New John Candy documentary reveals comedian’s crippling anxiety struggles

John Sweet believed he was dwelling “on borrowed time.”

On March 4, 1994, the comedy star was discovered useless of a coronary heart assault whereas filming “Wagons East!” in Durango, Mexico. He was 43. The late actor is now the topic of a brand new documentary directed by Colin Hanks and produced by Ryan Reynolds, titled “John Sweet: I ​​Like Me.” It options quite a few interviews with those that knew and cherished Sweet, together with Invoice Murray, Tom Hanks, Steve Martin and Catherine O’Hara. Sweet’s youngsters, Jennifer Sweet and Chris Sweet, function producers.

“The documentary reveals how he thought he was on borrowed time,” Chris, 41, informed Fox Information Digital.

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John Sweet died on March 4, 1994. He was in Mexico taking pictures the Western comedy “Wagons East!” when he had a coronary heart assault in his sleep. He was 43. (© TriStar/Courtesy Everett Assortment)

“I bear in mind Carl Reiner calling it a type of Damocles waving over his head. However I feel Jen and I, wanting again [on] the work and assist we have now had for ourselves. . . it takes quite a lot of rising as much as understand, “I can change issues.” I can develop. I can thrive. I haven’t got to really feel like I am being cornered.’ But it surely takes quite a lot of work.”

John Sweet’s youngsters informed Fox Information Digital that the late star tried to get assist earlier than his loss of life. (Prime video)

“One of many largest issues I actually admire and take away from this film is that in direction of the top of his life, he actually tried to show the boat round,” Chris stated. “He took higher care of himself. But it surely takes quite a lot of time to essentially do this efficient work. And naturally we want we had gotten extra of that point. However the truth that the trouble was there, the try was there on an actual stage, was, I feel, the primary goal of what we needed to say about our father.”

The documentary revealed that Sweet’s paralyzing concern was at its worst on the time of his loss of life. He had an nervousness assault on the way in which to the set of “Wagons East!” however stored it to himself. Shortly afterwards he died in his sleep.

The documentary “John Sweet: I ​​Like Me” is now obtainable for streaming. (Prime video)

“Once I heard how they discovered him – that he had sat up on the sting of the mattress, opened the Bible and skim from it earlier than he died – I bear in mind enthusiastic about him looking for his home,” his good good friend Don Lake recollects within the movie.

Chris informed Fox Information Digital that his father quietly struggled along with his rising nervousness in his ultimate years.

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“He by no means talked about it, however we knew it occurred,” Chris stated. “The nervousness manifested itself so strongly in him. He and my mom went to a relationship therapist, after which they went to their very own remedy. After which it was like the youngsters needed to begin doing it. However this was a part of self-care, identical to going to the physician. And there are such a lot of totally different methodologies for this sort of work.”

John Sweet is seen right here in Los Angeles, circa 1990. Within the documentary “John Sweet: I ​​Like Me,” mates described how the star struggled with crippling nervousness throughout his ultimate years. (Steve Schapiro/Corbis through Getty Photos)

“However I additionally need to say that it does not need to be remedy,” he stated. “It is simply the idea of being open. It may very well be your finest good friend. It may very well be your associate. That is one thing we needed to convey as effectively. Jennifer and I began a little bit bit earlier, and fortunately we did that as a result of I feel it helped each of us turn out to be who we’re.”

Sweet was haunted by a painful previous. He was 5 years outdated when his father, Sidney Sweet, died out of the blue of a coronary heart assault on the age of 35, days earlier than the actor’s birthday. The movie famous that there’s a household historical past of coronary heart illness.

A younger John Sweet is seen right here along with his father and brother. (Prime video)

Whereas Sweet turned to performing to deal with the loss, the considered loss of life by no means left him. The movie revealed that when his good friend John Belushi died of a drug overdose in 1982 on the age of 33, Sweet was visibly shaken and scared.

John Belushi died on March 5, 1982 in Los Angeles. He was 33. (Richard E. Aaron/Redferns/Getty Photos)

As his fame grew, so did consideration to his weight. Jennifer, 45, informed Fox Information Digital that the movie was additionally meant to point out her father’s journey to self-acceptance.

“Like Del Griffith, he is aware of he is imperfect,” she stated, referring to her father’s character within the 1987 movie “Planes, Trains & Vehicles.”

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Steve Martin and John Sweet sit in a wrecked automobile in a scene from the film ‘Planes, Trains & Vehicles’, circa 1987. (Paramount/Getty Photos)

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From left: Jennifer Sweet, Rosemary Sweet and Christopher Sweet attend the particular screening of Amazon MGM Studios’ “John Sweet: I ​​Like Me” in Los Angeles at The Montalban on October 2, 2025. (Emma McIntyre/WireImage/Getty Photos)

Chris stated he grew to become a detective in his father’s life story throughout manufacturing. He was 8 years outdated when the patriarch died.

