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From polka king to mog sidekick, this comedy giant had a gift for stealing every scene! Join us as we celebrate the most hilarious moments from the legendary John Candy. Our countdown includes unforgettable scenes from beloved classics that showcase his brilliant physical comedy, perfect timing, and heartwarming charm. Which Candy moment always makes you laugh the hardest?
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00:00Where's your other hand? Between two pillows. Those aren't pillows.
00:09Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the funniest,
00:14most iconic, and endlessly rewatchable moments from beloved comedy legend John Candy.
00:20Happy Birthday! Woo! I hope you're hungry. You should see that toast. I couldn't even get it through the door.
00:33Number 10. The Polka King of the Midwest. Home Alone.
00:37Allow me to introduce myself. Gus Polinsky. Polka King of the Midwest.
00:44Even with just a few minutes of screen time, John Candy had an unmatched ability to steal scenes.
00:51And that talent is on full display as Gus Polinsky,
00:54the Polka King of the Midwest, in Chris Columbus' classic, Home Alone.
01:06When he offers Catherine O'Hara's frantic mama ride to Chicago with the Kenosha Kickers Polka Band,
01:11every line lands as pure comedic gold.
01:14I had a few hits a few years ago, uh, that's why, you know, just Polka, Polka, Polka, Polka, Polka.
01:22No? Twin Lakes Polka, uh, Tamavuji Polka, aka Kiss Me Polka, Polka Twist.
01:28Well, these are songs.
01:30Between awkwardly bragging about his Polka hits and later trying to comfort her with
01:34unintentional, horrifying stories about forgetting his own kid, Candy's performance is heartfelt and
01:40unforgettable.
01:42But I did leave one at a funeral parlor once.
01:45Yeah, it was terrible, too.
01:47What can we say?
01:49Gus's good-natured but clueless charm is… pure candy magic.
01:54Number 9.
01:55Beach Chaos.
01:57Summer Rental.
01:58Why are you people going through here?
02:02Perfect.
02:03In Karl Reiner's almost cult classic Summer Rental, John Candy stars as Jack Chester,
02:09an overworked air traffic controller just trying to enjoy a peaceful family vacation.
02:14That plan goes hilariously sideways in a now-iconic beach scene.
02:19Ooh, excuse me.
02:19Ow!
02:20Oh, jeez, I'm sorry.
02:21Really, I didn't mean…
02:23Hey, there was my hand!
02:24Just there.
02:24Sorry about that.
02:25Really, just saying.
02:26It's fine.
02:27Oh!
02:27You see, trying to find a spot on the crowded sand,
02:31Jack ends up stepping on sunbathers, destroying snacks, and…
02:35splashing a guy with sunscreen.
02:37I don't want it to be!
02:38Hey, how are you?
02:39I thought you should've put a cover on.
02:40The ensuing mess is a masterclass in physical comedy,
02:44with every clumsy move escalating into bigger chaos.
02:48Candy's blend of frustration and well-meaning bumbling perfectly captures every dad's
02:53summer nightmare…
02:54all while making us laugh…
02:56until it hurts.
02:57I'm glad you're here.
02:58Bobby wanted his craft blown up.
03:01You finish it?
03:06Yeah.
03:07I'm breathing out anyway.
03:098.
03:10Harry Crumb's Wild Disguises
03:12Who's Harry Crumb?
03:14Crumb?
03:15You mean…
03:15That's right, THE Harry Crumb.
03:18As the bumbling private eye named Harry Crumb,
03:21John Candy gets to unleash his full arsenal of absurd disguises,
03:25and it's… quite something to behold.
03:27You say you're from New York?
03:28No, no, no.
03:29I WORK in New York.
03:30I am from Budapest.
03:31Oh, Hungary!
03:32No, thank you.
03:32I had a falafel before I got here.
03:34Whether he's pretending to be De Joux,
03:36Delioche from Budapest, or a flamboyant woman,
03:39the funny man's transformations are as ridiculous as they are hilarious.
