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"[He's the] philosopher of adolescence" - Roger Ebert

John W. Hughes was born February 18th, 1950, in Lansing Michigan. After spending his youth in the Detroit suburbs, he moved to Chicago, Illinois with his family at the age of 13 (his father was a salesman). The Hughes family lived at the much-scorned outskirts of a wealthier suburban-Chicago neighborhood, which permanently cemented his loathing disrespect and jealousy of snobs. Chicago would become an area that would figure prominently in most of his films (not to mention some rich, snobby characters).

John Hughes He graduated from Glenbrook North High School in Northbrook, Illinois in 1968, and moved to Arizona State University but dropped out his junior year. By this point he was already married (he met his wife Nancy in high school) and became an advertising copywriter (some of his ads were for 7-UP). He also wrote many short stories, magazine articles, unpublished novels, and jokes for stand-up comedians such as Rodney Dangerfield, Henny Youngman an Rip Taylor. "It was good training in minimalist thinking, and taught me how to think comically."

In 1979 he became an editor for National Lampoon magazine. It was here where he broke into professional screenwriting with National Lampoon's Class Reunion (1982) and in 1993, National Lampoon's Vacation, which was based on a short story he wrote called "Vacation '58." (When another writer's Lampoon short story became the genesis of Animal House, Hollywood studios started recruiting all the Lampooners to come up with movies, and thus John got his big chance at a movie career.) He also made Mr. Mom (1983), but it was in 1984 when he made it big with the teen crowd with his films Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink and Weird Science.

While toiling as a rewriter and script doctor on many early 80s films (including Joy of Sex), John saw Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Risky Business, and Wargames, and realized that he could be writing vastly superior teenage entertainment, and eventually create a niche for himself. His first teen script was The Breakfast Club, but it did not get made until after he'd first proven himself with Sixteen Candles. Plot, scene, and character elements from a lot of these earlier films he'd seen as a rewriter would soon pop-up again again and again (in altered Hughes versions) throughout his 80's teen flicks.

It was also in 1985 when he entered a multiple-picture contract with Paramount, and produced films under his own banner, the John Hughes Company. In 1988 Hughes Entertainment became associated with Universal. Today many of his films are released through Disney and their subsidiaries.

See more photographs of John in the Behind the Scenes section.

More Interesting John Hughes Facts:

Why does Hughes write his own movies? "Because that's where the money is," he has said.

Early in his career he wrote the script, "Jaws Three, People Zero," and submitted it. Universal turned it down.

He also collaborated on a script with fellow Lampoon editor P.J. O’Rourke called The History of Ohio from the Beginning of Time to the End of the Universe, which was never made.

Hughes' first deal was at Paramount, but he was given only re-write and script-doctoring jobs on movies he loathed and many of which were never made. He decided that he never again wanted to work on anybody's stories but his own. (For more details on his early writing career, see Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hughes in the articles section.

In 1987 Hughes took his kids to see Disney's re-release of the original animated 101 Dalmations, and found himself loitering bored in the lobby. This caused him to determine to put adult-aimed amusement quirks into his upcoming family movies to make sure no parents would be turned off.

Special thanks is given to Hughes at the end credits of 1991's Nothing But Trouble. (Anyone know why??)

Along with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis and Sylvester Stallone, Hughes was asked to join Planet Hollywood because the fame surrounding his films was thought to be highly profitable for the chain. He had no interest in it, however, and the restaraunt debuted without him....One of the restaurants *does* house the vest and license plate from Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

John has three younger sisters, whose annoying presence made way in many of his fictional siblings (remember Jeanie? Mike Baker? Chet?).

He was also inspired by the slapstick comedy of the Three Stooges.

When John was 16, he visited a Zen temple, hoping to study and learn the truths of the universe, but was reportedly thrown out by a screaming monk whom he'd annoyed.

Hughes' son, named John Hughes III, is in a band called Bill Ding. They have a few records out.

Hughes didn't know his son James wanted to follow in his footsteps until the younger Hughes showed him a script. John sent the New Port South script to Disney without his son's name on it and got the green light to produce it. (as reported in USA Today)

James is (or was) in a band called Ilium, who are said to have influences by Tortiose and The Sea and Cake. They play frequently at a bar in Chicago called The Empty Bottle.

Hughes himself is credited with the discovery of Kill Hannah, an elecktro dream pop band. He heard one of Matthew Devine's demos, who was Kill Hannah at that point. Hughes found it to be very good and helped Matthew put together a live band.

Hughes was one of the select few invited to John Candy's private funeral.

February 18th is John's birthday, the same as Molly Ringwald. He is exactly 18 years older.

Finally, Hughes was considering retiring after the year 2000 (when he turned 50). Rumor had it he may have been giving his company to his sons. Obviously, however, Hughes is still working...
"He'll have the last laugh," says Molly Ringwald. "He always does."