Many people would agree that there was something magical about the comedies of the ‘80s. And while the spotlight was mostly fixed on Steve Martin, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Chevy Chase, there was one actor who made many of us (myself included) laugh even more than the rest. That was John Candy. He was the actor who starred alongside the comedy icons and left a lasting impression on comedy and those who watched him.
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John Candy was a presence in one classic comedy after another, with The Blues Brothers, Stripes, Spaceballs, Splash, Uncle Buck, Summer Rental, The Great Outdoors, and Planes, Trains & Automobiles. It all came to a crashing and tragic halt when Candy unexpectedly died in 1994. He was only 43 years old. As it turns out, his sudden death was the final tragedy in a life overshadowed by struggle and sadness.