Historical Figure
John Hughes
1950–2009
American filmmaker (1950–2009)
Talk to John Hughes
Have a conversation with this historical figure through AI
Biography
John Wilden Hughes Jr. was an American filmmaker. He is best known for writing, directing, and producing the films Sixteen Candles (1984), The Breakfast Club (1985), Weird Science (1985), Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986), Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987), and Uncle Buck (1989), in addition to writing the films Pretty in Pink (1986), National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989), Home Alone (1990), 101 Dalmatians (1996), and Flubber (1997).
Timeline
The story of John Hughes, told in moments.
Sixteen Candles opens. It's his directorial debut. Molly Ringwald stars. He wrote the script in a single weekend. The film launches both their careers and establishes the John Hughes high school universe.
The Breakfast Club premieres. Five teenagers in Saturday detention. A brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess, a criminal. He writes it for them and lets them improvise. The ending, with Simple Minds' "Don't You Forget About Me," defines a generation.
Ferris Bueller's Day Off opens. "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." It makes $70 million. He shoots the parade scene in downtown Chicago without permits.
Dies of a heart attack while taking a morning walk in Manhattan. He was 59. He'd stopped directing in 1991 but kept writing. He hadn't given an interview in years. Molly Ringwald publishes a tribute in the New York Times.
More from the Postwar
Explore what happened on the days that shaped John Hughes's life. Today In History connects historical figures with the events, births, and deaths that defined their era. Browse all historical figures or explore today's events.