Splash starred a Canadian actor whose name starts with a 'J'.
Donald McNichol Sutherland , ( born 17 July 1935 ) is a Canadian actor whose film career spans five decades . John Franklin Candy ( October 31 , 1950 -- March 4 , 1994 ) was a Canadian actor and comedian known mainly for his work in Hollywood films . Splash is a 1984 American fantasy romantic comedy film directed by Ron Howard , written by Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel , and starring Tom Hanks , Daryl Hannah , John Candy , Eugene Levy , and Dody Goodman .