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This year, the Toronto International Film Festival kicks off on September 4 and the Canadian movie event will be starting the festivities with the pride of the Great White North as the documentary John Candy: I Like Me will be the premiere film. Colin Hanks, whose father, Tom Hanks, famously starred alongside Candy in Splash, directs the John Candy Documentary with Ryan Reynolds on a producer. The doc includes a deep dive into home videos, hoping to tell the story behind the lovable comedian.

Deadline is reporting that the doc jump-starts the festival, which is set to run through September 14. Cameron Bailey, CEO of TIFF, said recently, “Comedy fans all over the world grew up on John Candy’s humor. We love that John’s global career started in Toronto, and we can’t wait to share John Candy: I Like Me with everyone at this year’s Opening Night Gala premiere.

John Candy was a genuine treasure, but only Canada can claim him as a national one. And fellow Canuck Ryan Reynolds would like to see him honored by putting him on the Canadian 100-dollar note.

Replying to Made in Canada’s comment that they should put John Candy on Canadian legal tender, Ryan Reynolds wrote, “This is essential. No disrespect to Sir Robert Borden, but John Candy was Way funnier.” Reynolds has a point here – Who is more deserving of being the face of Canadian currency? A prime minister with a nine-year term or Gus Polinski, Polka King of the Midwest? Coupled with the fact that you couldn’t name a single time Robert Borden made you laugh and it seems like an easy decision to us…

This is essential. No disrespect to Sir Robert Borden, but John Candy was Way funnier. https://t.co/8SZOmeEiX3

— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) March...

Robert Picardo is an accomplished singer and actor whose career has lasted 45 years and shows no sign of slowing. He has been performing professionally since he was in college in the mid-1970s, appearing on stage in high-end productions like Leonard Bernstein's "Mass" and singing in his college a cappella choir. After college, he was recognized for his performance in a 1976 production of David Mamet's "Sexual Perversity in Chicago."

His movement to television was natural for a hard-working actor, starting with small roles in notable hit shows. He appeared on two episodes of "Kojak" in 1977 and has never had a "down" period since. He thereafter popped up in "Taxi," "Silver Spoons," "Alice," "Benson," "21 Jump Street," and 15 episodes of "The Wonder Years" as the hard-nosed Coach Cutlip, in addition to dozens of other TV shows that are too plentiful to list here. On the big screen, Picardo became...

The best Richard Lewis movies and TV shows reveal just why the stand-up comedian and writer had such an easy and successful transition to both the big and small screens. Born in New York in 1947, Richard Lewis found his footing performing at open mic nights in New York’s Greenwich Village in the early 1970s. After moving to L.A. at the advice of fellow comedian David Brenner, Lewis started getting regular slots on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

Thanks to his incredibly self-deprecating and, often, dark comedic style, Richard Lewis managed to gain the attention of many network executives. This led to his big break in 1979 with the leading role in the NBC direct-to-tv movie Diary of a Young Comic, which he also co-wrote. From there he quickly became a household name, especially after appearing alongside lifelong friend Larry David in Curb Your Enthusiasm. While he tragically passed...

Larger-than-life John Candy paired with innovative liberl documentarian Michael Moore might not be what audiences expected. But in 1995, Candy starred in Moore's one and only fictional film, Canadian Bacon: a satirical look at national identity, American-Canadian relations, and the sheer ludicrousness of war. It's reminiscent of 1980's Airplane silly, daft, yet sharp as a tack.

Where Moore is typically renowned for culturally significant documentaries using journalistic techniques, such as Fahrenheit 9/11 and Bowling for Columbine, Canadian Bacon is a scripted narrative with characters. The film features comedic heavyweights Rhea Perlman, Rip Torn, Dan Aykroyd, Alan Alda, Wallace Shawn, and Jim Belushi, among others, with Candy leading the way. Sadly, Canadian Bacon was to be the last film Candy ever completed; he passed away while making Wagons East in 1994.

John Candy Was the King of Kindness Before Canadian Bacon

Canadian Bacon PGComedy Release Date June 8, 1995Director Michael MooreCast Alan Alda,...

John Candy was one of the biggest comedic stars of the 1980s and 1990s, which is what makes his last appearance so difficult to watch in retrospect. Fresh off his massive hit in 1993's Cool Runnings, released only a few months before his death, he was very hesitant to take part in Wagons East, but eventually agreed to avoid further debt and fulfill his contract. Despite his misgivings, Candy still possessed an unrelenting work ethic, one based on his own insecurities that jeopardized his physical health. With three scenes left to film, he died of a heart attack in his sleep, leaving the rest of the movie to be finished without him. Ultimately, Candys professional instincts were proven correct and Wagons East now ranks as one of the worst films ever made. Even though his final film was less than stellar, he will always be remembered as one of the...

