Available on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, an American comedy film from 1986, is written, co-produced and directed by John Hughes. The screenplay took Hughes less than a week to complete.
Ferris Bueller, a Chicago suburb high school senior, fakes illness to stay home on a sunny spring day. Jeanie disagrees with his parents, Katie and Tom, who think he's sick. After learning that Ferris missed that semester for the ninth time, Edward Rooney, the dean of the school, swears to reveal his truancy.
Saying her grandmother passed away, Ferris convinces his hypochondriac best friend Cameron Frye to let Sloane Peterson off from school. The three of them spend a day in Chicago seeing sites, having a nice lunch and participating in a parade. Searching the Bueller house for Ferris, Rooney runs across several humorous situations.
The film, released by Paramount Pictures on June 11, 1986, grossed $70 million on a $5 million budget, ranking tenth in 1986 US gross.
Ferris Bueller's Day Off: Main cast every viewer should know about
1) Matthew Broderick plays Ferris Bueller
Ferris Bueller, played by Matthew Broderick, is a charming high school slacker who skips class to explore Chicago. His acting skills made him famous, getting a Golden Globe nomination.
After the film, Broderick appeared in The Lion King, Godzilla and 0. Moreover, his work spanned throughout film, TV and theater. Recently, he performed in Manchester by the Sea and maintains his Broadway reputation.
2) Mia Sara as Sloane Peterson
Mia Sara played Ferris' girlfriend Sloane Peterson, who joins him on his day off. After Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Sara starred in Legend and Timecop.
Her personal life and family have taken precedence over her public life in recent years. Mia Sara is a Ferris Bueller icon despite retiring from acting.
3) Alan Ruck acts Cameron Frye
Ferris' hypochondriac best friend Cameron Frye traveled with him to Chicago, played by Alan Ruck. After Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Ruck appeared in Speed and Twister and played a major role in Spin City.
As Connor Roy in HBO's Succession, he regained fame and critical acclaim. Ruck remains a film and TV icon.
4) Jeffrey Jones (Edward Rooney)
Edward Rooney, played by Jeffrey Jones, was a determined school dean who wanted to catch Ferris.
After Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Jones appeared in Beetlejuice, The Hunt for Red October, and Sleepy Hollow. In the early 2000s, his career was hampered his acting career. Nevertheless, Jeffrey Jones' Rooney is a teen comedy icon.
5) Jennifer Grey (Jeanie Bueller)
Jennifer Grey played Ferris's frustrated sister Jeanie Bueller, who wants to expose his truancy. Grey rose to fame after Ferris Bueller's Day Off with Dirty Dancing, earning a Golden Globe nomination.
She appeared in many films and TV shows and won Dancing with the Stars in 2010. Jennifer Grey wrote Out of the Corner, a memoir about her career and life.
Supporting cast and crew
1) Cindy Pickett (Katie Bueller)
Katie Bueller, played by Cindy Pickett, is Ferris's unsuspecting mother who believes in his enacted illness. Post-Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Pickett appeared in St. Elsewhere and Sleepwalkers.
In recent years, she has kept a low profile but occasionally appears on TV. As Ferris's loving mother, Cindy is still remembered.
2) Lyman Ward (Tom Bueller)
Ferris's father, Tom Bueller (Lyman Ward), is also unaware of his son's antics. After Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Ward appeared in The Wonder Years and JAG and in Independence Day. He appeared in the 2022 indie film In the Forest. Lyman Ward's Tom Bueller role is memorable.
3) Edie McClurg (Grace)
Edie McClurg played Grace, Principal Rooney's assistant. Known for her comedic roles, McClurg continued to act in films like Planes, Trains and Automobiles, and Frozen.
4) Charlie Sheen (Boy in Police Station)
A brief but memorable appearance by Charlie Sheen as the police station boy who flirts with Jeanie. After Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Sheen's career took off with roles in Platoon, Major League and Two and a Half Men.
Sheen recently starred in Anger Management. Despite personal issues, his performance in Ferris Bueller is memorable.
5) Ben Stein (Economics Teacher)
Ben Stein famously droning Bueller...Bueller. was the boring economics teacher. After Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Stein starred in The Mask and hosted Win Ben Stein's Money. Frequently on TV, he comments on politics and economics. Ferris Bueller is one of Ben Stein's most famous roles.
The teen comedy classic Ferris Bueller's Day Off remains popular. Its talented cast and memorable characters shaped popular culture. The film launched the careers of its stars and established John Hughes as a teen comedy master.
This iconic film is still enjoyed by new generations of fans, and the cast members are still remembered.