Hey everyone, Bill Chase here and welcome to my newest blog series called "What if?". And I will explore an alternate universe scenario that if something significant went the other way than it did in reality, what may come of it if things went different. Today's scenario, what if John Candy didn't pass away on March 4th 1994.
Growing up, John Candy was one of favorite actors, as I practically begged my parents to take me to see anything he was in. And learning over the years that he had a very easy going, and kind demeanor, and was easy to work with, made me respect him all the more, he was a good ol' Canadian boy making it in Hollywood.
As the story goes, John Candy died in Durango City, Mexico while filming the Western-Comedy Wagon's East, alongside comedian Richard Lewis. However, what if Candy had survived his heart attack? Before he went to bed that night, he made himself a plate of Lasagna, was putting up his stake of the Toronto Argonauts football team up for sale, and looked forward to a relaxing vacation of Golf after filming was over, and getting in the voice studio to complete the Disney film, Pocahontas. Here's the alternate universe view, on what may have played out.
In the wee hours of the morning on March 4th 1994, John Candy wakes up, with an uneasy feeling in his chest. He tries to drink some water, but it doesn't seem to be helping. Candy knew something was wrong, and he calls co-star Richard Lewis, staying in the same hotel, who rushed to his room. John sat down, and knew something bad was happening, immediately Lewis got on the phone and had his friend and co-star rushed to the hospital. John Candy is indeed having a heart attack, however, despite the hospital being far away, he survives, and arrangements are made to transport him back to Los Angeles, for further treatment.
The news makes headlines across all the Entertainment publications, and in his native Canada, is a front page story in all the papers. John releases a statement, "I'm thankful to be a alive", a quote across all the papers headlines. John's wife and kids are by his side, the Doctor's say he'll need a quadruple bypass, and will need to go on a very strict diet from here on in. Wagon's East director Peter Markle tells John, that production has been delayed, and there's no rush to have him back. John goes in for surgery, and his family, as well as friends such as Steve Martin, Eugene Levy, and hockey star Wayne Gretzky eagerly await, that he has made it through the surgery, and while recovery will be tough, they'll all support him.
Wagon's East director Peter Markle visits John in the hospital, and he tells him some bad news, that the studio still wants the movie out in August, and they'll have try and complete it without him. John says he understands, knowing the nature of Hollywood and the demand by studios. John at this point was coming off a major blockbuster hit, Cool Runnings, the year prior, where he played the coach of the Jamaican Bobsled team, a Disney comedy which was loosely based on a true story. He was happy with the film's success, due to the fact he'd released a few duds and only minor successes like Only the Lonely in hte last couple years. John does get some good news however, that Disney has also contacted him saying that they still want him to complete the voice of Readfeather, the comedic sidekick to Pocahontas in the upcoming animated film set to be released in 1995. However, also at this time John Candy had two projects shelved, one that was completed, and one that wasn't. The political satire Canadian Bacon, directed by Documentary filmaker Michael Moore was going through distribution hell. And, The Magic 7, a high budget animated film made for TV was yet to be completed, however, John did some voiceover work as Smokestack Sam.
After a lengthy stay in hospital, John is recovering at home, and spends the next few months eating properly, spending time with his family, and doing light exercises during recovery. In July, the doctor's tell John that he can go back to doing voiceover work, and he starts completing his role as Redfeather in Pocahontas. John has already dropped significant weight at this point. John doesn't miss a beat, and completes his role as Redfeather. On August 15th 1994, John Candy, looking visibly healthier, also having shaved his beard, and cut his long hair, which he needed for the role, and looking almost 80 lbs lighter, made his first public appearance since his heart attack, for the red carpet premiere of Wagon's East. While the press writes and praises Candy for his recovery, the film is a disaster, both critically panned, and a complete bomb at the Box Office. This upsets John, as he was hoping he could sustain the monentum from Cool Runnings.
