John Candy

A Life in Comedy

By: Paul Myers, Dan Aykroyd - foreword

Narrated by: David Bendena

From the bestselling author of Kids in the Hall: One Dumb Guy, the definitive biography of John Candy—a heartwarming portrait of one of comedy's most beloved and enduring stars.

From his humble beginnings in sketch comedy with the Toronto branch of Second City, to his rise to fame in SCTV and Hollywood film classics like Planes, Trains and Automobiles, The Great Outdoors, and Uncle Buck, John Candy captivated audiences with his self-deprecating humor, emotional warmth, and gift for improvisation. Now, for the first time since Candy's tragic death, bestselling biographer Paul Myers tells the full story of the man behind the laughs.

Drawing on extensive research and exclusive interviews with many of Candy's closest friends and colleagues, including Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, Tom Hanks, Ron Howard, Steve Martin, Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short, and many more, John Candy: A Life in Comedy celebrates the comedian's unparalleled talent, infectious charm, and generosity of spirit. Through ups and downs, successes and failures, and struggles with anxiety and self-doubt, Candy faced the world with a big smile and a warm demeanour that earned him the love and adoration of fans around the world.

©2025 Paul Myers (P)2025 Tantor Media

Magnificent

Another homerun for Mr. Myers. This book was excellent the entire way through. Here are several more words to meet the minimum required word count.

Innate decency well told

This book should be THE model of how to research and present the life of a celebrity. Though I was already well aware of John Candy and his work, the author provided insight into his character that was new to me. I am also grateful to those who worked with and loved John for sharing their intimate feelings about him. Their generosity made the listening experience one of the best I’ve ever had.

Very inspiring story of the world's best man

I was a young kid when I first saw his movies. Who's Harry Crumb is still my favorite movie today. I was 10 years old when he passed, but I never forgot his movies or his name. Story was very well told and written, thank you for the opportunity know more about the man that helped shaped my sense of humor, and helped me laugh when I needed it.