Profile Text
Birth Name: John Wilden Hughes, Jr.
Date of Birth: February 18, 1950
Place of Birth: Lansing, Michigan, U.S.
Date of Death: August 6, 2009
Place of Death: New York City, New York, U.S.
Ethnicity: Norwegian, German, English, Scottish
John Hughes was an American filmmaker. He helped shape film and pop culture in the 1980s and 1990s, having been a motion picture director and writer from 1982 to 2001, and creating many beloved staples of American cinema. He directed and wrote the films Sixteen Candles , The Breakfast Club , Weird Science , Ferris Bueller’s Day Off , Planes, Trains and Automobiles ; She’s Having a Baby , Uncle Buck , and Curly Sue . He also wrote the films National Lampoon’s Class Reunion , Mr. Mom , National Lampoon’s Vacation , Pretty in Pink , Some Kind of Wonderful , The Great Outdoors , National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation , Home Alone , Career Opportunities , Dutch (1991), Home Alone 2: Lost in New York , Dennis the Menace (1993), Baby’s Day Out , 101 Dalmatians (1996), Home Alone 3 , and Reach the Rock ; and co-wrote the films Nate and Hayes , National Lampoon’s European Vacation , Beethoven (1992), Miracle on 34th Street (1994), Flubber , and Just Visiting . He also wrote for the show Delta House ; and created, and wrote for, the show At Ease . He was also billed as Edmond Dantès.
John was the son of Marion Joyce (Crawford), a charity volunteer, and John Wilden Hughes, Sr., who worked in sales. He was raised mostly in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. He was married to Nancy Ludwig, until his death, with whom he had two children.
John’s patrilineal line can be traced to Humphrey Hewes, who was born, c. 1555, in Somerset, England.
John’s paternal grandfather was Ralph Ernest Hughes (the son of Hiram W. Hughes and Sarah Jennie Smith). Ralph was born in Michigan. Hiram was the son of Issachar Hughes and Hannah Miller.
John’s paternal grandmother was Marie Isabell/Isabelle Borgerson/Burgeson (the daughter of John Burgeson and Ella Martinson). Isabell was born in Michigan, to Norwegian parents.
John’s maternal grandfather was Francis Clifford Crawford (the son of Charles Crawford and Minnie Davis). Francis was born in Michigan. Charles was the son of Francis W. “Frank” Crawford and Amanda Case. Minnie was the daughter of Scuyler/Cuyler Davis and Elmira/Almira Unger.
John’s maternal grandmother was named Erna F. Pabst (the daughter of Louis Pabst and Amelia). Erna was born in Berlin, Germany.
Sources: John’s father on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Marriage record of John’s paternal grandparents, Ralph Ernest Hughes and Marie Isabell/Isabelle Borgerson/Burgeson – https://www.familysearch.org
John’s mother on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org