John has projects still being presented to him, but doctor's advise him to maintain a light schedule for the foreseeable future. John however, does commit to a project presented to him by John Hughes, a comedy starring himself and action star Sylvester Stallone, playing feuding neighbors in Bartholomew vs. Neff, and also work with Carl Reiner, in the remake of the Alec Guinness classic, Last Holiday. Candy starts filming these projects in mid-1995, a year after his fatal heart attack. Candy is a lot slimmer, and healthier, some Hollywood media types say that this will put Candy on the back burner since his jolly nature was all part of his charm. At this time, Candy does his first public interview, after keeping out of the limelight following the disaster of Wagon's East, and goes on Late Night with David Letterman in early June of 1995. He reveals that it has been a long recovery, and the Doctor's have told him he's done very well during recovery. He now has a strict diet, and is on a light exercise routine daily, even while filming. Candy promotes his upcoming role as Redfeather in Pocahontas, and they show a clip from the film. He mentions his other projects on the go such as Last Holiday and Bartholomew vs. Neff. He says the reason why he hasn't done many interviews is because the heart attack prompted him to spend more time with his family as well. But he jokingly says how his wife finally wants him to get out the house, but yet says in all seriousness, she wanted him to do what he loves doing and that's acting and entertaining people. His appearance on Letterman scored big ratings, and followed it up with another interview on Good Morning America, which also drew in a large audience.
John attends the premiere of Pocahontas, and is very happy with the way things have turned out. The film is released on June 23rd 1995, and becomes a worldwide Box Office success. Despite the fact the film only received mixed reviews from critics, John Candy's voiceover work as the comedic sidekick Redfeather is heavily praised. During the summer while filming his upcoming projects, he receives a phone call from Michael Moore, the director of Canadian Bacon, and is told that the film will indeed be released in the Fall. However, the film isn't receiving much, if any promotion at all.
The film is panned by critics, and couldn't get much of a wide released to make any money at the Box Office. John is getting discouraged by these failed comedies, and starts to worry if his upcoming projects will even be a hit at all.
Despite his busy schedule, John maintains good health, and is told in October 1995, he is wanted to do a voiceover as himself on the hit animated TV series, The Simpsons. John records his small part which is only four lines, but is happy with the experience and can't wait to see it premiere.
The promotion and hype start up for Bartholomew vs Neff, the bickering neighbor comedy starring he and Sylvester Stallone, and is set to be released in July of 1996. The feedback to the theatrical trailers are well received by audiences, but critics are obviously skeptical. However, Paramount Pictures have painted themselves in a corner, and John Hughes isn't happy, as the film will be released just a couple days after the Sci-Fi epic Independence Day, and on the exact same day as Phenomenon, the new film starring John Travolta, who is on a roll since his comeback two years prior. This further frustrates John, thinking he's going to have another bomb on his hands. Bartholomew vs. Neff is released on July 5th 1996, and the reviews are actually mixed, yet no completely panned. Also, the film does finish 3rd behind Phenomenon and the #1 Independence Day, but manages to take in $14 million on opening weekend. Film critics Siskel and Ebert review the show that weekend. Roger Ebert says, "Although the plot is contrived, the script is actually manages to stay strong enough for both Candy and Stallone to work with, and somehow they manage to find a really good chemistry with one another, and after some significant box office bombs for both actors, this is a breath of fresh air, despite the weak and silly backdrop, I laughed enough to give it a marginal thumbs up". Gene Siskel, agrees with many of Roger's assments, but adds in, "The big problem here is that I know these two would work very well together in a better plotted outing, and while my thumb is kind of in the middle, I'm going thumbs down, but this proves that John Hughes can still get the best out of John Candy". John is happy overall with how the movie turned out, and the film makes $54.3 million in the box office, and has remained a very popular comedy to this day.
Last Holiday, is also set to be released in 1996, and will be released at Christmas time. The film is a remake of a 1950's film starring the legendary, Sir Alec Guinness, and is a comedy about a man who is misdiagnosed with a rare tumor, and isn't given long to live, and liquidates his assets to go on a dream vacation. The film will be directed by Carl Reiner, who has had great success with comedies in the past. The film receives heavy promotion, and with the success of Bartholomew vs. Neff, John is very excited. The film is released in Christmas of 1996, however, critics pan the film, and only taking in a total of $18.4 million. Roger Ebert states, "While Candy is his usual good natured self, and is still very good here, he is heading in a direction in this film we all know is coming in the end, and the predictable twists and turns that lead to that journey". Gene Siskel agrees, "The always likeable Candy, is once again stuck in a movie that can't utilize him properly".
John is very discouraged that he can't seem to sustain momentum whenever he makes a hit film. At this point, he vows he's done with slapstick humor, and wants to work on more serious roles, and smarter humor when doing comedic films. John reveals this when he does an interview on Breakfast Television in his hometown of Toronto, "I still love my fans, and I love comedy, but right now I feel it's time to take my career in a direction that I have always been afraid to explore". The feedback points out that John wasn't his usual jovial self in the interview.
