John Wilden Hughes, Jr. was an American film producer, director, and screenwriter. He was well known for directing several films such as The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. He also wrote and produced National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and the Home Alone films. He even produced a few films under the pseudonym Edmond Dantes, including the Beethoven franchise, Maid in Manhattan, and Drillbit Taylor (his final project).
For Disney, he wrote and produced the 1996 live-action remake of 101 Dalmatians and the 1997 comedy Flubber (both of which were distributed by his short-lived company Great Oaks Entertainment). He also produced the 2001 Hollywood Pictures comedy Just Visiting.
On August 6, 2009, Hughes was taking on a stroll in New York City when he suddenly collapsed of a heart attack and was rushed to the Roosevelt Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He was 59 years old.