‘Shamefully Irresponsible’: Bill Murray on John Candy Driving a Famous Director Out of His Mind

by

Bill Murray and John Candy are both legendary comedians in North America. They famously appeared together in the 1981 film Stripes and were also close friends during their peak careers. A new documentary features Murray recalling a funny story about how Candy’s improvisational comedy style frustrated a very serious film director.

The new documentary John Candy: I Like Me, directed by Colin Hanks and produced by Ryan Reynolds, delves beyond the well-known cheerful image of the late comedian John Candy to reveal the person he truly was. Bill Murray, featured in the film, shared his honest experiences of working with the beloved Canadian actor.

Murray pointed out the contrast between John Candy’s warm personality and his dedication to his work. He explained, “John was incredibly kind, even to people he just met briefly, but when it came time to work, he was all business.” Murray stressed that in the competitive entertainment industry, giving your best effort is essential.

Murray then shared a story illustrating how Candy’s dedication to comedy could sometimes be stressful for those working with him. The story involved a rehearsal for a play written by Saturday Night Live writer Marilyn Suzanne Miller. The rehearsal was directed by acclaimed filmmaker Sydney Pollack, who was famous for dramatic films like Out of Africa.

The cast included a lot of incredibly talented actors, like Murray, Candy, Ray Liotta, and Kevin Kline. Even with all that talent, Candy took a small scene and stretched it out with a lot of improvisation. As Murray remembers, “Candy had a scene where he was in the bathroom, talking, and he really dragged it on.”

Murray explained that Candy intentionally prolonged the funny parts of the scene, pushing the comedy as far as it could go. “He really played it for all it was worth,” Murray said, noting the timing was unbelievable. While the audience enjoyed it, the director apparently found it agonizing.

Murray recounted watching the director lose his composure. He explained, “I was observing Sydney Pollack become increasingly frustrated because John was deliberately prolonging the scene, clearly enjoying himself.” Murray found the situation so comical that he started laughing, knowing Pollack would be furious.

In the documentary, someone suggested that Candy’s performance in the scene wasn’t very good, but Murray disagreed. He pointed out that while it was funny, Candy was prioritizing getting laughs for himself over the other actors. As Murray put it, Candy wasn’t failing – he was simply exaggerating his performance for comedic effect.

He explained the problem wasn’t a lack of skill, but rather a lack of awareness on stage. “The jokes weren’t bad, but it was thoughtless to ignore the other actors on stage or in the play,” he said. The documentary mixes these lively stories with more touching moments, like Macaulay Culkin remembering how John Candy was like a father figure to him while filming Uncle Buck.

John Candy is fondly remembered as a comedic star of the 80s and 90s. He sadly passed away in 1994 at just 43 years old while filming a movie in Mexico. Candy first became well-known as a performer on the sketch comedy show SCTV, where he honed his talent for playing big, memorable characters. He starred in many popular films, including classics like Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Spaceballs, Cool Runnings, and The Great Outdoors.

Bill Murray has been a familiar face in Hollywood for more than forty years, starting as a funny performer on shows like Saturday Night Live and later becoming a respected dramatic actor. He recently returned to his iconic role as Dr. Peter Venkman in the new Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, continuing the story of the original movie he helped create back in 1984. He also made an appearance in the Marvel universe, playing Lord Krylar in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

Bill Murray often works with director Wes Anderson, appearing in films such as The Royal Tenenbaums, The Grand Budapest Hotel, and Asteroid City. He’s currently filming another Anderson project, The Phoenician Scheme, alongside Benicio del Toro and Michael Cera. This new movie is a spy story about a father and daughter and is expected to be released shortly.

The documentary John Candy: I Like Me offers a comprehensive look at the late actor’s life, using personal home videos and interviews that have never been seen before. Directed by Colin Hanks (Tom Hanks’ son), the film aims to show the person behind the comedic persona, moving beyond the image of Candy as simply the ‘funny big guy.’ Produced by Ryan Reynolds, a Canadian fan who looked up to Candy, the documentary has been praised for its sincere and touching portrayal.

Sydney Pollack, the director Murray wrote about, was a major figure in filmmaking and won an Oscar for directing Out of Africa. He was a skilled director known for his compelling dramas like Tootsie and The Firm. The difference in approach between Pollack and Candy shows how disagreements can arise when actors and directors have different ideas about how to perform.

Read More

2026-01-20 12:45