Remembering John Candy

[Insidious Von]

A National Treasure.

As long as I live, I'll never forget the impromptu set he did at the El Mocambo. MacLean and MacLean were taking their stage break so John Candy got up and improvised... he'd had a few pops. I was laughing so hard I knocked over several beers. Later in the show, one of my friends came back from a washroom break. He looked elated and I asked him why? He said JC was at a urinal, he walked in and shouted "Hey Johnny La Rue", Candy told him to fuck off.

I don't agree that his career wound down in the 90's, he was transitioning to character roles and Cool Runnings was a hit. Wagons East was the completion of a contractual obligation, who knows what he may have done after that.

 

[Insidious Von]

I thoroughly enjoyed Only The Lonely. The comic dynamic between Candy and Maureen O'Hara (John Wayne's favorite actress) was exceptional, worth a look.

 

[Smallcock]

Wow 25 years has gone by fast. Do people 25 and younger even know who he is?

 

[jcpro]

I got to say that he was my favorite SCTV character. In my opinion it was a helluva better show than SNL. Candy's Mayor Tommy Shanks was a brilliant character as good or better than Mayor Quimby. It's a tragedy that the fat comedians check out early. BTW,I learned English watching SCTV...and Columbo.

 

[oldjones]

One of the kindest people, a one of a kind performer.

Thanks for the thread and the memories it has stirred up Insidious.

 

[GameBoy27]

One of the kindest people, a one of a kind performer.

This sums it up! ^^^

RIP John Candy.

 

[Insidious Von]

What he did as Johnny La Rue in the SCTV Christmas Show went far beyond anything SNL was doing. Dan Ackroyd said it was pure genius.

Name another comic who could pull off Curly Hitchcock?

 

[Zoot Allures]

I was walking down Young street and there he was doing a routine for second city leering at women


I stopped to watch and was told to walk on


fond memory in retrospect

 

[oldjones]

I was walking down Young street and there he was doing a routine for second city leering at women


I stopped to watch and was told to walk on


fond memory in retrospect

Sounds like Goin' Down the Road take-off for the Canadian Content episode. Nothing against Don Shebib, but I'll bet by now, more folks have seen and remember the SCTV parody than the original movie. Jane Eastwood was one of the girls, if I remember aright.

 

[Insidious Von]

Jayne Eastwood was part of the original cast of Second City Toronto with John Candy, Harold Ramis, Joe Flaherty, Gilda Radner and Dan Ackroyd.

Candy started out in Second City Chicago when they decided to open a second venue. He considered it a step back at first, he was 22 at the time.

 

[oldjones]

Jayne Eastwood was part of the original cast of Second City Toronto with John Candy, Harold Ramis, Joe Flaherty, Gilda Radner and Dan Ackroyd.

Candy started out in Second City Chicago when they decided to open a second venue. He considered it a step back at first, he was 22 at the time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPFAAGC0Jxo

Geez! Thaaanks Vonny, man!

What memories that clip brought back: We rented that convertible for the show from a motorcycle guy who had a shop on the Danny, and decked out a Set-Dresser's pickup with its camper to be the CBC Mobile in the first scene shot that day. By the time we got to Broadview to set up the phone-booth looking over The Best View of Toronto in Toronto we were losing the light, but still had miles to go before we slept. And my truck smelt of that damn fish for days after that.

"Attit and toit, attit and toit". I knew there was a long-dormant earworm that went with John's bit on Yonge St. I guess I owe you thanks for that too!

 

[Goodoer]

I miss him. Uncle Buck for me with an honourable mention of Spaceballs and Plains, Trains & Automobiles.

 

[Spunky1]

My parents went to a wedding in the 80' and John Candy was a friend of the groom. He couldn't make the wedding but as a gift he sent a Canoe to the venue. It was delivered and dropped off in the reception area of the banquet hall.

 

[bluecolt]

I recall that the National Enquirer sent out reporters, after John Candy's death , to find any nasty crap or bad stories about him to print in their disgusting shit sheet. John was a really good guy. They found nothing. No one had a bad word to say about John Candy.