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"You can mess with a lot of things, but you can't mess with kids on Christmas."[src]

Kevin McCallister was mistakenly separated from his family during Christmastime twice as a child and forced to defend himself against bumbling burglars Marv and Harry. He later foiled Marv, Vera, and Molly's plans to kidnap a Crown Prince.

He was the youngest child of Peter and Kate McCallister and the youngest sibling of Buzz, Megan, Linnie, and Jeff.

Later on in his life, he made it an annual tradition to irresponsibly prank call Buzz, who was now a police officer, during Buzz's patrol.

Biography[]

Kevin McCallister lived with his older brothers and sisters in a house in Winnetka, Illinois. Being the youngest sibling, he would sometimes get tormented by the others, especially when his uncle Frank, Aunt Leslie, and cousins stayed at the house to join them for the family's Christmas trip to Paris as well as Buzz. Fed up with his family, declared that when he grew up and got married, he would live alone.[1]

Left home alone[]

Kevin with gun

Kevin using the BB gun

One night, after getting into a fight with his older brother, Buzz, who purposely stole and ate Kevin's cheese pizza, Kevin was sent to the third floor of the house to go straight to bed to sleep as punishment by their mom, Kate, and he wished that his family would disappear. The next morning, as the family prepared in haste to leave, Kevin was still sleeping. During a headcount, his cousin Heather mistook the McCallisters' neighbor's son and Kevin's friend Mitch Murphy, for Kevin. The family, in a rush, hurried off to the airport, unaware that Kevin was not with them.[1]

Later, Kevin woke up to find his whole family gone. Kevin was thrilled, thinking that his wish came true and that he made his family disappear. He watched Angels with Filthy Souls (a film that his uncle would not let him watch the night before) and ate a giant ice cream sundae. The film's shooting scene got him startled and he shouted for his mom.[1]

Harry and Marv, the "Wet Bandits", started robbing houses in Kevin's neighborhood and planned to rob Kevin's house, too, but he managed to scare them away multiple times. When they discovered that he was only a child and that he was alone, they planned to come back and rob his house at 9:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve.[1]

Traps

Kevin shoots at Marv for trying to enter the house

Before they came, Kevin went to see a Santa Claus impersonator. He told him that instead of presents, he wanted his family to come home. He later walked by a house and saw a happy family eating together. Kevin went to church and discovered that his neighbor, Mr. Marley, was not as scary as Kevin imagined. They spoke about their respective family issues and Kevin suggested Marley contact his estranged son.[1]

This conversation apparently encouraged Kevin to protect his house and face Harry and Marv, setting up booby traps for them. After they started chasing him, he called the police. Kevin used a makeshift zipline to get to his tree house and the burglars began chasing him again. He led them to the Murphy's house, which they had already robbed. They were a step ahead of him this time, and they caught him. Just in time, Old Man Marley intervened and saved him, and shortly later, Harry and Marv were arrested.[1]

He woke up on Christmas morning and checked downstairs, but his family were still not home. However, a few minutes later, his mother arrived and apologized to Kevin for the way she acted the night before the flight to Paris leaving him all alone in the house and not believing him that Buzz ate all his cheese pizza. As he forgave her, Kevin happily hugged his mom. A moment later, the rest of his family arrived as well. After greeting everyone (And keeping silent about his encounter with Harry and Marv), Kevin walked over to the window, looked out and smiled upon seeing that Marley had taken his advice and made up with his son, thus reuniting him with his family. Suddenly, Buzz shouted, "Kevin, what did you do to my room?!" and Kevin ran away from the window.[1]

Lost in New York[]

