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Sixteen Candles Trivia

AKA: 16 Candles

1984

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It's the time of your life that may last a lifetime.

Trivia

"The Geek", Farmer Ted moves in for the kill...

Totally Trivia

Film facts for the 1984 Teen Drama movie starring Molly Ringwald, Michael Schoeffling, Anthony Michael Hall, John Cusack

Joan Cusack, Justin Henry, Haviland Morris, Gedde Watanabe, Jami Gertz Update Cast

We believe the following trivia is all legit. If it's bogus or you have additional info, please update us.

Thanks to Adam O'donnell

Update

Beth Ringwald was an old girlfriend and neighbor of Adam Carolla (radio personality and "Man Show" host). On the May 26, 2006 episode of his show she called in and described her small part in Sixteen Candles. She was the girl at the dance who got picked up and carried out of the coat room by the football player. (I posted a screen capture here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/adams-musings/340075868/.) According to Beth, she had more parts but decided during filming that her football player boyfriend looked too old to be a high school kid so most of her parts, along with his, ended up on the cutting room floor.

Rewind Archive

Update

This was John Cusack's 2nd film role after his debut in "Class" (1983).

Thanks to Suzanne

Update

Anthony Michael Hall, who plays one of the main characters, is listed as "The Geek" in the credits. During the movie his name is never revealed, although he calls himself Farmer Ted and other characters refer to him as "Ted".

Rewind Archive

Update

Anthony Michael Hall recalled of Sixteen Candles: "I love the work and I would never disparage it," he said. Far from the nerd in real life, he grew up to be a solid 6-foot-2!! He also released a CD, a rock/blues compilation that he wrote himself. His first single was played on mp3.com. He is determined to increase his range and visibility. Recently, he played Bill Gates in Pirates of Silicon Valley and he also stars in Hitched, a USA Network movie Hall likened to Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Thanks to Katherine Heugatter

Update

At 33, Anthony Michael Hall has already appeared in 37 movies and several Broadway productions. He says "it's fear that drives him".

Thanks to Sci And Danielle

Update

Anthony Michael Hall appeared on the USA hit Show Dead Zone as lead character Johnny.

Thanks to Greg

Update

Havilland Morris also played Wendy Worthington in "Who's That Girl" (1987).

Thanks to Sharon

Update

Gedde Watanabe, who played "Long Duk Dong" in Sixteen Candles, was in an episode of "Everwood" Season 3, #66 ("Oh The Places You'll Go"). He played Art, the owner of "Mama Joy's" diner that he is selling to move to Las Vegas. He has a brief scene with Nina (Stephanie Niznik) who is shocked that the diner is closing and he gives her a big bonus check before leaving.

Thanks to Leah

Update

When Samantha gets on the bus, the boy sitting behind her who waggles his eyebrows is sure looks like Sean Penn...

Rewind Archive

Update

Many people criticized the character of Long Duk Dong as being harshly racist and sterotypical of Asian people. In fact, you could argue that all John Hughes' characters in this film are racial stereotypes.

Thanks to Tim Hibbs

Update

The Long Duk Dong character is suspiciously similar to another character in a story John Hughes wrote for National Lampoon magazine titled "Christmas '59". The story, which seemingly also formed the storyline for the "Christmas Vacation" movie, has "Grandma & Grandpa Swenson" visiting for Christmas with exchange student "Xgung Wo" along for the ride. Echoing the racial stereotyping in the film, Xgung Wo mispronounces English phrases to comic effect.

Thanks to Anonymous

Update

Justin Henry (Samantha's obnoxious brother Mike) was nominated for an Oscar for his work in Kramer vs Kramer.

Thanks to Colleen

Update

Long Duk Dong, Gedde Watanabe, has been seen on episodes of "ER."

Thanks to Brandie

Update

Long Duk Dong, Gedde Watanabe, is actually an American from Utah.

Thanks to Matthew Calkins

Update

John Hughes actually has a very small cameo appearance in this film. When Samantha realizes her sister left her veil in the church she goes back in to get it. As she is going back in, the last guy out of the church is John Hughes. He turns to look at her and you get a clear shot of his face for less than 2 seconds.

Thanks to Evi Dobrila

Update

Haviland Morris has appeared in several episodes of "Law and Order". Her name is featured in the credits as the episode begins and she has red hair instead of the blond hair she sported in "Sixteen Candles". She now sells real estate in NYC.

Thanks to Neyda Obeso

Update

The groom in the movie (Rudy Ryszczyck) played by John Kapelos is also the same actor who plays the janitor in another John Huges movie "The Breakfast Club", and a bar pimp in "Weird Science".

Thanks to Christina

Update

John Kapelos also appeared in Weird Science as the Dino.

Thanks to Anonymous

Update

Blanche Baker (Samantha's sister Ginny) is the daughter of famed actress Carroll Baker (Tennessee Williams' Baby Doll. Blanche appeared in 70s miniseries Holocaust.

Thanks to Anonymous

Update

Paul Dooley (Samantha's father) always seems to play father roles such as "Breaking Away" and Claire Danes's dad in "My So-Called Life". In the 1990's, director Garry Marshal severely punished the man for forgetting Sam's Sweet 16 by casting him as a father who had paid for three aborted weddings. His daughter was Julia Roberts as the "Runaway Bride"!

He can also be heard as the voice of Sarge, the army jeep in Pixar's "Cars".