03:53Harry Crumb?
03:54Each persona is an excuse for physical gags, wild accents and exaggerated swagger.
04:00And while we'll be the first to admit that not everyone has aged the best,
04:05the film does let Candy play multiple comedic archetypes in one go,
04:10and he gleefully delivers on all of them.
04:13Only I am the judge of that.
04:14Of course.
04:15Of course.
04:157.
04:17The Loudmouthed Brother
04:19Splash.
04:29In this endearing Ron Howard romantic comedy, Candy plays Freddy Bauer,
04:34Tom Hanks' unapologetically crude womanizing brother.
04:37Freddy's over-the-top antics, from having a beer and a cigarette during a racquetball game,
04:45to trying to hit on women at a wedding, deliver some of the film's biggest laughs.
04:49But his comic timing and scenes opposite Hank's, like when he gives terrible romantic advice,
05:05or cluelessly exposes secrets, is where Candy shines.
05:13He brings a lovable goofiness to an otherwise obnoxious character,
05:31turning what could be a one-note supporting role into a true fan favorite.
05:35It all adds up to pitch-perfect buddy comedy delights.
05:40What are you looking at?
05:41You never saw a guy who slept with a fish before?
05:44Get back to work!
05:446.
05:46Costumed Interrogation
05:48Armed and Dangerous
05:50I wouldn't worry about him, he'll be fine.
05:52He'll probably come down in a couple days.
05:54Cats like to climb trees, they're good at it.
05:57He'll get hungry and he'll come down and see you.
06:00In Armed and Dangerous, John Candy plays a framed ex-cop turned security guard
06:04who stumbles from one absurd mishap to the next.
06:07But no moment tops the hilarity of the movie's interrogation scene inside an adult entertainment
06:13store, where Candy is paired with fellow Canuck comedy legend Eugene Levy.
06:21When security guards Frank and Norman are interrogated by a cop while in cheeky costumes,
06:26what starts as routine questioning quickly spirals into chaos.
06:30The scene perfectly highlights Candy and Levy's effortless chemistry.
06:44Their timing and reactions build the absurdity with every line.
06:49It's a hilarious clash of styles that shows
07:00exactly why these two Second City veterans made such a brilliant comedic duo.
07:055.
07:06The SCTV Spotlight
07:08SCTV
07:09Would you like some more syrup?
07:17Before Hollywood came calling with leading film roles, John Candy was already a comedy
07:22powerhouse on Second City Television, a Canadian sketch comedy show about a fictional television station.
07:27CANDY
07:35Candy's roster of characters, from the crass Johnny LaRue to the over-the-top talk
07:40personality William B. Williams, showcased his unmatched range.
07:44He could go from lovable doofus to biting satire in a heartbeat.
08:01And whether he was taking part in a soap opera parody or playing a washed-up celebrity,
08:06John Candy's timing and warmth made him the heart of SCTV.
08:10Yep, Candy's chemistry with fellow castmates like Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, and Rick Moranis,
08:15help to find sketch comedy for generations to come.
08:29Number 4, as Barf the Mog, Spaceballs.
08:40Barf.
08:42Barf.
08:44Barf.
08:45Barf.
08:47Barf.
08:48Barf.
08:49In Mel Brooks' seminal comedy Spaceballs, John Candy plays Barf.
09:00He's a Mog, half man, half dog.
09:03Hi.
09:04Who are you?
09:06Barf.
09:06Not in here, mister.
09:08This is a Mercedes.
09:09Nah, that's my name, Barf.
09:11Barf.
09:12And while the silly Star Wars parody film has no dearth of laugh-out-loud moments,
09:17Candy's commitment to Barf's loyal yet mischievous personality makes all of his lines pop.
09:22One million space bucks!
09:23We'll be able to pay off Pizza the Hut!
09:25Gimme Pa!
09:28Whether he's chowing down on food or cracking whys in the middle of chaos,
09:33Candy balances the absurd with genuine warmth.
