John Candy was remembered Saturday on what would have been the late actor and comedian’s 70th birthday with recognition from his hometown of Toronto and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Mayor John Tory proclaimed October 31 as “John Candy Day” in Toronto, where Candy grew up and honed his career in the 1970s and 1980s prior to becoming one of Canada’s biggest film and TV stars.
Mr. Trudeau separately paid tribute to Candy on social media and encouraged observing “John Candy Day” not only in Toronto but across Canada and beyond.
“John Candy would’ve been 70 today. And though he’s been gone for 26 years now, he’s still making us laugh,” Mr. Trudeau said on Twitter.
“So today, pull up your favourite John Candy movie — if you can choose one — and have a good laugh. We could all use it,” Mr. Trudeau tweeted. “He’s a real Canadian treasure.”
Candy was born Oct. 31, 1950, in the town of Newmarket, Ontario, near Toronto. He gained fame as a member of Toronto’s Second City comedy troupe and co-starred on its TV show, “SCTV”, before later having starring roles in comedies including “Planes, Trains & Automobiles,” “Spaceballs,” “Uncle Buck” and “Cool Runnings,” among others. He died in 1994 at the age of 43.
The proclamation officially declaring “John Candy Day” recognizes he had “proud roots” in Toronto and has previously been inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame, among other accolades.
“John Candy is a Canadian treasure who brought great joy to so many through his humour, acting and contributions to the entertainment industry and beyond,” said Mr. Tory, 66, Toronto’s mayor.
“He was a decent humble man in the fashion of many famous Canadians and it is my privilege to honor his humour, his legacy and the pride he brought to our city on what would have been his 70th birthday,” He said in a statement.
Candy’s children said on social media they were honored by the tributes.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
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