“I feel probably the most shocking factor was … realizing the connective tissue between me and my father,” he stated. “This concept of ​​genes and inheritance and psychological inheritance and the way there are such a lot of issues that he struggled with, what number of issues or behaviors from him that I really feel every day that I did not know he was feeling.”

Jennifer Sweet was 13 years outdated when her father died. Her youthful brother, Chris Sweet, was 8 years outdated. (Prime video)

“We joke about it, however I am notoriously quarter-hour late with issues, or I am very careless with time,” he chuckled. “He had the identical trait in his twenties and thirties. His mates referred to as him ‘No-Present’. My mates name it ‘Sweet Time’. That is a small factor, however he wasn’t there to show me to be so careless with time. It was moments like that the place I believed, ‘Oh my God, there’s a lot we have now in widespread.’ And he wasn’t there to inform me to be that manner.”

John Sweet was described as a loyal household man who didn’t prefer to be away from his spouse and youngsters for too lengthy. (Prime video)

The documentary portrayed Sweet as a mild big: a hard-working, devoted household man who put the wants of others earlier than his personal. Buddies puzzled if Sweet knew his time can be quick.

“I appear to recollect him saying, ‘I do not know if I will make it to 35,’” Eugene Levy stated within the movie.

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“SCTV” actor John Sweet is seen right here touching up his make-up. The Canadian sketch comedy sequence aired from 1976 to 1984. (Michael Stuparyk/Toronto Star through Getty Photos)

Jennifer stated she wasn’t stunned that Sweet was thought of Hollywood’s good man.

“I feel that has loads to do along with his upbringing and his household,” she defined. “The individuals he surrounded himself with have been additionally essential. And as a Canadian, individuals typically joke about that.

John Sweet is survived by his two youngsters. (Prime video)

“My father’s household had its shortcomings rising up, however on the core they have been additionally good individuals. They sorted one another and regarded out for one another. These core values ​​caught with our father. He and our mom had very related values. My mom additionally stored him grounded. And I feel the way in which you deal with individuals is essential. That is the way you get additional in life.”

John Sweet is seen on the thirty fifth annual Primetime Emmy Awards on September 25, 1983 on the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena. (Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Assortment through Getty Photos)

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As Sweet later struggled along with his psychological well being, mates grew to become involved about his deteriorating bodily well being. Sweet was self-conscious about his weight, which at one level was reportedly over 300 kilos. His widow, Rosemary Sweet, described within the movie how he tried to shed pounds however was informed by Hollywood executives to pack on the kilos for roles. She frightened in regards to the affect the stress of a grueling Hollywood schedule would have on her husband’s coronary heart.

Buddies admitted that Sweet usually resisted recommendation. He was nonetheless attempting to beat his smoking, consuming and overeating.

John Sweet, seen right here in 1990, was delicate to feedback about his weight. (Darlene Hammond/Hulton Archive/Getty Photos)

“I bear in mind John going by way of medical doctors like cigarettes,” good friend Dave Thomas stated within the movie. “A health care provider informed him, ‘You must shed pounds, it’s a must to cease consuming.’ John did not need to hear that.”

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Tom Hanks is grabbed by his good friend and co-star John Sweet in a scene for the TriStar Photos movie “Volunteers,” circa 1984. (Hulton Archive/Getty Photos)

Sweet’s youngsters not solely cried unhappy tears throughout the making of this movie; there have been additionally many joyful tears. For them, they witnessed a brief however well-lived life.

Even the 75-year-old Murray admitted: “I want I had extra dangerous issues to say about him, however that is the issue with speaking about John. He was good to individuals.’

Throughout John Sweet’s funeral, the 405 Freeway was closed in his honor. (Patti Gower/Toronto Star through Getty Photos)

One in all Jennifer’s favourite moments was watching Sweet spend an evening out with Jack Nicholson after which, whereas hung over, shoot his racquetball scene within the 1984 movie ‘Splash’.

John Sweet rose to fame after starring in 1984’s ‘Splash’. (Everett)

“You’ll be able to see within the film how he survived – not very effectively,” she chuckled. “And the truth that our father stated it solely took three takes earlier than he was hit within the head with a racquetball. Has he realized his lesson? Sure. But when we have been requested to get together with Jack Nicholson, we might in all probability say sure.’

“John Sweet: I ​​Like Me” premieres on Prime Video on October 10.