Buzz vs kevin

Kevin at a school Christmas pageant getting humiliated by Buzz

One year later, the McCallisters were going to Florida for Christmas. Kevin saw Florida as contradictory to Christmas because he thought there were no Christmas trees in the state. While unplugging a charger for camcorder batteries, Kevin's father, Peter, accidentally unplugged the alarm clock, resetting the device to 12:00 upon replugging, wherein he did not even bother to notice and reset it.[2] During a school Christmas pageant, Buzz humiliated Kevin during his solo, causing Kevin to get furious and ruin the performance. Kevin refused to apologize for his actions and was annoyed with his family's decision to go to Florida, before going up to his third-floor bedroom of the house. After an argument with his mom about the vacation to Florida, Kevin wished to have his own vacation alone after Kate reminded Kevin about his wish to be home alone the previous year and told him that he would get it again this year.[2]

Kevin at Twin Towers

Kevin at the World Trade Center in New York City

The next morning, in the confusion and rush to reach the airport on time, Kevin followed a man who had the exact same color coat as Peter and boarded a flight bound for New York City, while carrying Peter's bag containing his wallet, credit cards and a large amount of cash as Kevin realized that his family was in Florida and he was in New York.[2]

While in the state, Kevin toured the city and convinced the staff at the Plaza Hotel into giving him a room using Peter's credit card. During a visit to Central Park, he was frightened by the appearance of a homeless woman tending to pigeons.[2]

On Christmas Eve, Kevin once again toured the city in a limousine and visited a toy store where he met its philanthropic owner, Mr. Duncan. Kevin learned that the proceeds from the store's Christmas sales would be donated to the St. Anne's children's hospital. Duncan gave Kevin a pair of ceramic turtledoves as a gift, instructing him to give one to another person as a sign of eternal friendship. After encountering the Wet Bandits Harry and Marv (who recently escaped from prison and were now called the "Sticky Bandits"), Kevin retreated to the hotel. The hotel's concierge, Mr. Hector, confronted Kevin about the credit card which had been reported stolen. Kevin fled after evading Mr. Hector, but was captured by Harry and Marv. Harry took his ticket out of his hand and ripped it to shreds, so that way Kevin could not get back home or to Miami with his family. The duo discussed plans for robbing the toy store that night, before Kevin escaped, having recorded the entire conversation without the Sticky Bandits noticing.[2]

Following advice from the Pigeon Lady, who he then realized how her life had fallen apart and how she dealt with it by taking care of the pigeons in the park, Kevin vowed to her that he would be her friend. He went to his his uncle Rob and aunt Georgette's old townhouse, then undergoing renovations, and set up various traps in preparation for facing off once again against Hary and Marv.[2]

He then arrived at the toy store during Harry and Marv's robbery, threw a brick through the window (with a note explaining to Duncan what had happened), setting off the store's alarm, and led the pair to the townhouse, springing the traps. When the duo closed in on Kevin, he fled the townhouse and called 911. Harry and Marv were able to catch Kevin and attempted to kill him in Central Park. The pigeon lady intervened and incapacitated Harry and Marv by pelting them with birdseed, which attracted the birds and caused them to swarm the Sticky Bandits, and Kevin set off fireworks he had bought earlier to signal the police. Harry and Marv were re-arrested.[2]

At the World's Largest Christmas Tree, Kevin wished to see his family again and told her that he was sorry. Kate arrived just in time and she and Kevin reconciled as the two headed back to the hotel and Kate told Kevin that the family did not like the palm trees and having Christmas in Florida.[2]

On Christmas morning at the Plaza Hotel, Kevin and Buzz reconciled and Buzz allowed him to open up the first present. Kevin went to Central Park to give the pigeon lady the second turtledove. At the hotel, Buzz received the bill for Kevin's original stay. His father suddenly called out, "Kevin, you spent $967 on room service?!" at which point Kevin, knowing that he was in big trouble, ran away again, but this time back to the hotel.[2]

Parents' separation[]

The following information comes from Home Alone 4, which has continuity problems with the first two films in the series.

