10+ Fun Facts About “Home Alone” You Didn't Know

Jessica Wilson
Nov 21, 2023
Nov 22, 2023

It is no exaggeration to say that “Home Alone” is the timeless Christmas classic that has warmed hearts for generations. Amidst the joy and laughter, there's more to discover about this iconic holiday movie. Get ready for a festive ride as we unwrap 10+ fun and surprising facts that add an extra dash of cheer to the adventures of Kevin McCallister.

Whether you're a longtime fan or a newcomer to the McAllister family chaos, these tidbits will make you appreciate the film's charm in a whole new way. So, grab some hot cocoa, settle in, and let's explore the hidden gems of "Home Alone" together!

#1. It took weeks to find the McCallister house.

Source: Home Alone/20th Century Fox

According to Entertainment Weekly, director Chris Columbus and his crew spent weeks finding the right house. They decided to choose a house in Winnetka, Illinois, because it was warm and menacing.

#2. Macaulay Culkin's younger brother appeared in the movie.

Source: Home Alone/20th Century Fox

Many might not notice that in his first acting credit, Culkin's brother, Kieran, played Kevin's cousin, Fuller.

#3. The movie was completed in just over a week.

Source: Home Alone/20th Century Fox

John Hughes wrote its first draft of the screenplay in nine days. His son, Jame revealed that Hughes wrote after a family trip to Europe in response to his father's severe traveler's anxiety, as reported by one Chicago magazine article.

In an interview with Time, Hughes shared, “I was going away on vacation, and making a list of everything I didn't want to forget. I thought, 'Well, I'd better not forget my kids.' Then I thought, 'What if I left my 10-year-old son at home? What would he do?'”

#4. Macaulay Culkin has trouble watching the film.

Source: Home Alone/20th Century Fox

The actor told Ellen DeGeneres that he couldn’t watch "Home Alone" without recalling a lot of personal context. “When I'm watching it, I'm seeing like — I'm remembering that day on set. You know, like, how I was hiding my Pepsi behind the couch,” he shared. “I can't watch it the same way other people can.”

#5. John Candy improvised most of his scenes.

Source: Home Alone/20th Century Fox

Columbus revealed that the comedic actor John Candy had to improvise many scenes. “He was in the movie for only one day, but it resulted in so much great improvisation. None of that stuff was in the script,” he said. “The funeral-parlor story, that was all improvised at 4:30 in the morning. We could barely keep a straight face on set just listening to John.”

#6. The director Columbus added one of the film's most touching moments.

Source: Home Alone/20th Century Fox

Hughes wasn't keen on allowing much improvisation or changes to his script, but Columbus managed to slip in a sweet vision for the character of Old Man Marley that made its way into the film.

“I added the moment when Marley talked about not being able to see his granddaughter. I also added the very end of the movie when Kevin sees that Marley is reunited with his granddaughter,” Columbus told Insider. “That is probably my proudest addition to the movie.”

#7. Robert De Niro was supposed to play Harry.

Source: Home Alone/20th Century Fox

Though Joe Pesci nailed the role of Harry, he was not the first choice for this character. The production team invited him to take on the part but the actor never considered it.

#8. Culkin improvised one of the most iconic "Home Alone" moments.

Source: Home Alone/20th Century Fox

Kevin's aftershave scene is one of the film's most famous moments and has become iconic in movie history. Surprisingly, Culkin didn't follow Columbus's instructions for the scene.

“If you put something on your face that burns, most people move their hands right away. So my direction to him was when you pat your face, move your hands and scream. And I think it was the first take, he kept his hands on his cheeks,” the director told Insider.

#9. Candy reportedly earned less than the pizza boy for his cameo in “Home Alone.”

Source: Home Alone/20th Century Fox

It took 23 hours for Candy to film all his scenes but it didn’t earn him much money. In an episode of “The Movies That Made Us,” it's revealed that the actor did the cameo as a favor to Hughes and received “scale” pay, the minimum rate agreed upon by a studio. Surprisingly, Candy ended up earning less than Danny Warhol (aka Dan Charles Zukoski), who played the pizza boy.

#10. The stunts were real.

Source: Home Alone/20th Century Fox

It is true that the stunt people had to do all of the falls themselves. The film crew didn’t use any special effects and there were no pads on the ground to avoid the pain.

#11. The tarantula on Stern’s face was also real.

Source: Home Alone/20th Century Fox

In one scene, Kevin puts a real tarantula on Marv's face, with Daniel Stern agreeing to it but insisting on just one take. To avoid scaring the spider, Stern had to mime the scream, and the sound was added later during dubbing.
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10+ Fun Facts About “Home Alone” You Didn't Know

#1. It took weeks to find the McCallister house.

#2. Macaulay Culkin's younger brother appeared in the movie.

#3. The movie was completed in just over a week.

#4. Macaulay Culkin has trouble watching the film.

#5. John Candy improvised most of his scenes.

#6. The director Columbus added one of the film's most touching moments.

#7. Robert De Niro was supposed to play Harry.

#8. Culkin improvised one of the most iconic "Home Alone" moments.

#9. Candy reportedly earned less than the pizza boy for his cameo in “Home Alone.”

#10. The stunts were real.

#11. The tarantula on Stern’s face was also real.

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