EXCLUSIVE: John Candy's Family Reveals Pain Over Cruel Weight Jokes

John Candy's loved ones are slamming Hollywood for the cruelty the late actor faced over his weight during his career, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

The actor, famed for roles in Uncle Buck, Cool Runnings, Spaceballs, and Planes, Trains and Automobiles, as well as the comedy series SCTV, died in his sleep after suffering a heart attack at age 43 in 1994.

Now, the Emmy-nominated documentary film John Candy: I Like Me reveals how barbs about his weight were no laughing matter, said his family members.

"I think everyone who had some sort of difference was kind of put under a magnifying glass," said his daughter, Jennifer Candy-Sullivan. "So for him, it was his weight. And he took it like a gentleman. And I think as his career went on, he was able to be more comfortable with himself and speak up for himself."

The Canadian actor often played a big-hearted buffoon, which led people to think he was an "everyday guy," so it was okay to "joke around him," said his daughter.

"In reality, it wasn't that OK. It was not cool," said Sullivan.

Her mother, and John's widow, Rosemary Candy, agrees, noting the funnyman handled the ribbing "really well," but it was still "upsetting" and a "challenge" early in his career.

Sadly, even if John's career was flying high today, he'd likely still be the butt of fat jokes.

"I think if he tried losing weight, then it would be like, 'You're too skinny. You're no longer funny,'" said Jennifer.

The documentary features interviews with many costars, including Steve Martin, Bill Murray, Martin Short and the late Catherine O'Hara, who talk about the pain Candy hid from the public.

Today, discussing mental health and therapy is acceptable and viewed as vital to overall well-being, but it "wasn't something that was discussed back then," said the film's director, Colin Hanks, of Candy's heyday.