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Every holiday season, families across the world rewatch Home Alone, the classic Christmas comedy about Kevin McCallister outsmarting the Wet Bandits. But behind the laughs, stunts, and booby traps are tons of fun facts, hidden details, and behind-the-scenes stories. Here are 25 things you (probably) didn’t know about Home Alone.
Twentieth Century Fox / Hughes Entertainment
1. It Was Written in Just Nine Days
Screenwriter John Hughes wrote the script in less than two weeks—proving some of the best ideas come quickly.
2. The McCallister House Is Real
The iconic Chicago-area home is real, located in Winnetka, Illinois. Fans still visit it every Christmas. (And wonder how much that mortgage could be…)
3. The Movie Almost Didn’t Happen
The original studio dropped the project, but 20th Century Fox picked it up—thankfully!
4. Joe Pesci Tried to Avoid Macaulay Culkin
Pesci deliberately kept his distance from the young actor to make sure Kevin would be genuinely intimidated by Harry. Would you say it worked well?
5. The Famous Scream Was an Accident
When Kevin puts aftershave on his face and screams, Macaulay Culkin kept his hands on his cheeks instead of patting them away—it became one of the most iconic moments in movie history.
6. The Tarantula Was Real
Daniel Stern (Marv) actually had a live tarantula crawl across his face during the basement scene.
7. No, He Didn’t Scream (For Real)
Stern mimed screaming so he wouldn’t scare the spider. The sound was dubbed in later.
8. The Movie Within the Movie Was Fake
“Angels with Filthy Souls,” the gangster movie Kevin watches, was shot just for Home Alone.
9. The Pizza Delivery Scene Was Improvised
Much of the interaction between Kevin and the delivery guy was improvised on set.
10. The House Basement Didn’t Flooded for Real
The basement scenes were filmed in a high school swimming pool to achieve the flooding effect.
11. Macaulay Culkin Was Only 9 Years Old
He became one of the biggest child stars of the 1990s after this film.
12. Robert De Niro Turned Down the Role of Harry
He was approached before Joe Pesci but declined.
13. The Movie Was a Box Office Monster
It made over $476 million worldwide and was the highest-grossing live-action comedy for more than 20 years.
14. The Wet Bandits Were Originally More Violent
The script toned them down to keep the movie family-friendly.
15. The Paint Can Trick Has Been Debated
Fans have argued for years whether the swinging paint cans would have actually killed the burglars in real life.
16. John Candy Filmed All His Scenes in One Day
The “polka king” cameo was shot in just 23 hours straight.
17. Elvis Conspiracy Theory?
Some fans believe Elvis Presley makes a background appearance at the airport. (He doesn’t—it’s just a lookalike.)
18. The Film Inspired Security Research
A study once calculated that the cost of Kevin’s booby traps would’ve been astronomical in real life.
19. Catherine O’Hara Still Gets Stopped for It
Decades later, the actress who played Kevin’s mom still hears fans shout, “KEVIN!” at her in public.
20. It Was Nominated for Two Oscars
The movie earned nominations for Best Original Score and Best Original Song.
21. Buzz’s Tarantula Was Named After The Greek Word For “Fear”
The spider’s name? Axl.
22. Kevin’s Passport Gets Thrown Away
In the chaos at the beginning, his dad accidentally throws Kevin’s passport and boarding pass in the trash when wiping up spilled milk —explaining why no one noticed he didn’t board the flight.
23. The House Interiors Were Built on a Basketball Court
The inside of the McCallister home was recreated inside a local high school gym.
24. Chris Columbus Wasn’t the First Choice
Other directors passed before Columbus took on the project, which became his breakout hit.
25. The Legacy Lives On
The success of Home Alone spawned sequels, reboots, and endless holiday traditions—cementing it as one of the most beloved Christmas movies ever.
Final Thought:
From secret sets to improvised scenes, Home Alone is full of surprises even decades later. Next time you watch Kevin defend his house, you’ll have 25 more reasons to smile (and maybe impress your family with some movie trivia).
