Home Alone casting notes show how different Christmas classic could have been with huge stars considered

Casting memos reveal different actors in consideration for now-iconic roles

Old Home Alone notes show the 1990 Christmas classic almost looked very different, with Susan Sarandon, Kirstie Alley, Tim Curry, and even screen legend Jimmy Stewart considered for key roles before the final cast was locked in.

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures recently shared a video on TikTok in which archivist Louise Hilton talked about the original casting memos with a “shortlist of the actors who were finalists”.

The notes are preserved in the Margaret Herrick Library, the research archive of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

The material shows shortlists, availability notes for actors and internal deliberations from the film’s casting process, more than three decades after its release.

Catherine O’Hara and Macaulay Culkin as Kate and Kevin McCallister in ‘Home Alone’ (20th Century Fox)

“Can you imagine if Kirstie Alley or Susan Sarandon had played Kate in Home Alone?” Hilton asks in the video.

The notes flashing in the clip reveal that Blythe Danner, Candice Bergen and Joanna Cassidy, along with Alley and Sarandon, were in the running to play the role of Kevin McCallister’s mother Kate. The role eventually went to Catherine O’Hara.

The casting department considered Sam Waterston, Danny Aiello and David Dukes for Kevin’s father Peter, a role played by John Heard.

Catherine O’Hara, Susan Sarandon and Kirstie Alley (Getty)

Home Alone, written by John Hughes and directed by Chris Columbus, was released in 1990 and became a global box office hit, earning two Academy Award nominations and cementing its place as a perennial holiday favourite.

The film follows Macaulay Kulkin’s Kevin, a young boy who is accidentally left behind when his family go on a Christmas holiday and is called on to outwit two burglars who target the seemingly empty house.

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One of the more striking near-misses involves the role of Marley, the reclusive neighbour who ultimately comes to Kevin’s rescue.

Hilton said that for the “older neighbour who saves the day”, the production considered Jimmy Stewart.

“His agent was interested, and he was available, but they ended up going with Robert Blossom.”

Vincent Gardenia was also under consideration for the role.

Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, and Roberts Blossom in ‘Home Alone' (Century Fox/Kobal/Shutterstock)

The casting memos also reveal the production team’s early thoughts about the film’s iconic villains, the burglars Harry and Marv. One note suggests that they can “go with an older Harry and younger Marv as written” but adds that “Tim Curry and Dan Stern make an exciting pair”.

Curry did not appear in the original film but joined the franchise as Mr Hector in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.

Joe Pesci, who ultimately played Harry, was initially marked as “offer only” and unwilling to audition. The notes show the studio didn’t think “he'll do it”.

“But of course he does,” quipped Hilton.

Pesci eventually joined the film to partner Daniel Stern’s Marv.

Other actors considered for the part included Robert De Niro, Jon Lovitz, Joe Pantoliano, and Zack Norman.

Additional casting records show that Kelsey Grammer was approached for the role of Uncle Frank.

In 2016, comedian John Mulaney revealed that he was asked to audition for Kevin McCallister, a role that went to Macaulay Culkin, but his parents decided not to let him.

Director Chris Columbus also said in 2020 that De Niro was “talked about a little internally” for the role of Harry, but that he never considered it too seriously.

According to a new poll conducted by the British Board of Film Classification, Home Alone is the UK’s favourite Christmas film.