John Hughes (filmmaker) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John Hughes
Hughes at the premiere of Home Alone 2: Lost in New York in 1992
Born	John Wilden Hughes Jr. (1950-02-18)February 18, 1950 Lansing, Michigan, U.S.
Died	August 6, 2009(2009-08-06) (aged 59) New York City, U.S.
Resting place	Lake Forest Cemetery
Other names	Edmond Dantès
Occupation	Director producer writer
Years active	1970–2009
Employer	Hughes Entertainment (1987-2002) and More
Spouse(s)	Nancy Ludwig ​ (m. 1970)​
Children	2

John Wilden Hughes Jr. (born February 18, 1950 – died August 6, 2009) was an American filmmaker. He was a talented writer, producer, and director. Hughes is famous for creating many popular comedy films in the 1980s and 1990s.

Some of his most well-known movies include National Lampoon's Vacation, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and Home Alone. Many of his films are set in the Chicago metropolitan area. He was especially good at showing what teenage life was like. Actors like Molly Ringwald and Macaulay Culkin became famous because of his movies.

John Hughes passed away in 2009 from a heart attack. Many actors and filmmakers have honored his work and how much he influenced movies.

Early Life and Inspiration

John Hughes was born on February 18, 1950, in Lansing, Michigan. His father, John Sr., worked in sales, and his mother, Marion, did charity work. John was the only boy and had three sisters. He lived in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, until he was twelve. As a child, he was described as "kind of quiet."

Hughes as a junior at Glenbrook North High School (1967)

In 1963, his family moved to Northbrook, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. He went to Grove Middle School and then Glenbrook North High School. His high school experiences later inspired many of his famous films. There, he met Nancy Ludwig, who became his wife. Movies were a way for him to escape during his teenage years.

Starting His Career

After leaving the University of Arizona, Hughes began writing jokes for famous comedians like Rodney Dangerfield. In 1970, he got a job as a writer for advertising companies in Chicago. He created successful ad campaigns during this time.

His advertising work often took him to New York City. This allowed him to visit the offices of National Lampoon magazine. He soon started writing for the magazine regularly. One of his first stories, "Vacation '58," was based on his own family trips. This story later became the movie National Lampoon's Vacation.

His first movie script was National Lampoon's Class Reunion. Then, in 1983, his script for National Lampoon's Vacation became a big hit. Another one of his scripts, Mr. Mom, was also very successful that same year. These successes led to a deal with Universal Pictures to make three films.

Teen Films and Beyond

Making Teen Movies

John Hughes directed his first movie, Sixteen Candles, in 1984. It was praised for showing teenage life and high school social groups in a real way. This movie was the start of many films about teenagers. He wrote and directed other popular teen movies like The Breakfast Club, Weird Science, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off. He also wrote Pretty in Pink and Some Kind of Wonderful.

Family Films and More

To show he could make different kinds of movies, Hughes wrote, directed, and produced Planes, Trains and Automobiles in 1987. This was a hit comedy starring Steve Martin and John Candy. His later films, like Uncle Buck and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, were also very popular. His last movie as a director was Curly Sue in 1991.

Hughes had his biggest success with Home Alone (1990). He wrote and produced this movie about a boy accidentally left behind by his family. The boy then has to protect his house from burglars. Hughes wrote the first version of Home Alone in just nine days. It was the highest-earning film of 1990. He also made the sequels Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) and Home Alone 3 (1997).

He also wrote scripts using the name Edmond Dantès. This name came from a character in the book The Count of Monte Cristo. Movies credited to Edmond Dantès include Maid in Manhattan, Drillbit Taylor, and Beethoven.

Working with John Candy

Actor John Candy appeared in many memorable roles in movies written, directed, or produced by Hughes. These include National Lampoon's Vacation, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, The Great Outdoors, Uncle Buck, and Home Alone.

Hughes and Candy became close friends. Hughes was very sad when Candy died suddenly in 1994. Friends believe that if Candy had lived longer, Hughes might have directed more films.

Unproduced Screenplays

John Hughes had many ideas for movies that were never made. Some of these included:

• Jaws 3: People 0 – a funny movie making fun of the Jaws film series (1979)
• Oil and Vinegar – a story about a man and a hitchhiking girl talking about their lives during a car ride (1987)
• A live-action Peanuts film – about Charlie Brown and his friends (1993)
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas – Hughes suggested a movie version before the 2000 film was made (1998)

Later Years and Personal Life

In 1994, Hughes stopped working publicly and moved back to the Chicago area. He rarely gave interviews after this time. He did record a voice commentary for the 1999 DVD release of Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

In 1970, John Hughes married Nancy Ludwig, whom he met in high school. They had two sons, John Hughes III and James Hughes. They were married until John's death in 2009. Nancy Hughes passed away in 2019.

Death

On August 5, 2009, John Hughes and his wife visited their son James and their new grandson in New York City. The next morning, August 6, Hughes was walking near his hotel in Manhattan when he had a heart attack. He was taken to the hospital but passed away at age 59. He was buried in Lake Forest Cemetery in Chicago.

Legacy and Influence

After John Hughes died, many people talked about how much he influenced them and the film industry. Molly Ringwald said he was a very important part of her life. Matthew Broderick called him a "wonderful, very talented guy."

At the 82nd Academy Awards in 2010, there was a special tribute to John Hughes. Actors from his films, including Molly Ringwald, Matthew Broderick, and Macaulay Culkin, gathered on stage to remember his contributions to movies.

Hughes's work has also inspired new filmmakers. For example, Jon Watts, the director of Spider-Man: Homecoming, said he was influenced by Hughes's films like Ferris Bueller's Day Off. The 2020 novel Ready Player Two even features a quest where characters visit a world based on John Hughes movies.

Don't You Forget About Me

Don't You Forget About Me is a 2009 documentary film. It follows four Canadian filmmakers who try to find John Hughes after he stopped making public appearances. The film includes interviews with actors like Molly Ringwald and Matthew Broderick. The documentary's name comes from the Simple Minds song, which was the theme song for Hughes's movie The Breakfast Club.

Filmography

Film

Books

• National Lampoon Sunday Newspaper Parody (1978) (with P. J. O'Rourke)

See also

In Spanish: John Hughes (director de cine) para niños

• John Hughes's unrealized projects