Thirty years ago, on March 4, 1994, the world sadly lost legendary comedic actor John Candy, who passed away from a heart attack. The SCTV actor made us laugh and enjoy ourselves through the various roles he played. Candy's best movies have allowed his screen presence to live on for generations. Of course, a part of his legacy that he likely relished even more would be his children, who paid tribute to him on the 30th anniversary of his death.
Losing someone is rarely ever easy, especially when it's a parent. Though something that friends and loved ones can continue to do is keep a person's memory alive. That’s exactly what John Candy’s kids regularly do for him, and that continued when they marked three decades since his passing. His daughter, Jennifer, posted a sweet tribute to her late father that's sure to leave you in tears. Take a look at the beautiful throwback family pic she shared to Instagram:
I mean, could a photo be anymore wholesome? Not only is it a lovely memory, but is also seems to illustrate just how close the late star was with his little ones. Interestingly, the Canadian actor used his children as inspiration for his title role in Uncle Buck. One fun fact about Candy was that he used his own parenting methods to treat Macaulay Culkin and Gaby Hoffman’s characters the same way he’d treat his own real-life kids. Jennifer has even said that her dad was just like Buck in that he was stern but still knew how to have fun.
In addition to Jennifer Candy-Sullivan, her brother, Chris, also posted a heartwarming tribute to their dad. Check it out:
I imagine that the Great Outdoors star's kids miss him terribly, and one gets the impression that he was a good father to them. It's also sweet to see how they continue to honor him. For example, Jennifer added Candy’s Little Shop of Horrors character, Wink Wilkinson, when she directed her stage musical of the 1986 film. In 2023, the two kids honored the Spaceballs actor, saying he will always be missed, thought of, and loved. I wouldn’t expect anything less.
Jennifer and Chris Candy will not only keep their father’s memory alive through their Instagram posts but in another way as well. They're currently working with Deadpool’s Ryan Reynolds to make a movie about the prolific actor. This upcoming documentary from Reynold’s production company, Maximum Effort, will highlight John life, career and the legacy he left behind.
Colin Hanks, who knew the Planes, Trains, and Automobiles actor, is also working on the doc. The star has found memories of the deceased funnyman, noting the “sweet, sweet presence” the actor brought out whenever he watched his work as a child. He remembered Candy making him laugh and feel good during his shy moments. As Ryan Reynolds said in his tweet about the movie, I truly think we all will “expect tears” as we watch the doc.
While John Candy is no longer around, I take comfort in knowing that his two children are helping to keep his name alive. And, surely, they'll continue to do so as time goes on. I’m sure we can also expect to see Jennifer and Chris featured in the documentary, for which a release date has yet to be announced.
