namely, Christopher Michael and Jennifer Anne.

Candy had gone through frequent panic attacks and extreme anxiety.

John Candy first gained earned recognition in the '70s by being a member of the Toronto branch of the Second City and of its Second City Television (SCTV) series. His performance in the comedy films like 'Summer Rental' (1985), 'Splash' (1984), 'Stripes' (1981), 'Spaceballs' (1987), 'Uncle Buck' (1989), 'The Great Outdoors' (1988), and 'Cool Runnings' (1993), and more dramatic roles in 'Only The Lonely' and 'JFK,' made him more popular.

In the first season of the Tarragon Theatre in Toronto, Canada, John Candy was given a small role as a 'Shriner' in 'Creeps' by David E. Freeman, a new Canadian drama about cerebral palsy.

In 1973, Candy made a tiny, uncredited appearance in 'Class Of '44' and appeared as a guest star on the Canadian children's TV series. 'Cucumber.'

Candy appeared in a minor role in 'The ABC Afternoon Playbreak's' 'Last Bride Of Salem,' and he played a regular character on the TV show 'Dr. Zonk And The Zunkins' (1974–1975).

On the Canadian TV show 'Police Surgeon,' in the episode 'Web Of Guilt,' he played the role of an accused killer named 'Richie.' In 1975, he appeared in the Canadian comedy film, 'It Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time' (1975), which was shot in Canada, and he played a role with Dan Aykroyd in the children's sitcom 'Coming Up Rosie' (1975–1978). He played a minor role in the 1976 comedy anthology film, 'Tunnel Vision.'

In 1976, on Peter Gzowski's short-lived late-night TV talk show '90 Minutes Live,' Candy acted in a supporting role with Rick Moranis. In 1978, Candy appeared in the Canadian thriller, 'The Silent Panther' in a minor role as a bank employee with Elliott Gould and Christopher Plummer.

Candy made television appearances on the SCTV Network from 1981 - 1983. He worked with John Hughes for the first time on Harold Ramis' 'National Lampoon's Vacation' (1983), which Hughes wrote. The 1989 American comedy film, 'Uncle Buck' was a hit John Candy had with John Hughes, the writer of the film.

The Washington Post referred to John Candy's 1980 NBC television program, 'Roadshow,' as 'improvisational journalism.' Asserting his identity, Candy traveled in a tour bus to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Carbondale, Illinois. He and a video crew interviewed college students in a party atmosphere like a Halloween street festival. The main vocalist of the British electronic band Ultravox, who gave a concert on the SIU campus on the evening of October 31, 1980, was also the subject of a backstage interview with him. The number of episodes that were broadcast is unclear.

Best Known For…

In the Hughes comedy film, 'Planes, Trains, And Automobiles' which was released in 1987, he played the role of the talkative shower-curtain ring salesman Del Griffith, one of his most well-known on-screen roles. The movie which was written by John Hughes was a huge hit. The 1998 American musical comedy film, 'Blues Brothers' was dedicated to John Candy and two other people. John Candy had appeared in a supporting role in the original Blues Brothers. He provided voices for several characters in the animated film, 'Heavy Metal' (1981), most notably the title character in the 'Den' segment, which was well-received. The creator of this title character, Richard Corben, praised Candy's humorously lighthearted interpretation of the title character as excellent.

He appeared in the big-budget comedy film, '1941' by Steven Spielberg, in which he played the role of a US Army Soldier. For his appearances in the action thriller 'Double Negative' and in the adventure film, 'The Courage Of Kavik, The Wolf Dog' (1980), he went back to Canada. In the 1994 Canadian comedy television comedy film, 'Hostage For A Day,' he made his directorial debut.

To star in the 1985 film, 'The Last Polka' (1985), which he also co-wrote with co-star Eugene Levy, Candy returned to Canada. He appeared in the Sesame Street movie 'Follow That Bird' and was Richard Pryor's closest pal on 'Brewster's Millions' (1985). 'Summer Rental' (1985), an American comedy film by Carl Reiner, gave Candy her first leading role in a Hollywood production. Though the comedy film, 'Volunteers' (1985) did not perform well as 'Splash,' he was reunited with Hanks. He appeared with Martin Short in 'Dave Thomas : The Incredible Time Travels of Henry Osgood' (1985) and made a brief appearance in 'The Canadian Conspiracy' (1985).

'Armed And Dangerous' (1986), starring Meg Ryan and Levy, was Candy's second leading role in a Hollywood production. He appeared in 'Really Weird Tales' (1987) and made a cameo in 'Little Shop Of Horrors' (1986). In 'Mel Brooks' Spaceballs' (1987), he also played a supporting role.

'Canadian Bacon' and 'Wagons East,' his last two feature roles, were produced in his honor.

What awards did John Candy win?

John Candy had won many awards in various categories. In 1982 and 1983, he won the Primetime Emmy Award for 'Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program.' In 1992, he won the Banff Television Festival's Sir Peter Ustinov Award. After three years, i.e., in 1995, he received the Gemini Award for Earle Grey Award.

• St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church in Los Angeles served as the location for Candy's funeral.
• In Holy Cross Cemetery of Culver City, Candy was entombed in the mausoleum.
• A fellow actor, Fred MacMurray, shares a crypt right above his.
• Did you know? 'Canadian Bacon' and 'Wagons East,' his last two feature roles, were produced in his honor.
• A special memorial service for Candy was held on March 18, 1994, and it was broadcast across Canada by his former improvisation group, the Second City.
• In honor of John Candy's 70th birthday, which would have been on October 31, 2020, Toronto Mayor John Tory declared that day to be 'John Candy Day.'
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