John Candy’s unforgettable cameo in *Home Alone* came with an incredible behind-the-scenes story. As a favor to his friend, producer John Hughes, Candy filmed all his scenes as Gus Polinski, the “Polka King of the Midwest,” in one marathon 23-hour shoot. He didn’t ask for payment, but union rules required a minimum fee—so he earned just $414, something he later admitted made him a little resentful. Still, Candy improvised every line, including the darkly hilarious funeral-parlor story, leaving t