09:36His playful banter with Bill Pullman's Lone Star
09:38turns what could've been just a gag character into one of sci-fi comedy's most iconic sidekicks.
09:44I'm going down there.
09:45He's going down there.
09:47I wouldn't.
09:50Yep, Spaceballs simply wouldn't be the same without Barf.
09:55Holy sh**!
09:58Number 3.
09:59Bear Attack, The Great Outdoors.
10:01What's this?
10:03What's this over here?
10:04For prompt service, blow me.
10:06It's an interesting touch.
10:09As Chicago family man Chet Ripley, Candy delivers one of his most relatable and funniest performances,
10:15alongside fellow comedy heavyweight, Dan Aykroyd.
10:18There's the hilarious dinner scene, where Chet demolishes the old 96er Steak Challenge.
10:24I think that just about does it.
10:33He's not done yet.
10:34Well, he may take a little while with that last bite, but it'll go down.
10:37That ain't the last bite.
10:39Well, sure it is.
10:40There's nothing on that plate but gristle and fat.
10:46No problem.
10:48There's also the out-of-control jet ski ride.
10:51The movie's crown jewel?
10:52Why, that would be the outrageous bear scene.
10:55Candy's mounting panic as he discovers he's accidentally wrangled a bear is hilarious.
11:00The whole scene turns into pure terror as the bear chases him back to the cabin.
11:25It's pure John Candy.
11:27Big laughs.
11:28Big hearts.
11:29And big chaos.
11:31Big Bear chase!
11:32Big Bear chase!
11:33What is he saying?
11:34What?
11:34Big Bear chase me!
11:37Number 2.
11:38Uncle Buck vs Assistant Principal
11:41Uncle Buck
11:43Maybe if the object of the game were to get the ball as both of the teams without knocking any of them over,
11:49you would be champion of the world.
11:51Really?
11:52Really?
11:53If there's one role that defines John Candy's career,
11:56it's the unfiltered, big-hearted Uncle Buck.
11:58Who are you?
12:00I'm your Uncle Buck.
12:02The late 80s John Hughes classic featured countless laughs,
12:06Buck intimidating a teenage boy with a power drill,
12:09flipping pancakes the size of a table, and punching a hungover birthday clown, just to name a few.
12:15The highlight, however, comes when Buck pays a visit to his niece, Maisie's uptight
12:19assistant school principal. What follows is pure comedy gold,
12:23a perfectly delivered rant that ends with Buck hilariously mocking her ridiculous mole.
12:28Yeah, we said it.
12:29You so much as scowl at my niece, or any other kid in this school, and I hear about it,
12:34and I'm coming looking for you.
12:39Take this quarter, go downtown, and have a rat gnaw that thing off your face.
12:44Good day to you, madam.
12:47It really is the stuff of cinematic comedy gold.
12:52Yeah.
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13:15No one, and we mean no one, could mix laughter and heartache like John Candy. And planes, trains,
13:43and automobiles, is perhaps his career masterpiece. As the lovable but infuriating Del Griffith,
13:50Candy delivers multiple Alzheimer's scenes opposite the one and only Steve Martin.
13:55Those aren't pillows! Anyone?
13:57Those aren't pillows!
14:02There's also the mess-around car scene, where Candy joyfully rocks out while Martin naps beside him.
14:08This, of course, leads to the unforgettable,
14:10you're going the wrong way, highway scene.
14:13You're going the wrong way!
14:15Oh!
14:25Which ends with both men narrowly surviving a harrowing near-collision between two trucks.
14:30Candy's combination of cluelessness, charm, and sincerity makes this the perfect distillation of
14:36physical comedy and emotional depth. Do you have any idea how fast you were going?
14:42Funnily enough, I was just talking to my friend about that. Our speedometers melted,
14:45and as a result, it's very hard to say with any degree of accuracy exactly how fast we were going.
14:5078 miles an hour.
14:53Which John Candy moment always cracks you up the most? Did we miss one of your favorites?
14:59Let us know in the comments below.
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