John Candy’s Children Recall Their Final Conversations With Their Dad

Though the late actor John Candy received his flowers for the stamp he made on comedy and film in the decades since he died of a heart attack at the tender age of 43, as the subject of Colin Hanks' Prime Video documentary, John Candy: I Like Me, fans of his work will have a more in-depth view of the life and legacy he left behind. Two significant parts of his legacy are his children.

When he passed away in March 1994, John was a devoted family man. In the years since his death, his kids have kept his notoriety alive by sharing what they remember about their dad. Here's what to know about John's children.

During his lifetime, John had two children with his wife, Rosemary Margaret Hobor. In 1980, the couple welcomed their daughter, Jennifer Candy-Sullivan, followed by their son, Chris, who was born in 1984. Jennifer and Chris were 14 and 10, respectively, when their dad died. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, they shared what their final conversations were with John before he died in Mexico.

"I was 9. It was a Friday,” Chris recalled in 2016. “I remember talking to him the night before he passed away and he said, ‘I love you and goodnight.’ And I will always remember that.”

Jennifer added: “I remember my dad the night before. I was studying for a vocabulary test. I was 14. He had just come home for my 14th birthday, which is Feb. 3. So I was talking to him on the phone, and, I hate this, but I was slightly distant because I was studying. So I was like, ‘Yeah, OK, I love you. I will talk to you later. Have a great night.’ Then I hang up, and I go back to studying.”

Although they both have vivid memories of their final call with their father, both of them understandably wish they had more time to learn and study from their dad. Thankfully, Chris and Jennifer inherited John's infectious talent and love for comedy. According to her IMDb, Jennifer has appeared in the film In Vino and in episodes of Liv and Maddie, According to Jim, and Where's This Party? She's also a producer who lent her talents to several shows, including Foreign Body, Cockpit, Sam Has 7 Friends, and Prom Queen.

Chris's Instagram bio stated he is also an actor and a musician, with credits in Camp Candy, Rosewood, Mystic Cosmic Patrol, The Wedding Planners, and Private Eyes. His IMDb showed that he was also a cinematographer on Coldplay's 2024 music video, Coldplay: All My Love.

Both Jennifer and Chris were also executive producers on their dad's documentary. Over the years, they've honored their father in many ways. Chris shared with The Hollywood Reporter that, although John's life was tragically cut short, he and his sister are proud to have so many things to brag about regarding who he was on and off-screen.

"He was an amazing talent, an amazing force,” Chris shared. “He was on this planet to do a lot, and he did do a lot.”