Explore the Cast of Uncle Buck John Candy (Buck Russell) – 6ft 2 in. (188 cm) Did John Candy Improvise in Home Alone? Who Played Uncle Buck’s Girlfriend? Jean Louisa Kelly (Tia Russell) – 5ft 3 in. (160 cm) Who Played Tia’s Boyfriend in Uncle Buck? Gaby Hoffmann (Maizy Russell) – 5ft 7 in. (170.2 cm) Macaulay Culkin (Miles Russell) – 5ft 6 in. (167.6 cm) Elaine Bromka (Cindy Russell) – 5 ft 4¼ in. (164.5 cm) Garrett M. Brown (Bob Russell) – 6ft 3 in. (191 cm) Who Played the Drunk Clown in Uncle Buck? Was Uncle Buck Filmed in the Same House as Home Alone?

Are you a fan of John Hughes’ 1989 classic Uncle Buck? If so, you might be curious to know what the cast of this hilarious comedy is up to now.

Starring John Candy, Uncle Buck tells the story of a bachelor who unexpectedly becomes the caretaker of his brother’s teenage daughter and her siblings.

Despite mixed reviews upon its release,...

Daddy Dearest showed Lewis' comedic talent alongside Don Rickles, proving his versatility in TV sitcoms despite a short run. Lewis shined in Game Day as the snarky, non-traditional sports coach, adding a unique charm to the unlikely role. Vamps highlighted Lewis' emotional depth in a horror-sex comedy, proving his interest in diverse projects beyond traditional comedy.

Best known for his stand-up comedy, Richard Lewis was still a prominent figure in movies and television, which can be seen in his best work. Although comedy rarely receives the critical acclaim it deserves, especially compared to dramatic endeavors, Lewis transcended this and made his mark as an influential part of comedy history in film and TV shows. His dark and sartorial style was revolutionary when he began his career and inspired many comedians who came after him.

His career picked up with sitcoms and movies alike due to his fantastic timing and penchant...

Richard Lewis, the beloved comedian, stand-up comedy all-star, and series regular on Larry David’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, has died after suffering a heart attack. He was 76. Lewis’ death was confirmed by his publicist, Jeff Abraham. “His wife, Joyce Lapinsky, thanks everyone for all the love, friendship and support and asks for privacy at this time,” Abraham said.

Richard Lewis’ comedic journey began with dual debuts in the New York and Los Angeles comedy arenas in the 1970s. Mentioned in the same breaths as comedy legends like Andy Kaufman, Richard Belzer, and Elayne Boosler, Lewis’ comedy style was darker and more self-deprecating than his fellow kings and queens of comedy. Not afraid to lampoon his shortcomings, Richard Lewis shared grim comedy about his addictions and bizarre thinking.

Lewis revealed that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in April 2023 and planned to retire from his stand-up career.

Related Curb Your Enthusiasm...

Update: Variety is reporting that the Ryan Reynolds and Colin Hanks John Candy documentary will likely be picked up by Amazon’s Prime Video, with the comedy said to be in negotiations for the film. Colin Hanks will be directing the documentary, with Reynolds on board as a producer. Hanks, whose father Tom Hanks memorably co-starred with the late comic legend in Splash and Volunteers (which also starred Hanks’ future wife Rita Wilson), apparently has the full corporation of the Candy family. This includes his widow, Rose and their two children, Jen and Chris. The film will reportedly contain home videos and never seen footage from the archive, as well as interviews with Candy’s friends and family. No release date is set yet, although given that John Candy is a Canadian icon, maybe a fall TIFF debut is in the cards?

Original Story: John Candy is a comedy legend.

Quentin Tarantino has rarely put a foot wrong since beginning his career as an independent filmmaker with Reservoir Dogs almost 30 years ago. Whether writing, acting, producing or directing, Quentin Tarantino has been the recipient of numerous awards and soaring box office, with his last four movies in the director's chair taking over $1 billion between them, it's safe to say that his place in Hollywood history is already secured. So as he heads towards what he has said will be the last movie he will direct, why is one of the all-time greats of the industry approaching it with a certain sense of trepidation?

In a new interview, Tarantino spoke to Elric Kane and Brian Saur on their Pure Cinema Podcast and explained why he is being careful about choosing his final movie. "Most directors have horrible last movies," he said. "Usually their worst movies are their last movies. That's the...

