Uncle Buck
When their parents rush back to Indianapolis, three siblings are thrust into the chaotic care of their reckless Uncle Buck, whose carefree habits and gambling addiction clash with the urgent need to protect a rebellious teen and two young children from danger in suburban Chicago.
“He's crude. He's crass. He's family.”
Synopsis
Buck Russell is a lovable but disheveled bachelor who unexpectedly becomes the temporary guardian of his nephew and nieces following a family emergency. His laid-back lifestyle quickly creates friction with his older niece Tia, his devoted girlfriend Chanice, and nearly everyone else he encounters.
Credits
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How many hands made this film
The scale of the collaboration
A crew of 170+ credited
Why a floor?
This is a minimum, not a total. We only count the credits we’ve captured so far, and coverage is uneven — a blockbuster might show a few hundred names while another of the same size shows a couple dozen. The real crews all ran into the thousands. The number here only grows as full credits are enriched — so we frame it as a floor, never a headcount.
Craft leads on file
Edited by Lou LombardoShot by Ralf D BodeScored by Ira NewbornDesigned by John W CorsoSound by Gary Alexander Nm0018428Stunts by M James Arnett
Box Office
1989 · Box office
💰 Box-office hit — grossed 5.3× its budget
Why 2.5×?
Cinemas keep roughly half of every ticket sold, and a wide release’s marketing often costs about as much again as the film — so a movie needs to gross around 2.5× its production budget just to break even theatrically. It’s a rule of thumb, not the studio’s ledger (home video and streaming come later).
Worldwide gross
$79.3M
US & Canada: $66.8M — 84% of worldwide · International: $12.5M (16%)
Opening weekend: $8.8M — 13% of its US run. It had legs — it kept earning long after opening weekend.
Opening week (7-day): $16.9M — 25% of its US & Canada run.
Peak 1,804 theaters
Full synopsis
Also known as
- Allein mit Onkel Buckde
- (Alternative Title)El tío Buck
- L'Oncle Buckfr
- Io e zio Buckit
- (Bulgarian)Чичо Бък
Release dates around the world5 countries · showhide
- CanadaAug 16, 1989
- United StatesAug 16, 1989
- IndonesiaDec 4, 1989
- MalaysiaDec 4, 1989
- SingaporeDec 4, 1989
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Cast & Crew
170 unique people credited
Top billed cast
John Candy
as Buck Russell
Macaulay Culkin
as Miles Russell
Jean Louisa Kelly
as Tia Russell
Gaby Hoffmann
as Maizy Russell
Amy Madigan
as Chanice Kobolowski
Elaine Bromka
as Cindy Russell
Garrett M Brown
as Bob Russell
Laurie Metcalf
as Marcie Dahlgren-Frost
Jay Underwood
as Bug
Brian Tarantina
as E. Roger Coswell
Mike Starr
as Pooter-the-Clown
Suzanne Shepherd
as Mrs. Hogarth
Supporting cast
42William Windom
as Mr. Hatfield
Dennis Cockrum
as Pal
Joel Robinson
as Miles' Friend #1
Colin Baumgartner
as Miles' Friend #2
Erik Whipple
as Miles' Friend #3
Mark Rosenthal
as Party Boy #1
Doug Von Nessen
as Party Boy #2
Wayne Kneeland
as Party Boy #3
Gigi Casler
as Party Girl in Bedroom
Laverne Anderson
as Party Girl #1
Gina Doctor
as Party Girl #2
Rachel Thompson Perrine
as Party Girl #3
Ron Payne
as Maizy's Teacher
Jane Vickerilla
as Teacher #1
Kyle Lewis Eastman
as School Child
Dana Taylor
as School Child
Jennifer Kane
as School Child
Christen Loftis
as School Child
Genae Affrunti
as School Child
Anna Chlumsky
as School Child
Betsy Bottando
as Woman in Car
Julia Morgan
as Additional Voices
Granville Ames
as Additional Voices
Ramey Ellis
as Additional Voices
Leigh French
as Additional Voices
Patricia Arquette
as Additional Voices
Laura Jacoby
as Additional Voices
Devon Odessa
as Additional Voices
Arnold F Turner
as Additional Voices
Garin Bouble
as Additional Voices
Tim Hoskins
as Additional Voices
Julie Payne
as Additional Voices
Jack Blessing
as Additional Voices
Todd Larson
as Additional Voices
Kevin Bassett
as Extra
Michael Berkowitz
as Student
Cathy Carlson
as Party Guest
James Anthony Caruso
as Party Boy #4
Anthony Joseph Fatigato
as Scary man in mailbox slot
Frost Keaton
as Party Guest
Robert Minkoff
as Bit
Ryan Todd
as School Child
Directors
1Writers
1Producers
4Other crew
117Adena Lazan
accounting clerk
Linda Rizzuto
additional hair stylist
Jamie Sue Weiss
additional makeup artist (as Jamie Weiss)
Joe Gilbert
adr assistant
William Shane Grisco
animal trainer (as William S. Grisco)
Ellen Elphand
apprentice editor
Fred C Vitale
apprentice editor
Daniel Loren May
as Dan May
Marilyn Vance
as Marilyn Vance-Straker
Rosemary Chiaverini
assistant
Brenda Morris
assistant auditor
Ed O Malley
assistant editor
Parents Guide
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