As one of the most talked-about figures, John Hughes has built a significant fortune. Our team analyzed the latest data to provide a clear picture of their income.

What Was John Hughes' Net Worth?

John Hughes was an American filmmaker, screenwriter, and director who had a net worth of $150 million at the time of his death in 2009. John Hughes is best known for making some of the most iconic films of the '80s, including "Sixteen Candles," "National Lampoon's Family Vacation," "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles," and the "Home Alone" films.

Movies written by Hughes generated $1.4 billion at the global box office. The two "Home Alone" movies earned $834 million combined. After adjusting for inflation, that's the same as around $1.6 billion in today's dollars.

Early Life

John Hughes was born John Wilden Hughes Jr on February 18,1950, in Lansing, Michigan. His father worked in sales, and his mother was an active volunteer in the community. He had three sisters and spent his early childhood in Pointe Grosse. He has stated that he spent a lot of his childhood introspecting and imagining because there weren't many kids in his neighborhood for him to befriend. He enjoyedBob Dylan,John Lennon, and Picasso during his adolescence. John's family moved to Northbrook, Illinois, a suburb outside of Chicago, when he was 13 years old. His father had found work there selling roofing materials. He attended school at Glenbrook North High School, which was larger than his previous school. He found the size overwhelming and didn't have many friends, so he took solace in music and art. After graduating, he enrolled at the University of Arizona.

Advertising Career

Hughes dropped out of college not long after he enrolled and began to sell jokes to well-known comedians, includingJoan RiversandRodney Dangerfield. In 1970, he was able to use his comedic talents to get an entry-level job at the Chicago advertising agency Needham, Harper & Steers. After a few years working there as a copywriter, he left in 1974 to take a job working for the international advertising firm Leo Burnett Worldwide. During this time, John created the successful "Credit Card Shaving Test" ad campaign for the razor and shaving companyThe Edge. The ads compared the sound of a credit card flicking against two sides of a man's face that had been shaved with the advertised product as well as a competitor's and pointed to the differences in sound as reflecting the closeness of the shave. He was active in advertising campaigns for Virginia Slims, which often required him to travel to New York City, where he would visit the "National Lampoon" magazine's headquarters. He soon became a frequent contributor for the publication. He wrote his first credited screenplay, "National Lampoon's Class Reunion," while he was still on staff as a writer at the magazine.

Hollywood Career

Ultimately, John Hughes's financial journey is a testament to their success.

Disclaimer: All net worth figures are estimates based on public data.