A brand new mini-documentary entitled Everybody's Uncle Buck is now available for viewing. The documentary short does a wonderful job of exploring the career of the late, great actor, John Candy, who overcame personal tragedy to become one of the most beloved entertainers of all time.

The short documentary has been written, edited and compiled by Joe Ramoni, and takes a look at the life and times of John Candy, an actor who has gone on to become one of the most celebrated stars in Hollywood history. In a career spanning over two decades, John Candy found his way into several different movies that would go on to define a generation. From his days in the cult sketch comedy series Sctv, to his great collaborations with director John Hughes, this documentary tribute short explores why it is important that we never stop talking about John Candy, why he will never stop being missed,...

Ryan Reynolds is paying tribute to an actor and comedian who will always have a special place in his heart.

The Deadpool 2 star, 43, reflected on the enduring legacy of fellow Canadian John Candy on Wednesday, marking the 26th anniversary of his death.

Candy was found dead in a Mexican hotel room on March 4, 1994 while working on his last movie, Wagons East and is thought to have died from a heart attack, although no autopsy was performed at the time. He was 43.

“So…John Candy passed away 26 years ago today,” Reynolds wrote alongside a montage of clips from some of the...

Chicago – It was 25 years ago today – March 4th, 1994 – that comic actor John Candy died on the set of the film “Wagons East.” It was his 45th feature film, that extended back 21 years. One of his co-stars was John C. McGinley, best known as the irascible Perry Cox on the sitcom “Scrubs.” In a HollywoodChicago.com exclusive soundbite below, McGinley describes the atmosphere on the fateful day the cast was told of Candy’s passing.

John Candy was born in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. After college he had a bug for performing, and eventually ended up in Toronto with the Canadian branch of “The Second City,” which included fellow performers Gilda Radner, Dan Aykroyd, Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy. Radner and Aykroyd went to “Saturday Night Live,” and Candy, O’Hara, Levy, Joe Flaherty, Andrea Martin, Harold Ramis and Dave Thomas went on to form the hilarious “Sctv,” which gained cult...

It has now been 25 years since the wonderful John Candy passed away, and the legendary actor is still very badly missed. Among the late comedian's many fans include Ryan Reynolds, a fellow Canadian actor who took to Twitter on Sunday to remember Candy. Posting a video clip featuring some of Candy's greatest movie roles, "It's the 25th anniversary of John Candy's passing. We cooked up a small tribute to a comedic genius and Canadian hero," Reynolds says in the tweet, thanking Candy's son Chris and daughter Jen. He adds, "If you haven't seen much of his work, take a look at his films. He was a treasure." Any one of us that was around when Candy was making movies would certainly have to agree.

Born in 1950, John Candy first began performing on-screen in the '70s. He would take on bit parts in various movie and TV roles, including a...

I remember the day — March 4, 1994 — when I learned that John Candy, big of heart and large of funny bone, had died from an apparent heart attack at age 43. I was a movie critic and a film writer in the Life section of USA Today, distracted by the Winter Olympics TV coverage of Nancy Kerrigan’s silver medal comeback. But the minute I heard that one of the warmest and funniest actors around had passed away, I poured myself immediately into writing his appreciation.

As someone who grew up in Buffalo, I was lucky to have early access to “Sctv,” the Canadian sketch-comedy counterpart to “Saturday Night Live,” long before the series was picked up by NBC. I was cued into the genius of Candy and his clowning cohorts Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Joe Flaherty, Andrea Martin, Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas as they inhabited sundry out-sized characters who worked at a fictitious television station.

Jen and Chris Candy, the now-grown children of late comedian John Candy, do not try to avoid their father’s legacy. It would be nearly impossible to do so: Both strongly resemble the lovable, Canadian-born star of Sctv and Uncle Buck, who passed away at the age of 43 in March 1994. Shortly before what would have been Candy’s 66th birthday (he was born on Halloween 1950), his son and daughter have granted a wide-ranging interview to Ryan Parker of The Hollywood Reporter. Topics include Candy’s proudest achievements in show business, his longtime collaboration with writer-director John Hughes, his struggles to control his weight, and the horrible day the comedian died in Durango, Mexico, while making the ill-fated Western comedy Wagons East!

The Candy kids were only 9 and 14 when the sad news reached them. It was a Friday, and their father was buried that Monday. Though ...

From a crazy early Nic Cage role to a lesser-known film starring Robert De Niro, here's our pick of 25 underappreciated films from 1989...

Ah, 1989. The year the Berlin Wall came down and Yugoslavia won the Eurovision Song Contest. It was also a big year for film, with Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade topping the box office and Batman dominating the summer with its inescapable marketing blitz.

