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The Stars of 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" is celebrating it's 25th anniversary! The iconic high-school comedy was released in 1986, made $70 million on a $6 million budget, and launched several wildly successful Hollywood careers. (Paramount)!['Ferris Bueller's Day Off']()
'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' Writer/director/producer John Hughes was Hollywood's hottest director of coming-of-age films, with "16 Candles," "The Breakfast Club" and "Pretty in Pink" already under his belt. "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" followed high-school senior Ferris (Matthew Broderick), who faked being sick in order to ditch school. Ferris has to plot and scheme in order to avoid getting caught by his parents, his resentful sister Jeanie (Jennifer Gray) and suspicious Dean of Students Edward Rooney (Jeffrey Jones), as he tries to enjoy a day of fun with his girlfriend Sloane (Mia Sara) and best friend Cameron (Alan Ruck).![Matthew Broderick Then]()
Matthew Broderick Then Broderick was a seasoned theater actor with one hit movie -- "WarGames" -- under his belt when he was cast as charming high school slacker Ferris Bueller at the age of 23. The role launched him onto Hollywood's A-list. (Paramount)![Matthew Brod Now Reu]()
Matthew Broderick Now "Bueller" made Broderick one of Hollywood's most sought after young leading men. Hits "Biloxi Blues" and "The Freshman," co-starring Marlon Brando, soon followed. In 1987, Broderick was involved in a serious car accident in Ireland that left two people in the car he hit dead. He said he remembered nothing of the accident, which happened when he was driving in the wrong lane. He was fined $175 for reckless driving, enraging the family of those killed. Broderick's star waned a bit in the 90s, but he stayed busy making films. Then he made a triumphant return to the stage in the 1995, winning a Tony Award for his performance in "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying." In 2001 he went back to Broadway, starring in Mel Brooks’ musical “The Producers,” which won a record 12 Tony Awards. He later starred in its 2005 film adaptation, which bombed big time. Broderick, now 49, recently welcomed twin baby girls delivered via surrogate with just-as-famous wife Sarah Jessica Parker, and be starring in the soon-to-be-released film “Margaret” with Matt Damon, Marc Ruffalo, and Anna Paquin. (Reuters)![Alan Ruck Then]()
Alan Ruck Then Alan Ruck was 29 years old when he got his big break playing Ferris Bueller’s hypochondriac best friend Cameron Frye. Our favorite Cameron quote? It is a tie between this: "I am not going to sit on my ass as the events that affect me unfold to determine the course of my life. I'm going to take a stand. I'm going to defend it. Right or wrong, I'm going to defend it." And this: "Sa...wing batta!" (Paramount)![Alan Ruck Now Ruet]()
Alan Ruck Now Ruck, 54, worked steadily on TV and in film in the 90s eventually landing the role of conniving Stuart Bondek on “Spin City,” which he played from 1996-2002. In 2005, he followed in Matthew Broderick’s footsteps by taking on the role of Leo Bloom in “The Producers.” He appeared in the film “I Love You Beth Cooper” and currently plays Dean Bowman in the college fraternity based drama “Greek.” (Reuters)![Mia Sara Then]()
Mia Sara Then Mia Sara landed her first major role in the 1985 film “Legend” with Tom Cruise before landing the role of Ferris’ girlfriend Sloane Peterson at the tender age of 19, one of the few actual teenagers playing a teen in the film. (Paramount)![Mia Sara Now]()
Mia Sara Now Sara continued to work in film in the early 90s, starring in “A Stranger Among Us” (1992) and "Timecop" (1994) before turning to TV. She starred in the short-lived WB show “Birds of Prey” from 2002-2003, but save for a guest appearance on "CSI: NY" in 2005, Sara, 43, hasn't been seen much camera time lately. (Reuters)![Jennifer Grey Then]()
Jennifer Grey Then Jennifer Grey appeared in several films before landing the role of Jeannie Bueller, Ferris’ angry, resentful sister, when she was 26. The following year, she nabbed her biggest role ever -- Frances “Baby” Houseman in "Dirty Dancing." (Paramount)![Jennifer Grey Now Reu]()
Jennifer Grey Now Grey, now 51, was on her way to a promising career until she decided to get a nose job in the early 90’s. Oops. The new nose left her arguably more attractive, but completely unrecognizable. Grey was never able to achieve the level of fame she seemed destined for but has still found work as an actress with guest appearances on TV shows and small movie roles. In 2011, her luck may have changed after she won "Dancing with the Stars." Stay tuned to see if a career rejuvenation follows... (Reuters)![Jeffrey Jones Then]()
Jeffrey Jones Then Jeffrey Jones starred in “Amadeus” before landing the role of Dean of Students Edward R. Rooney, which made him a cultural icon. Our favorite Ed Rooney quote: "I did not achieve this position in life by having some snot-nosed punk leave my cheese out in the wind." (Paramount)![Jeffrey Jones Now]()
Jeffrey Jones Now Jones, 64, continued to star in highly successful films including “Bettlejuice,” “Sleepy Hollow,” “Houseguest,” “The Devil’s Advocate” and many more. But in 2002, he was arrested on child pornography charges for employing a 14-year-old boy to pose for pornographic photographs. A year later he was sentenced to five years probation, ordered to undergo counseling, and register as a sex offender. He was arrested again in 2004 for failing to notify police of his change in residence. His last role was in the 2007 film “Who’s Your Caddy.” (Reuters)![Edie McClurg in Ferris]()
Edie McClurg Then McClurg played Grace, the glue sniffing secretary at Ferris' school. Her most famous line, when speaking of Ferris: "Oh, he's very popular Ed. The sportos, the motorheads, geeks, sluts, bloods, wastoids, dweebies, di**heads - they all adore him. They think he's a righteous dude." (Paramount)![edie mcclurg now]()
Edie McClurg Now The 56-year-old actress went on to do successful TV shows like "The Addams Family" and voiced several characters on "Tom & Jerry" and "Tiny Toon Adventures." Most recently, her voice can be heard as Minny in "Cars" and "Cars 2." (Reuters)![charlie in ferris]()
Charlie Sheen Then Charlie's scene in "Ferris" may have been short but it was memorable nonetheless. He played the motorcycle jacket-wearing dude who chatted up Jeannie Bueller at the police station. Here is the eerily prophetic exchange between Sheen and Jeannie: Boy in Police Station (Sheen): Drugs?Jeannie: Thank you, no. I'm straight.Boy in Police Station: I meant, are you in here for drugs?Jeannie: Why are you here?Boy in Police Station: Drugs. (Paramount)![charlie sheen AP]()
Charlie Sheen Now Sheen's career went white hot that same year, but with another movie: "Platoon." "Wall Street" followed before Sheen returned to comedies with "Major League" (1989) and "Hot Shots!" (1991). Sheen's career dipped precipitously until he took over for Michael J. Fox, who had been diagnosed with Parkinson's, on "Spin City." (That show also reunited him with 'Bueller' star Alan Ruck.) Soon after his "Spin" stint, Sheen scored the lead role on "Two and a Half Men," which by the end of 2010 made him the highest paid TV actor at almost $2 million an episode. That all stopped when Sheen was fired due to epic booze and cocaine binges, as well as publicly ridiculing the show's executive producer. To paraphrase Sheen's line in "Bueller": What happened? Drugs. (AP)Then/Now: The Cast of 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off'
See what Ferris and his pals have been up to since the 1986 megahit hit theaters.
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- Then/Now: The Cast of 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off'