Back before the release of Last Holiday, while promoting the film in November, John gets a call from his agent, and finally the film, Arbuckle, a biopic exploring silent film star, Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, is set for production, and will be directed by Sir. Richard Attenborough, who had success directing the biopic Chaplin, with Robert Downey Jr. John was excited about the project, and told Entertainment Weekly this was the most excited he'd been for a project in years. They wanted the film out by the end of the year in time for Oscar season. Originally, the late John Belushi was slated to be in the film back in the 80's.
John enjoyed filming Arbuckle, but actually had to wear a prosthetic gut, due to the fact he had lost so much weight. Also, he felt this was his first big attempt to be taken seriously, and was anxious to see if this would benefit his career or not. The film was being distributed by Universal. Towards the end of production, John Candy received a visit from comedian Adam Sandler, who was filming the retro romantic comedy, The Wedding Singer, slated to be released early in 1998. Sandler informed Candy, that originally his friend Jon Lovitz was supposed to play an egotistical self indulgent wedding singer in a cameo scene, however due to a scheduling conflict he can't make it. Since the Wedding Singer was being filmed not far from Arbuckle, Sandler personally asked Candy to fill in, and the makers of the film all wanted him to do it as well, as Sandler made the suggestion. At first John was skeptical, because he felt there was no place for him in the world of Comedy anymore. But Sandler said a cameo wouldn't hurt him at all. Candy thought it over for a day, and called Sandler back saying he'd do it.
Also during this time, Terrance Malick, the acclaimed director was filming his firs move in 20 years, a World War II epic called, The Thin Red Line, which had been underway for awhile. Candy was asked to do a small part, where during nightfall, he has a conversation with a character played by Jim Caviezel, who will be playing one of the central characters in the film. However, John's agent told him it may not be a good idea, as some actor's scenes have already been cut, but John felt he had nothing to lose by giving it a try. The scene is where Candy plays a vet who had served only 2 months as a teenager during the end of World War I, and describes how the horrors of those two months, and how the past few years have effected him as a person.
Arbuckle barely made it on time, to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, and was received very well, and John Candy's performance is heavily praised by everyone in attendance.
With the upcoming Titanic to be released late in the year, luckily Arbuckle will be released a week before the film comes out, on December 12th. Word of mouth has gotten out about John Candy's remarkable performance.
The film is released to huge critical acclaim, and actually debuts at #2 in the box office behind Scream 2, taking in $18.1 million. Both Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, put in on their year end Top 10 list. Ebert saying, "John Candy is of course the one everybody is talking about, and with good reason, his performance here not only captures the essence of an almost forgotten star, but captures the essence of an era". Siskel also praises Candy's performance and says, "Attenborough does far more here than he did with Chaplin, and not only should Candy be nominated for an Oscar, so should Attenborough for best director".
The film's box office intake started to die off with the monster success of Titanic, but it didn't matter, as the film gained a buzz again, once nominations were announced, and John Candy to his delight, to go with his Golden Globe nomination, was up for a Best Actor Oscar as well, and the film ended up making a total of $67.4 million in the North American box office, his biggest hit since Cool Runnings.
Also, during this time, The Wedding Singer was released, and was a box office smash, Candy was praised for his hilarious performance as a rival wedding singer in a cameo role.
During the red carpet at the Oscar's, Candy expressed his gratitude towards the Academy, and said filming Arbuckle was an experience of a lifetime, and allowed him to explore another avenue of acting. John Candy lost however, to Jack Nicholson, but remained in good spirits, saying, "No shame in losing to the best". Big money roles and offers came in for John, but he decided to go a different route, the independent film route.
In 1998 he began work on two projects, the first was The Incomprable Ituk, a Canadian independent film based on a popular story by famed author Moredcai Richler, about an Inuit who is moved to Toronto, and falls into Greed and Prentiousness. Also, the other project, Open and Shut, a small budget Indy film, about a now disgraced and once high powered lawyer defending a man clearly guilty of murder, played by Vincent Gallo. While filming these projects, The Thin Red Line is released, and while his scene was initially cut, it was put back in at the last minute, and the film was a critical success and did pretty good at the Box Office, Candy received praise for his part.