Outside the top 10 highest-grossing list, which included Back To The Future II, Dead Poets Society and Honey I Shrunk The Kids, 1989 also included a plethora of less commonly-appreciated films. Some were big in their native countries but only received a limited release in the Us and UK. Others were poorly received but have since been reassessed as cult items.

From comedies to thrillers, here's our pick of 25 underappreciated films from the end of the 80s...

25. An Innocent Man

Disney, through its Touchstone banner, had high hopes for this thriller,...

John Candy will forever be remembered as one of the greatest comedic actors in Hollywood history. Sadly, in 1994, while filming the comedy Wagons East!, Candy passed away in his sleep from a heart attack. He was 43.

Over two decades later, John Candy's son Chris Candy, an actor as well, sat down with Et Canada to discuss the life and legacy of his late father.

In Memoriam: SNL Stars We've Lost

"With him being gone 20 years now, you feel like he's within you a little bit," he told Et Canada, whose interview with Chris kicked off their Celebrity Kids Week. "He was just an amazing actor. There was only one John Candy, and he was it."

Chris, 30, also opened up about what he feels made his father such a beloved entertainer, and how it's influenced his own efforts as a performer.

Video: Splash Flashback! On Set with Tom Hanks, Daryl Hannah and John Candy

"My dad's ability...

The late James Gandolfini's final movie, “The Drop,” opens Friday, the latest in a sadly long list of movies with stars who died before their films opened. Some have scored big at the box office, like “The Dark Knight” with Heath Ledger. Others, like John Candy's Western spoof “Wagons East!,” tanked spectacularly. Chernin Entertainment's “The Drop” is directed by Michael Roskam and co-stars Tom Hardy and Noomi Rapace in a crime drama about mob money laundering in New York bars. Distributor Fox Searchlight has the film, which has a solid 76 percent “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes, in roughly 500 theaters.

There can be only one. Since 1974, the answer to the question, "What is the best Western comedy?" has been Blazing Saddles. Whether he likes it or not, Seth MacFarlane's new film A Million Ways to Die in the West will be compared to Mel Brooks' classic movie, and not just by me in this Film Face-off. For those who are already upset that I'm not talking about Shanghai Noon, City Slickers, Wagons East and The Shakiest Gun in the West, I don't know what to tell you. Oh wait, I do... stop it. Now, on to the battle in the wild, wild west.   Plot/Lead Blazing Saddles In order to get rid of a town on a future railroad path, a corrupt politician (Harvey Korman) hires a black sheriff (Cleavon Little), who is more cunning than...

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After a long hiatus following the tragic death of Paul Walker in November, production on Fast & Furious 7 resumed at the end of March. The Hollywood Reporter has new details on the shoot, including the techniques being used to replace Paul Walker, and how the budget has escalated to $250 million, from a projected $200 million.

The site reports that Universal Pictures and its insurance company, Fireman's Fund, have been at odds over what will be a record-breaking insurance claim that could exceed $50 million due to the lengthy production delay and the new 13-week shoot, which is expected to conclude in July, culminating with, "an enormous crowd scene" that will use over 600 extras in the the city of Rosamond, California.

An unidentified insider confirming a report from April that Paul Walker's brothers, Cody Walker and Caleb Walker, will be used as stand-ins, with the special effects team digitally adding Paul Walker's face in post-production.

Paul Walker's death is expected to result in the largest insurance claim in Hollywood history.

The actor was killed in November, with Fast & Furious 7 still in production. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the project will continue by using face-replacement technology costing around $50 million.

A 13-week shoot will conclude in July with a big crowd scene involving 600 people, with insurer Fireman's Fund expected to pay the costs to Universal.

Movie insiders have stated that a computer-generated face replacement will be used to complete Walker's scenes, along with his brothers Cody and Caleb and another actor.

Caleb Walker will be used for his body size and mannerisms, as well as Cody's eyes and the acting performance of another unnamed individual.

Peter Jackson company Weta will complete the effects using three cameras to capture the stand-ins for face replacements.

There will also be unused material featuring Paul Walker from the previous two Fast & Furious films.

Feature Ryan Lambie 11 Mar 2014 - 05:39

In the late 80s, Carolco was one of the biggest studios in Hollywood, but by 1995, it was gone. Ryan charts its dramatic rise and fall...

Paul Verhoeven is not a happy man. It's 1994, and the Dutch director of (among other things) RoboCop and Total Recall is in a pivotal meeting with executives at Carolco Pictures. They're in the boardroom to discuss Crusade: a lavish, $100m historical drama described as Spartacus meets Conan.

