Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Actor & Comedian John Candy 1994 Holy Cross Cemetery


John Franklin Candy (October 31, 1950 – March 4, 1994) was a Canadian actor and comedian who 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 comedy films such as Stripes, Splash, Cool Runnings, Summer Rental, The Great Outdoors, Spaceballs, and Uncle Buck. 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 his sleep in Durango, Mexico, at the age of 43. His final two films, Wagons East! and Canadian Bacon, are dedicated to his memory.


In 1994, while filming Wagons East! on location in Durango, Mexico, Candy called his friends, including Canadian Football League commissioner Larry Smith, and told them that he had just let go of his team and was putting it up for sale. He then called his assistant, who invited him to play golf with him in the spring when he came back to Toronto. After cooking a late lasagna dinner for his assistants, Candy called his co-stars from his hotel, then went to sleep. After midnight, on March 4, 1994, Candy died from a heart attack.


Candy was survived by his wife Rosemary Hobor, and his two children Jennifer Candy and Christopher Candy.


 Candy's funeral was held at St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church. Candy was interred in the mausoleum at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California. On March 18, 1994, a special memorial service for Candy, produced by his former improv troupe The Second City, was broadcast across Canada.




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