John Candy had a legendary career, and was one of the best comedic performers of the '80s and '90s. After rising to prominence as a supporting character actor, he captured the hearts of many, and he became a lovable leading man in beloved films like Planes, Trains, and Automobiles and Uncle Buck. By the time Home Alone rolled around, Candy was already a major star and his appearance was a welcome surprise. However, it turns out he was only paid $414 for his role in the film, despite being one of the most famous names in the credits.
John Candy’s Role In Home Alone
In Home Alone, Catherine O’Hara’s Kate McAllister does everything she can to try and get back home to her son Kevin on Christmas after accidentally leaving him behind. Unfortunately, the busy holidays make it impossible for her to book a trip back to Chicago, so she has to take desperate measures.
She meets Gus Polinski, played by Candy, who is in a traveling polka band, and he offers to let her tag along in a van with his band back to Chicago. His character is essential to the film, as he helps Kate get back to her son for Christmas. The scene also acts as a throwback for John Hughes fans, who previously witnessed Candy helping another disgruntled traveler get home in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.
According to director Chris Columbus, John Candy was an absolute pro on set, and he spent hours making the crew laugh while shooting Home Alone. The filmmaker told Business Insider that many of the stories the character told were improvisations by Candy, showing his strength as a comedic performer. However, even if the crew was happy to be working with the Cool Runnings actor, he held a bit of resentment for agreeing to appear in the film.
John Candy’s Low Pay On Home Alone
Even though Candy was a massive star, and he kept the crew in good spirits on Home Alone, he had a bit of vitriol towards the experience. The behind-the-scenes documentary series The Movies That Made Us, which is available with a Netflix subscription, revealed that the Spaceballs star was only paid $414 for the role, and he was not happy about it. Columbus confirmed this resentment towards his pay, saying:
There was certainly a little resentment on John's part. It was a deal between him and John Hughes at the time. I never met John Candy before he came on the movie. I don't know if John ever got any kind of compensation from Fox.
Hopefully, he got some kind of compensation from the studio, especially considering Home Alone won a ton of weekends at the box office. A payment of $414 is insultingly low, especially considering Candy was a major audience draw. He must’ve owed John Hughes, who wrote the Christmas classic, big time to agree to pay that low. Apparently, the pay didn’t go over well even in the years following. Columbus worked with Candy again on 1991’s Only The Lonely, and the comic actor was still holding his grudge. Columbus revealed:
There were a couple times on set when he would make a cutting remark about Fox and what he was paid.
His discontentment is understandable, but hopefully, he still received some joy from the experience. It is such a well-remembered role, and it likely introduced Candy to a new audience. Gus is one of the funniest John Hughes characters, and Candy does wonders with limited screen time. The film also acted as a sweet reunion with Catherine O’Hara, who he began his comedy career with on SCTV. The comic actor passed away only a few years after Home Alone, and families who revisit the film every year can feel Candy’s jovial spirit live on.
You can revisit John Candy’s performance in Home Alone, which is available to stream now with a Disney+ subscription. Fans of the actor should also check out our feature on the best Candy movies for other great films from the Stripes star, which he was likely paid a lot more for.