The Incomporable Ituk didn't recieve much of a release in the U.S in late 1998, however, Siskel and Ebert gave the film Two Thumbs Up, also praising Candy's performance. He won a Genie Award for Best Actor in the role. In May of 1999, at the Cannes Film Festival, Open and Shut was met with great critical acclaim, and John Candy won a jury prize playing disgraced big city attorney Davis Layfield, who not once but twice got two murderers who were later found to have done as they were accused, off the hook. The film made Roger Ebert's Top 10 list late in the year, and the film actually made good money on video. Despite the acclaim, and Ebert mentioning Candy on his Memo to the Academy special, saying Candy should be up for an OScar
John Candy was very happy with his career at this point, he went on David Letterman's show in late 1999, saying it's the happiest he'd been with his career since the late 80's. He said he was excited what the future held for him, and was not fearing turining 50, feeling his life was just beginning. He guest starred as a cold hearted insurance executive on three episodes of ER in March of 2000, as well as begining work on another film called Payola, loosely based on the Payola scandals primarily from the late 50's and early 60's, and even into the 80's, Candy played the primary investigator through the years who looked into these scandals. Candy won an Emmy for his apperance on E.R, and Payola was released in March of 2001, and this was Candy's first major production starring role since Arbuckle. The film was distributed by Paramount, and Candy's appeal was enough to make the film a surprising box office hit, with an intake of $72 million in North America, Candy again was praised for a great performance. Roger Ebert said, "Watching John Candy evolve as an actor in the last several years has been a delight, and this film is another treat".
Candy had a minor setback however, in 2002, when his drama "Downsizing", a story of factory cuts during the late 80's recession in working class America, was not highly praised, and only made $2.6 million at the box office. However, he roared back in 2003, trying his hand at the Thriller genre. "Lucidity", where he plays an intelligent college professor, and feels through a reality he builds in his lucid dreams, he can create the illusion that'll bring back his deceased wife, and everything he's lost. While reviews of the film were mixed, as Roger Ebert gave it 2.5 stars, saying "John Candy does well at bringing his likable self, and a likable character to a different genre, yet the film itself struggles the find it's destination in the final act". Despite this, the film is a box office hit, once again through Paramount, taking in $88.4 million in North America.
Around the time of Lucidity being released, John Candy decided he was ready to do Comedy again. So he looked at a new script called, In the Scene, about a divorced middle aged man trying to get back in the dating world with help from his friends, played by Steve Carell and long time best friend Eugene Levy, as well as his son played by Seth Rogen. The film is released in the Summer of 2004, and is a big hit, taking in $134 million at the North American box office, and also well liked from critics. The film is lead by Judd Apatow, who would go on to make some of the biggest comedies in Hollywood.
In 2005, Candy teamed up again with Dan Akroyd, for the sequel to their fan favorite comedy, The Great Outdoors with, "The Great Outdoors II", and while the film was critically panned as a lazy sequel, fans enjoyed it greatly seeing the two actors back together, and the film took in $106 million in the North American box office.
In 2005, after achieving great success with many films, Candy started filming the Canadian indy drama, The Prospect, where he would play a strict and at times tyrant of a junior hockey coach, in a film about a young junior hockey player in his final year before being eligible to play in the NHL. Towards the end of production, Candy was starting to feel ill. He pushed through filming and made it towards the end, however, after seeing a doctor, fearing something serious was wrong with him.
Candy's health was progressively getting worse as Doctor's couldn't figure out what was wrong with him, and he eventually was found to have a rare infection that caused him to have high fever and black out on occasion. There were no available treatments and it had to pass, Candy was bedridden for almost 5 months.
After his recovery, he took a break from filming, however, during this time, The Prospect had gotten good publicity in the states becoming a minor hit raking in $31 million, and in a big surprise, Candy was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars, for his role as Kenneth Jenkins, a long time Junior hockey coach, with a hot temper, and tyrant tendencies. Film critic Richad Roeper pointed out, "Candy's versatility still shocks me, and while he's started doing the big budget comedies for fans again, it's nice to see him bring out a role like this once in awhile".
While taking a break after The Prospect, and coming up short again at the Oscars, John got the big blockbuster role of a lifetime, a chance to team up with fellow Canadian, Jim Carrey. The two would play buddy cops, in a satire of the genre called, Big Heat. They would play two cops out of Toronto, in a film that played on Canadian cultural references, and despite it's heavy Canadian theme, hype around the film would be huge all over North America, promoted by Alliance Atlantis, and the film released in May of 2008, would get really good reviews from critics, and became a monster box office hit, raking in $173 million in North America.
