Catching Up With The Dead.

Lou Costello
Mar. 6, 1906 - Mar. 3, 1959
Abbott and Costello were never a factor in my life. I was aware of them, but I was never really a fan and I didn't like any of their 36 films except Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, which is great. But everybody knows it was the monsters and not A&C who made that so good. Of course I know the "Who's on First?" routine, everybody does. But can you name another of their routines? That's what I'm saying. The duo split up in 1957. Costello went on to make one solo film (The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock) and died of a heart attack on March 3, 1959. Bud Abbott, being a curmudeonly bastard, lived until 1974 and died peacefully in his sleep. The TV movie Bud and Lou has Costello (Buddy Hackett) in a hospital bed. Against the doctor's wishes he requests an ice cream soda. He drinks it and says "That was the best ice cream soda I ever tasted", and drops dead. I always thought this story was crap, but apparently it's true. Leave it to Hollywood to surprise you with the truth.


John Candy
Oct. 31, 1950 - Mar. 4, 1994
I love John Candy. I was 13 years old when NBC started airing SCTV on Friday nights in 1981, and I'd more often than not fall asleep trying to watch the whole 90-minute show. He was a master of impersonations, from Orson Welles to Curly Howard to Merlin Olsen and Jackie Gleason, and he was more often than not the highlight of the show for me. Later he went on to appear in supporting roles in movies like Stripes and National Lampoon's Vacation before making a move to leading man and making a lot of unfunny films before his death, including Summer Rental, Who's Harry Crumb?, and Delirious. But don't forget he was also hilarious in the modern classics Spaceballs, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, Splash, and Uncle Buck. Being in these four films alone make him fantastic. For me, one of his best roles came in 1991's JFK, where he has a very small part showing great dramatic range. As is the case with heavier actors, he died of a heart attack in his sleep during the filming of Wagons East! in Mexico on March 4, 1994, at age 43.