Thanks to Caligirl34

Update

Haviland Morris was also seen in "Home Alone 3" as the little boys mother.

Thanks to Caligirl34

Update

Haviland Morris was in an episode of Sex and the City in the episode called "The Turtle and The Hare". She is the bride and friend of Sarah Jessica Parker.

Thanks to pork pie mcfly

Update

Gedde Watanabe (Long Duk Dong) was also in 80's horror comedy VAMP.

Thanks to Christine

Update

Michael Schoeffling also played the boy Winona Ryder had a crush on in the movie "Mermaids" in 1990, Cher was her mother and Christina Ricci played her little sister.

Thanks to Rachel

Update

Unlike many TV and movie hunks of the 80's and 90's that came and went, the elusive Michael Schoeffling proved to be a timeless phenomenon that screwed up an entire generation of girls who got all hopeful that men that perfect really existed. In fact, on Valentine's Day 2004 (20 years after the film's release), a Washington Post article called "Real Men Can't Hold A Match To Jake Ryan" was published; citing that waiting for that perfect man has been referred to as "spending my whole life waiting for my Jake Ryan to come get me".

Ironically, while most of the cast of Sixteen Candles went on to other huge films and TV projects (namely Molly Ringwald's long collaboration with John Hughes), Schoeffling only went on to star in minor films before completely giving up acting in 1991-- he hit a pinnacle with the Jake Ryan role and felt nothing could surpass it. (In spite of how many teenage hunk roles calling for the timelessly tall, dark, and handsome existed in the late 80's and early 90's?)

Several of the obsessive fans who felt this movie screwed them up have made even more efforts trying to track down Schoeffling than the Glenn Miller search party! He was last known to be living near Wilkes-Barre, PA with his wife the former model Valerie Robinson, and their two teenage children and reportedly owns a furniture store that no one seems to know the exact location of.

Thanks to Rachel

Update

Sometime around 2003, Molly Ringwald announced she'd be producing a sequel called 32 Candles. The last any news was heard of this was some time around 2005. Anthony Michael Hall supposedly agreed to star in the film but fans complained that it wouldn't be the same without Schoeffling reprising the role of Jake Ryan.

Thanks to David_Mann

Update

Molly Ringwald almost lost the part of "Samantha" to Ally Sheedy.

Thanks to Craig S.

Update

Gedde Watanabe owned the 80's as the "Token Japanese Guy." In addition to the other roles already mentioned on this page, he hosted "Wheel of Fish" in the Weird Al Yankovic movie UHF and had a much larger role in Ron Howard's Gung Ho where he played the Japanese executive sent to manage "Hassan Motors" with Michael Keaton.

Thanks to Chris Campbell

Update

Steven Monarque, who palyed a Jock looking through the hole in the floor at the party, went on to play Johhny Ventura in "Friday the 13th: The Series".

Thanks to Ashley

Update

The license plate on Jake's car says "21850" which is director John Hughes' birthday (2/18/50).

Rewind Archive

Update

The strange girl on the bus in the neck brace is Joan Cusack, sister of John. She has appeared in many of his movies including "Say Anything" and "Grosse Point Blank".

Thanks to C.T. Warren

Update

Garry Marshal offered the lead role in "Pretty Woman" to Molly Ringwald, but she turned it down, not liking the idea of playing a hooker. If not for Molly, now-Oscar-winner Julia Roberts might still be delivering Mystic Pizza!

Thanks to Lisa

Update

Did you also notice that the plate on Jake Ryan's car also adds up to the number "16" as well as John Hughes birthday? Coincidence??

Thanks to Crystal

Update

Molly Ringwald's sister Beth (Patty) is the blonde girl at the dance who is being carried off by the football player when "Sam" and "Jake" are standing by the coat table.

Thanks to Yaz Jung

Update

Not only did Anthony Michael Hall release a Blues/Rock n Roll Album, he acted in a Rock n Roll film, alongside Supermodel Amber Valetta in the VH-1 Original Movie "Hysteria : The Def Leppard Story". Hall played legendary music producer Robert John 'Mutt' Lange, (who has produced AC/DC, Bryan Adams and his wife, Shania Twain). Amber Valetta played Supermodel of the 80's, Lorelei Shellist (girlfriend of legendary Leppard guitarist Steve Clark).

Rewind Archive

Update

Jami Gertz makes an early appearance as "Robin".

Thanks to John Edward Kilduff

Update

Haviland Morris (Caroline) and Gedde Watanabe (Long Duk Dong) would be reunited 6 years later in the classic sequel "Gremlins 2: The New Batch". Haviland played chain-smoking corporate go-getter Marla Bloodstone and Gedde played a tourist-turned-news cameraman named Mr. Katsuji.

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Bogus Trivia

There's often fake stuff floating round, y'know? -Like the 'ghost boy' that can allegedly be seen in "Three Men And A Baby".

The following trivia for "Sixteen Candles" is apparently bogus. If you disagree or have additional info, please update us.

Beth Ringwald plays one of Caroline Mulford's friends. She plays the girl who is at the party walking upstairs with Jake Ryan's mom's pearls on and she says: "What? I don't do that!" and the pearls break. She is also the girl that cuts Caroline's hair when it was stuck in the door.

I'm sorry, this is incorrect. Elaine Wilkes plays the part of the pearl-wearing friend who cut Caroline's hair. Elaine also played Colleen in the movie "My Chauffeur" with Deborah Foreman.

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