People Weekly 1981

About two weeks after the premiere of 'Stripes', an interview Cutler Durkee had with John was printed in the magazine People Weekly, Vol. 16 - No. 2, July 13, 1981.

Amongst other things John tells about 'SCTV' and loosing weight and he has a bone to pick with a critic who referred to him as "the elephant".

Also featured are two very cute photos of John with his daughter Jennifer (17 months old) and his dog Keema who doesn't seem to be keen on becoming wet! Click on the thumbnails below to read the full article.

In memoriam: Evangeline Candy

Evangeline Aker Candy, pictured here with sons Jim and John and granddaughter Jennifer, passed away two months ago (January 25th) in Toronto East General Hospital. Her sister Fran Aker, with whom she had been living for many years, and her son Jim were at her side in her final days.

She also leaves behind her brother Ken Aker and his wife Barbara, her daughter-in-law Rose Hobor Candy and her grandchildren from John's marriage to Rose: Jennifer and Christopher. "Her kind spirit and generous smile will be missed by all," reads a statement from her family.

Funeral services were held on January 28th at St. Maria Goretti Roman Catholic Church and Evangeline was laid to rest at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetary. Source: http://popgoesthenews.com/.

May God bless her soul.

Big City Comedy

In the summer of 1980, 13 episodes of 'Big City Comedy' were produced. John hosted these half hour shows, which had a weekly guest star and started airing that fall. 'SCTV' was off the air at that time and John had no intention to come back if the show would return. This was due to a quarrel with producer Andrew Alexander over royalty payments. Although 'Big City Comedy' wasn't bad, the ratings weren't high so the show stopped after its first season. 'SCTV' got back into production in that same summer and John returned soon thereafter. For further reading about this subject I recommend the book 'Laughing on the Outside' by Martin Knelman.

The Sept. 27-Oct. 3 (1980) volume of TV Guide includes an article about Margaret Trudeau's career and her guest appearances on 'Big City Comedy'. According to the article, she appeared briefly in the first episode and in an entire episode that was aired October, 17. Read the full article below. Click the thumbnails to open each page in a big size.

Fifteen years ago...

Fifteen years ago I became a fan of John Candy. In early 1994 I bought 'The Great Outdoors' on video and on April 8, 1994 I bought 'Once Upon A Crime'. I liked the movies but I even more liked the guy who played Chet Ripley and Augie Morosco! So in the next two months I bought more of his films like 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles', 'Summer Rental' and 'Delirious'. There was something about him. He had a warmth that I also found with the famous comedy duo Laurel & Hardy.

I hadn't heard about John's passing and when the owner of the videoshop told me he had heard something of the kind I wouldn't believe it. "He's mistaken with someone else, with an older actor", I thought. Now I know, that this is what I wanted to believe. But in September of the same year, I was finally confrontated with the fact that John really was no longer amongst us. In 'Blotto's Bulletin', a Dutch Laurel & Hardy newspaper, I read that in the new 'Our Gang' film the role of Spanky's father would've been played by John Candy who passed away suddenly and therefore the role was cut from the scenario. I felt very upset. In fact, I felt upset for weeks.

Today it is fifteen years ago that John's funeral service took place at St. Martin of Tours Church in Los Angeles. And today I'm making this blog as a tribute to him, to the man who is still loved by so many people of all ages and from all over the world. John, thanks for all the laughter.