At this point, John Candy is nearing his 60's, and decides to lighten his schedule. He stays away from movies for a couple years, and does voiceover work, and also appears as an egotistical version of himself on an episode of 30 Rock. In late 2011, Candy starred in another small indy flick entitled The Crossman Lounge, playing a bar owner coming to grips with middle age, the film didn't generate much buzz or distribution, but the few who did catch it, once again praised Candy's performance. Though the film itself had nothing really stand out about it.
In mid-2012, Candy had an idea he'd been itching to do for quite sometime and wanted to put it on paper, and make it into a movie. Perhaps his most famous character during his days on SCTV, was corrupt politician and offbeat TV personality, Johnny LaRue. He gets together with his old second city mates, and starts wrting, "LaRue for Prime Minister". Harold Ramis despite suffering from a terrible illness that left him learning how to walk again, is named co-writer of the film with Candy, and the other SCTV cast members such as Martin Short, Rick Moranis, Dave Thomas, Eugene Levy, and Andrew Martin, all give creative input on it.
In 2013, John Candy re-teams with Tom Hanks for the first time in almost 30 years, with the comedy, A New Trade, where two respected businessmen who lose their jobs, end up as drug dealers. The film is one of many released in the summer, and is another box office hit, taking in $90.8 million, somewhat below expectations, but a very high intake nontheless competing with other blockbuster films. Reviews are mixed, as Richard Roeper says, "It's about as silly as Volunteers, and that's not a good ting". However, film critic A.O. Scott says, "Something about seeing these two together having so much fun on screen together again, really gives the film a lot of charm, and both men are sharp with half-decent dialogue". Film critic Michael Philips says, "This is an absolutely ridiculous backdrop and plot, even for a comedy, but the film seems self-aware of what it is, and I think people are missing the fact that they're aiming for that tacky 80's humor with a small modern twist. That's what gives this film its charm, and both Hanks and Candy are into it".
Sadly on February 24th 2014, Harold Ramis, writer, director, and very good friend of John Candy passes away at age 69, just shortly after finishing up the final draft of "LaRue for Prime Minister". Candy was also going to get Ramis to direct the film. However, he recalls a conversation he and Harold had not long before his passing, saying if Ramis wasn't well enough to direct, perhaps consider Ben Stiller, the famous actor and comedian who grew up a big SCTV fan. Stiller jumps at the project. Filming begins in the Summer of 2014, and the film of course features many SCTV actors playing their famous characters. As well as many Second City Chicago alumni such as Steve Martin, Dan Akroyd, and Bill Murray making cameos.
"LaRue for Prime Minister" is released in March of 2015 across Canada, and in April throughout North America. The film does not get a wide release initially, however, word of mouth gets out as many SCTV fans hail the film as a triumphant return for the crew to their roots, and many film critics such as Michael Phillips love it. Phillips says, "This is a MUST have for any SCTV fan, as the old humor from the show remains the same, but these actors have a lot of years under them now and it's even sharper now. Everyone is having a good time, they were truly comitted to making this film a success, the late Harold Ramis would be proud, and not only does it bring back that classic humor, but it also is a very good in a satirical sense when it comes to politics". Film critic Leonard Maltin is a little lukewarm on it, but does give the film its due, "I think a lot of youngsters today will have trouble understanding the Second City humor from the Toronto troupe, as their sketches were a bit more eccentric than what came out of Chicago, even I was very dumbfounded by a lot of the stuff they came up with, but that being said, the movie is funny enough that I enjoyed it, and sometimes that's all you need". Not intended to be a box office hit, the movie does manage to take in a surprising $23.4 million in North America. The film also increases the demand for SCTV box sets for DVD distributors.
As of now, in late 2016, Candy is scheduled to be in the gritty ensemble Drama, "These Streets of Ours", where he plays a veteran news reporter, covering the Rodney King riots in 1992. Also, in June of 2016, Candy appears on Inside The Actor's studio, and announces he and Steve Martin have been working together on a new film, which would reunite them for the first time since Planes, Trains & Automobiles.
There you have an alternate reality if John Candy had survived and his career continued. Hope you enjoyed it, I'll have more to come, regarding entertainment, sports and wrestling.
