John Candy is known for his acting career, having played roles in movies including ‘The Great Outdoors’ and the Christmas classic ‘Home Alone’. The actor and comedian died aged just 43, with his weight being a topic discussed by tabloids throughout his life, but how much did he weigh?
John Candy died of a heart attack in 1994, with a pathologist stating that he had an unhealthy relationship with food. His weight fluctuated throughout his life, but according to the New York Times, he weighed in excess of 275 pounds (125kg) on occasions throughout his life.
Learn more about John Candy’s life, and the legacy he leaves behind below.
Life & Career
Candy was born in Canada in 1950, and as a youth, showed an interest in pursuing a football career. It was, however, a glittering career as an actor and comedian that ultimately thrust him into the limelight.
His passion for football continued nonetheless, and he went on to buy shares in the Canadian football team, the Toronto Argonauts, who won the 1991 Grey Cup.
In both 1982 and 1983, Candy won Emmy awards for his writing role in the show ‘Second City Television’, which he also starred in as a cast member.
After gaining popularity with American audiences, Candy was soon landing roles in Hollywood. Some of his better-known movies include ‘Uncle Buck’, ‘Spaceballs’ and ‘Planes, Trains & Automobiles’.
During his career, he worked alongside some of the world’s most recognizable stars, including Tom Hanks.
In his personal life, he found happiness with wife Rosemary, who he married in 1979. The couple had two children, named Jen and Chris.
Offscreen, Candy was an animal lover and had a charitable nature. “He was constantly working with some sort of charity,” his daughter Jen says.
Weight Issues
Standing at 6’3”, John Candy’s large stature was not simply down to his height. Throughout his life, he suffered from weight issues, a struggle that he battled with for decades.
The New York Times reports that his weight sometimes exceeded 275 pounds, while the Independent claims that he weighed in at more than 325 pounds during some periods of his life.
Despite his struggle, Candy strove to achieve a healthier lifestyle. “He always worked on his weight and his health,” says son Chris.
In 1984, he tackled his weight at a specialist resort and hired a personal trainer. He managed to shed 75 pounds over the summer of that year.
It certainly appears that his weight was a source of strife for the actor. “I’m the one who has to look in the mirror, and after a while, it begins to eat at you,” he told People.
In 1994, the actor died of a heart attack in Mexico while filming an upcoming movie.
‘Autopsy: The Last Hours of John Candy’ was a TV show which aired in 2019 and studied the star’s health in the lead up to his untimely demise. In the show, pathologist Dr. Michael Hunter says that Candy’s relationship with food was “potentially life-threatening.”
However, the pathologist states that his death was likely influenced by other factors, too. “I think it’s probable that John’s addiction to smoking was a factor in his death. But John appears to have a history of use of another drug that is also known to have a damaging impact on the heart — and that’s cocaine.”
Legacy
Four years after his death, Candy was honored with a star on Canada’s walk of fame. He was later featured on Canadian postage stamps.
The visual arts studio in his high school, Neil McNeil Catholic High, was named after him in further recognition of the late actor’s success.
His legacy also lives on in his children. “Both my brother and I look like my dad,” says his daughter. “If you look at him when he was younger, that’s Chris.”
“He’s not really gone because we talk about him so much,” his son says.