John Candy Died 31 Years Ago — Here’s What Catherine O’Hara Had to Say About Their Long Friendship

Beloved funnyman John Candy passed away 31 years ago, on March 4, 1994, at only 43 years old. Candy had already reached phenomenal heights in his brief life, starring in films like Uncle Buck and Planes, Trains and Automobiles, as well as a quick but unforgettable role in Home Alone as polka king Gus Polinski, who gives stressed-out mom Kate MacAllister (Catherine O’Hara) a ride home to her son.

But O’Hara and Candy did more than share a bit of screen time in a hit film — the two stars began their careers together in the 1970s Toronto comedy scene, where they both starred on the groundbreaking sketch show SCTV.

The pair remained close throughout the years, and shared a tragic coincidence: Candy died of a heart attack on O’Hara’s 40th birthday. During Candy’s funeral, just a few days later, on March 18, O’Hara gave the eulogy.

“Who am I to be standing up here talking about John Candy?” O’Hara began. “I’m one of the millions of people whose lives were touched and enriched by the life that was John Candy.” The Schitt’s Creek actress then laid out the ways Candy made life better for those around him: through his generosity with strangers, his love for family and friends, his kindness to fans and well-wishers.”You caught a John Candy scene on TV one night when you needed to laugh more than anything in the world. … He closed your bar, and it was packed, because of course no one would leave until John Candy had gone home.”

Visibly tearful, O’Hara spoke to Candy’s family, saying, “Dear Mrs. Candy, whatever you did to deserve this child, god bless you and thank you.”

O’Hara and Candy’s long friendship: “I had a crush on him, of course”

O’Hara then delved into her personal relationship with Candy. “I have my own story: In 1974, I auditioned for John Candy, director of the Second City touring company, and he hired me. Yeah, John Candy thought I was funny. When I joined him in the main cast, he drove us all the way to Chicago to play their Second City stage. And I had a crush on him, of course. But he was deeply in love with Rose. So I got to be his friend. And I closed the Chicago bars with him, just to be with him.

“We did SCTV together. When we all tried to come up with opening credits that would tell the audience exactly what we were trying with the show to say about TV, it was John who said, ‘Why don’t we just throw a bunch of TVs off a building?'”

O’Hara continued, “In any show, John knew what he was doing. He was bright and quick and graceful and full of ideas. Funny ideas. But he always had room for your idea, too. … Long before the reviews, the ratings, the fans, John just knew he had something valuable. And we all agreed. Almost every SCTV contract was a favored nations agreement, meaning we all got pretty much the same deal. Well, at the end of each paragraph about salary or residuals or per diem, it would say ‘favored nations,’ and then, in brackets, ‘[with the exception of John Candy].'”

The last time Catherine O’Hara saw John Candy

“The last time I got to work with John was on Home Alone. He could give them one day, so they took him for 17 hours of improvising. John gave himself so completely to every role, big or small, not just because we all came to expect it from him, but because he loved doing it. He really had fun.”

She also revealed that the last time she saw Candy was at an event honoring another young comedian who died too soon — Gilda Radner. “The last time I saw John was at a tribute we took part in honoring Gilda Radner, god bless her soul, too. I remember he wasn’t feeling well that day, but I also remember he never let it show onstage. He was funny and generous, and he reminded us once again why we love him.”

Watch the full moving eulogy below: