John Candy: Watch This Tribute to the Actor 25 Years After His Passing

It’s hard to overstate how big an impact John Candy had on the world of comedy during his time as one of the genre’s biggest movie stars. The actor tragically died at the age of 43 in 1994 after a fatal heart attack, but not before leaving behind an impressive body of work that helped shape some of the most enduring comedies of the 1980s and ’90s.

Monday marks the 25th anniversary of his passing, and as a tribute to Candy’s achievements, fellow Canadian Ryan Reynolds shared a collection of some of the actor’s most memorable roles. The video runs through his work on films like the 1987 John Hughes classic “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles,” in which he co-starred alongside Steve Martin. Candy and Hughes would go on to work together again two years later in the fan-favorite “Uncle Buck.”

Aside from Candy’s ability to deliver an iconic line (the “I like me” monologue from “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles” gets prominent placement here), he could also elevate some of the best sight gags anywhere. This tribute features not only Candy’s racquetball scene from “Splash,” but the exercise bike sequence from “Who’s Harry Crumb?”

Candy also became a recurring figure in the sports movie realm, playing Irv the manager in the 1993 bobsled classic “Cool Runnings.” He also appeared in the 1985 version of “Brewster’s Millions,” alongside Richard Pryor.  (It’s not featured in this video, but apparently the actor’s mere presence in a Miami stadium helped calm down the San Francisco 49ers enough for them to win Super Bowl XXIII.)

From “Spaceballs” to “Stripes,” it’s a reminder of how many enduring hits from his era owe a big chunk of their success to his contributions.

Watch the full remembrance (with, of course, a snippet of the “You’re going the wrong way” scene from “Planes, Trains and Automobiles”) below:

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