How did John Candy die?

Sometimes it’s easy to forget just how big a star John Candy was. The Canadian actor began modestly, making frequent appearances on sketch shows on Canadian television, but before long he drew the attention of Hollywood and starred in a number of hit comedies throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, including films such as Trains, Planes, and Automobiles (1987), Uncle Buck (1989), and Cool Runnings (1993). He also won Emmy Awards for his comic writing. His death in Mexico at the age of just 43 in 1994 shocked the entertainment industry. So what happened?

Candy’s final film shoot

Candy was on location in Durango City when he died. The film in question was the now-forgotten Western comedy Wagons East!, which also starred Richard Lewis and Robert Picardo. Filming was all but finished on the movie when, on March 4, Candy returned to his hotel room to sleep. He was found the following morning, with his cause of death determined to be a heart attack.

It seems certain that the star’s lifelong smoking habit contributed to his risk factor. Since his late teens, Candy had been known to smoke a packet of cigarettes a day. But Candy also had a drug habit, which he formed during his time doing improv in Chicago earlier in his career. Candy was also well aware of the risks he was taking in terms of his weight, and often resorted to dieting and exercise regimes in an attempt to reduce his obesity. Following his death, his remarkable talent was lauded by Hollywood’s finest. A biopic is reportedly in development.