John Hughes, Director of '80s Teen Classics, Dies

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Hughes was responsible for some of the most successful comedy films of the 1980s and 1990s, including 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off', 'Weird Science', 'The Breakfast Club', 'National Lampoon's Vacation', 'Sixteen Candles', 'Pretty in Pink,' 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles,' and 'Home Alone 1 & 2.'

Hughes had gotten his start as a writer for National Lampoon magazine. Children of the 1980s flocked to his teen trilogy made up of 'Sixteen Candles,' 'The Breakfast Club' and 'Weird Science' which helped to define a generation and make stars out of Molly Ringwald, Judd Nelson and Anthony Michael Hall.

Hughes' imprint was felt on several of his writing efforts too, ranging from 'Pretty in Pink' to 'Some Kind of Wonderful' as well as 'National Lampoon's Vacation' and the 'European' and 'Christmas' sequels.

Hughes had a gift for discovering talent. Other than Ringwald, stars like Robert Downey Jr., Bill Paxton, Charlie Sheen, Emilio Estevez and Jon Cryer had major career breaks courtesy of Hughes productions. His 1986 teen classic 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off,' which he wrote and directed, helped turn Matthew Broderick into a leading man. Track Down Locations for Hughes' Classics Hughes films' also captured the sounds of the times, with soundtracks for several films including 'Breakfast Club' and 'Pretty in Pink' producing new wave classics that were also chart toppers.

In the later years of his Hollywood career, Hughes turned towards more adult and family films, including his holiday classic 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles' and 'Uncle Buck,' both starring the late John Candy. He also was a writer on the blockbuster comedy 'Home Alone.' Hughes hadn't directed a film since 1991's 'Curly Sue.' His last produced screenplay was 1998's 'Reach the Rock.'

A spokesperson for Hughes confirmed the director's death. Variety reports that over the last decade, Hughes had stepped away from show business to spend time with his family, maintain a functioning farm in Illinois and support independent arts. He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Nancy, two sons, John and James, and four grandchildren.

[KPT-EX L.U.120x3]

Man..Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and the Nat'l Lampoon's Trilogy were some of my fav 80's movies

[Kemi N]

The Breakfast Club and Weird Science were my absolute favorite of John Hughes's movies. I even had a college roomate who loved breakfast club so much she would play it nearly every other night before she'd go to sleep...lol. He had a special way of deplicting 80s Teenage ways.....he was definitely a pioneer of that time period. Not to mention all the talent that he found and gave a start to.......RIP.