Camp Candy

Overview

The show is set in a fictional summer camp run by John Candy. The animated series spawned a brief comic book series based on the show; also entitled Camp Candy, it was published by Marvel Comics' Star Comics imprint.

Twenty-seven episodes of the series aired during the 1989 and 1990 television seasons on the NBC television network. Thirteen new episodes ran in syndication in the 1992 season, distributed by Worldvision Enterprises (Now CBS Television Distribution), along with repeats of the previous episodes. The series was later rerun on the Fox Family cable channel in 1998.

Harry Nilsson wrote the series' theme song, which Candy sang.

The later syndicated broadcasts featured live action segments featuring Candy.

In both versions, the closing credits featured songs about Camp Candy that were sung to the tune of various traditional "campfire" songs.

Episode formula

Almost all episodes would begin where John Candy would be trying to show an outdoor skill to some kids, to which he would then say it reminded him of a story, where he would tell of the episode in narration. John was a dedicated leader of Camp Candy, a summer camp that is presumably built by him, and he tries to get various kids to get along.

The children included Robin McClain - a nature-loving African-American girl; Alex Dawson - a redheaded tomboy; Vanessa Van Pelt - a rich & snobbish fashionista; Iggy Jones - a spectacled hypochondriac; his more adventurous younger brother George "Binky" Jones - the youngest member of the gang and Rick Quimby - an arrogant prankster. Adult characters included Nurse Molly, a nurse, who had a crush on John, but he never seemed to take notice, as he was interested in an attractive redheaded receptionist called Miss Sweetingham.

John's main antagonists were Xavier "Rex" DeForest III — a man who seeks to demolish Camp Candy in order to make way for a condominium, and Chester — a dimwitted greaser employed by DeForest. Another antagonist included Hob Nayles, a strict disciplinarian who headed the rival Camp Kickboot and sought to humiliate John, but was really a coward at heart.

Cast

List of Camp Candy episodes

Season One (1989)

1. The Forest's Prime Evil (9/9/1989)
2. Small Foot, Big Trouble (9/16/1989)
3. The Katchatoree Creature (9/23/1989)
4. Tough as Nayles (9/30/1989)
5. Bird Is the Word/Best Behavior (10/7/1989)
6. Fool's Gold (10/14/1989)
7. Sleight of Hand/Thanks, But No Pranks (10/21/1989)
8. Mind Over Matter/Brat Pact (11/4/1989)
9. May the Best Parents Win (11/11/1989)
10. Not So Brave Brave/Opposites Attract (11/18/1989)
11. Indian Love Call/Spoiled Sports (12/2/1989)
12. Rick Gets the Picture/Poor Little Rich Girl (12/9/1989)
13. Christmas in July (12/16/1989)

Season Two (1990–1991)

1. Robo-Camp/The Glasnost Menagerie (9/8/1990)
2. Color War and Peace (9/15/1990)
3. Camp Cuisine/Take the Compass and Run (9/22/1990)
4. Candy Springs (9/29/1990)
5. Wish Upon a Fish (10/6/1990)
6. Taking the Bully by the Horns/Rock Candy (10/13/1990)
7. Dear Mom and Dad (10/20/1990)
8. Stand Up and Deliver/Ruthless Campers (10/27/1990)
9. Camp Candy's Funniest Home Videos (11/3/1990) (NOTE: This was a "clip show" episode.)
10. Robin's Ark (11/10/1990)
11. Candy and the Ants/Smart Moose, Foolish Choices (11/17/1990)
12. One Million Years B.C. (11/24/1990)
13. Jokers of the Wild/Uncle Rexie (12/1/1990)
14. Scare Package (1/19/1991)

Season Three (1992)

1. TV or Not TV
2. Rock and Rest/Rick Van Winkle
3. The Last Word
4. A Ribbeting Experience/The Bamboo Woodpecker
5. Wild, Wild Candy
6. When It Rains...It Snows
7. Saturday Night Polka Fever
8. Chester's Millions
9. Bee Prepared/Signs of Silence
10. Dr. Tongue's Amazing Adventure/Lucky Dog
11. Wild World of Camping/Total Lack of Recall
12. Battle of the Badges/The Return of the Magnificent Three
13. Ladies and Gentlemen, Your Host, Bobby Bittman