With a script by Walon Green (The Wild Bunch, WarGames), and a cast headed up by Arnold Schwarzenegger, it sounds like the kind of star-filled, opulent film Carolco Pictures is famous for making. The supporting cast includes Jennifer Connelly and Robert Duvall. The script is vibrant and brash. There are massive sets being built in rural Spain. But privately, Carolco's bosses are anxious; they have another hugely expensive project in the works...

Beloved Canadian comedic actor John Candy died 20 years ago today, well ahead of his time. Though just 43-years-old when he passed, the larger-than-life personality left behind an admirable careers-worth of classic movie comedy moments. He also had a flair for the dramatic; perhaps both sides of the artist were best captured by his portrayal of shower curtain ring salesman Del Griffith in John Hughes’ 1987 hit film “Planes, Trains & Automobiles.” Candy also starred in “Stripes,” “Splash,” and “The Great Outdoors,” to name a few. He died of a heart attack in his sleep while filming western parody “Wagons East!”...

Astonishingly it’s been exactly 20 years to the day since the amazing Canadian actor John Candy passed away. The man was famed for being one of the greatest movie comedians ever to have walked the earth and this post pays tribute to the great man looking at some of his greatest movie movie moments.

John Candy was only 43 when he died on March 4th 1994 of a heart attack while filming the movie Wagons East!. He died way too young but left us a plethora of amazing movies and TV shows behind for us to remember him by. Below is a just a snippet of our favourites although there are so many more.

If any of these movies are unfamiliar to you, do yourself a favour and buy it now! We dedicate this post to you John!

—————

Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)

Directed by John Hughes, this is arguably one of John Candy...

 

Before the advent of Pixar, Walt Disney Animation Studios was the leader in quality family entertainment. Now that they're both a part of the same company, it's even better. But back then, the Disney Company attempted to differentiate their movies by asking different famous actors to come in and perform their characters in a film. Inspired by Robin Williams' fantastic performance as the Genie in Aladdin, Disney Feature Animation (at the time) decided to get more ambitious with their casting. These are ten actors who were asked to be a part of a film and never got to make it; either due to scheduling conflicts, money issues or even death!

10. Joe Pesci as Mushu in Mulan

In a weird form of typecasting, Academy Award-winner Joe Pesci was originally cast as the little dragon, Mushu. After a few tries at the character, the filmmakers just felt his voice wasn't appropriate...

Our post about gay actors playing straight characters got us thinking about the flipside, straight actors playing gay characters.

But a list of straight actors successfully playing gay would be obvious (Tom Hanks, Heath Ledger, Phillip Seymour Hoffman) and frankly dull. So we decided instead to sharpen our knives and make a list that's a hell of a lot more fun.

Straight actors who crashed and burned attempting to play gay.

Most of these performances rely on cliche and stereotype, and to be fair, a lot of our favorite gay performances from straight actors do lean heavily on the flamboyant. But actors such as Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family) manage to inject warmth, heart, and sincerity into the theatrics.

These actors, on the other hand, either try way too hard, or not hard enough, and embarrass themselves ... and us.

Mark Adair-Rios and Peter Oldring, Love That Girl

If you've never seen...

Death has been working overtime this year. So far, Hollywood has lost legends Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, Karl Malden, Bea Arthur, Dom DeLuise, John Hughes, Michael Jackson, Patrick Swayze, David Carradine, Billy Mays and with only a couple weeks left in 2009, death has claimed the young life of actress Brittany Murphy.

According to TMZ, Murphy was found unconscious in her shower this morning by her mother around 8 Am at her home in Los Angeles, California. Paramedics quickly came to her house and determined that she was in full cardiac arrest (read: heart attack) and performed CPR all the way to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, just a few miles away. Attempts to revive her were unsuccessful and she was pronounced dead upon arrival.

Brittany Murphy is survived by her husband of 2 years Simon Monjack and had no children.

Brittany Murphy was a beautiful actress with a varied and prolific career spanning TV,...

• So many questions. So much speculation. The past 72 hours are filled with bereavement, well spoken tributes and a little bit of nonsense. For the curious: here is a sampling of info that puts his untimely death into perspective. Fact: Warner Bros.'s marketing people are scratching their heads. "Hollywood has not seen a high-profile star’s death in the middle of a movie in some time. When Brandon Lee was killed in 1993 on the set of “The Crow,” Mr. Kingman said, the filmmakers “were very clever and creative and completed the movie with a double, and that movie turned out to be successful enough to entice people to do a sequel.” (It made more than $50 million at the domestic box office.) River Phoenix died of an overdose in 1993, halfway through making “Dark Blood,” which was abandoned. John Candy died in 1994 with a third of his scenes left in “Wagons East,

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