In 1972 he was accepted as a member of the Second City comedy troupe, and became a regular performer and writer for "SCTV," the group's television show, in 1977. On "SCTV," he wrote and performed in comic skits, playing opposite the show's other stars, including Harold Ramis, Eugene Levy and Andrea Martin.

He was featured in the show when it moved to network television as "SCTV Network" in 1981. Mr. Candy won Emmys in 1981 and 1982 for his comedy writing on the series.

"My big break came in 1972 when I got involved in the 'Second City' in Toronto," Mr. Candy said in an interview. "Then I was traded to Chicago, and I started my 'Second City' training there." Played a Polka Musician

Mr. Candy's most memorable character for SCTV was that of Yosh Shmenge, a clarinet player in a polka band, and he kept returning to the role. In 1985, Mr. Candy co-starred in a comic pseudo-documentary for HBO, "The Shmenges: The Last Polka," and in 1990, in the comic blockbuster "Home Alone," Mr. Candy played the leader of a polka band.

His major film breakthrough was in the 1984 hit "Splash," which also made the careers of Tom Hanks, Daryl Hannah and the film's director, Ron Howard. Mr. Candy played the role of the hero's ne'er-do-well brother, Freddie, and Janet Maslin wrote in The New York Times that the film "would not be nearly so successful without the bulldozing presence of John Candy."