Wit, Charm And Fits Of Rage! New REELZ Documentary Explores The Life Of Funny Man John Candy

The late John Candy is one of the most beloved movie stars of all time and now a new REELZ documentary is diving deeper into the funny man's life.

Natalie Morales hosts a special edition of Behind Closed Doors which includes interviews with the legendary comic’s fellow Second City performers and varied cast and crew members who viewed the Canadian actor as a father figure who was full of wit, charm and fits of rage.

From punching holes in the studio walls with his fists over chicken to detailing heart-warming memories with the funny man, Dave Thomas, Joe Flaherty and others look back and share their fondest moments with the comedic icon.

Candy, who was born on October 31, 1950, and died at the young age of 43 on March 4, 1994, wasn’t the typical leading man but rather an “everyman” who people could not help but fall for due to his charm, wit, and humor. As one of the most beloved comic actors of the 1980s, his characters ranged from hilarious to goofy to sentimental and even dramatically intense.

His laugh-out-loud roles in films like Stripes Splash, Planes, Trains and Automobiles and Uncle Buck and dramatic roles in Only the Lonely and JFK were just a few of his hit successes that cemented his title as the beloved and respected comic and actor.

Before he made it big, Candy was brought up in a working-class family in Ontario when his father died when he was just five years old. In this Behind Closed Doors episode, it will examine his improv days at Second City and his popular rise in North America, which ultimately led to the Canadian sketch show SCTV.

The episode will take a look at why Candy decided to begin acting, after dreaming of being a football player as a child, and his ultimate Hollywood domination- the goal he had always dreamed of. His rise to fame, however, came with childhood trauma and personal struggles, which ultimately led to his death at 43.

With featured interviews from SCTV co-stars Flaherty and Thomas to varied cast and crew including directors Ivan Reitman and Oliver Stone, John Candy: Behind Closed Doors details heart-warming memories and hilarious stories about the legendary funnyman.

Tune into John Candy: Behind Closed Doors, Saturday, September 5th at 8 ET / 9PT on REELZ.

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