American director and screenwriter, author of more than two dozen popular comedies. Best known as a screenwriter for the legendary comedy "Home Alone".
Biography
Born in 1950 in the capital of the American state of Michigan, Lansing. The only boy among four children. Mother, Marion, was engaged in charity work, father - John, worked in trade. He spent the first 12 years of his life in Gross Point, Michigan.
In 1969 the family moved to Illinois, to the small town of Nozbrook, a suburb of Chicago. While studying at Glenbrook North High School, he became interested in cinema. Hughes later said that he found an outlet in the films from the difficult situation in the family.
In addition to films, John was interested in music, considered himself a fan of the Beatles.
Career
After dropping out of the University of Arizona, he began to compose comedy reprises and sell to popular shows. In 1970 he worked as a copywriter for the Needham, Harper & Steers advertising agency. In 1974 he began cooperation with Leo Burnett Worldwide.
While working with the company, Philip Morris, meets the management of National Lampoon magazine. Thanks to his acquaintance, after a few weeks he was able to publish one of his stories in this magazine. Readers appreciated Hughes' talent, so the collaboration with National Lampoon continued. In his writings, Hughes humorously described teenage problems.
Hughes wrote the first script for Lampoon. The film, directed from this scenario, "Class Reunion" was a commercial disaster.
Hughes's debut as a director, the teenage comedy Sixteen Candles, was released in 1984. The film was an exceptional commercial success.
Over the next three years, Hughes wrote scripts for six teenage comedies, all of which were successful with the public.
In 1987 he wrote the script for the disaster comedy film Planes, Trains and Automobiles. The film becomes popular, with it begins the collaboration of Hughes with John Candy, the famous American comedian.
In 1990, the super hit "Home Alone" was released. Hughes himself wrote the script about a boy left at home, and was also involved in producing the film. The comedy was an exceptional commercial success, and was later recognized by critics as "the best family comedy of all time."
In 1991 he directed the romantic comedy Curly Sue.
Personal life
In 1970 he married Nancy Ludwig. In 1976, their first child, John, was born, in 1979, the couple's second son, James, was born. In 1999, John recorded the album "Reach the Rock", produced by his father.
In 1996, Hughes stopped appearing in public places. He leaves for Chicago, devotes a lot of time to caring for his sons and grandchildren.
In August 2009, Hughes and his wife flew to New York to see their newborn grandson. The day after arrival, Hughes had a heart attack. Despite the efforts of the doctors, he died.