Kevin's parents later separated and his father moved in with his new girlfriend, Natalie Kalban.[3]

After having enough of being bullied by Buzz, Kevin decided to spend Christmas with his father at Natalie's mansion. When left alone with the butler Prescott, Kevin was shocked to see Marv again, this time with his wife Vera in tow. Kevin was unable to contact Prescott in his living quarters, so lured Marv and Vera to the bathroom and flooded the house. Marv recognized Kevin, but quickly made an escape with Vera before Kevin's dad and Natalie returned. They refuse to believe Kevin that the thieves had broken into the house, and Prescott denied anyone had broken in.[3]

Later, Kevin, Peter, and Natalie trimmed the tree and the next day, Kate brought Kevin a few of his things. Later that night, on Christmas Eve with the royals to arrive, Kevin saw Marv and Vera, but Prescott moved him out of their way. Kevin locked Prescott in the fridge and then dropped sauce on Marv and Vera, burning them both.[3]

The next day, on Christmas, Peter and Natalie went to pick up the royals after their flight was cancelled the day before. Kevin tried to get rid of the suspected inside-man Prescott, but learned that Natalie's maid Molly was the inside man and Marv's mother. Kevin made Marv and Vera fall off the chandelier and trapped Molly in an elevator. Prescott escaped the wine cellar using the dumbwaiter to knock out Molly who was about to knock out Kevin. In the end, Marv, Vera, and Molly went to jail, Peter broke up with Natalie and moved back in with his wife and children. The royals spent their Christmas with the McCallister family.[3]

Home Alone 4 information ends here.

Adult life[]

The following information comes from outside the main Home Alone franchise and therefore may not be reliable and/or officially acknowledged.

Years later, Kevin got married to Anna, his childhood sweetheart. Due to the trauma Kevin received as a child, his relationship with Anna was dysfunctional and he was generally unstable.[4]

-DRYVRS_Ep._1_"Just_Me_In_The_House_By_Myself"_starring_Macaulay_Culkin_&_Jack_Dishel

-DRYVRS Ep. 1 "Just Me In The House By Myself" starring Macaulay Culkin & Jack Dishel

Kevin McCallister attacks a Car Jacker.

Kevin's wife, Anna, worked for :DRYVRS. One day, sometime around 2015, Kevin had to step in for his wife at her job, as she had incapacitated herself earlier by doing "too much blow". He picked up Jack, and when they were attacked by a car jacker, Kevin managed to tie him up and bring him to a dingy garage, where the car jacker was tied back with Christmas lights. Jack went to leave, but Kevin told him to stay, and Kevin proceeded to torture the car jacker who he believed was a home invader, dancing around in the car jacker's blood and acting deranged.[4]

Home_Alone_Wet_Bandit_Resurfaces_and_Responds_to_Kevin_MacCalister’s_Threatening_Video-2

Home Alone Wet Bandit Resurfaces and Responds to Kevin MacCalister’s Threatening Video-2

Marv Murchins' video message to Harry Lyme.

Across the internet, videos circulated of Kevin's deranged behaviour, showing him attack numerous home invaders. This prompted a much older Marv Murchins to send a message of distress to Harry Lyme, as Marv was absolutely terrified of Kevin. At the end of Marv's video, the screen cut black and Marv let out a blood-curdling scream, indicating Kevin had found Marv.[5]

Potentially unofficial information ends here.
Home_Alone_Macaulay_Culkin_Google_Assistant_Parody

Home Alone Macaulay Culkin Google Assistant Parody

An adult Kevin spends Christmas indulging in McCallister tradition.

A few years later, Kevin peacefully had the McCallister home to himself over Christmas, with his only companion being the Google Assistant. Kevin spent the day enacting similar decisions to his first time home alone, but was able to prevent the Wet Bandits from attempting to break into the McCallister home again by locking down the house and staging a party by using Google Assistant.[6]

Sometime after his older brother Buzz became a police officer, Kevin took to annually prank calling him during his patrol on Christmas by claiming to be a child left home alone. Buzz considered Kevin an "idiot" due to his behavior.[7]

In 2021, when Buzz was on patrol, he got a call from dispatch from the family of a boy named Max Mercer, who was alone at the Mercer house. As Buzz was already at the residence, he recognized no signs of a child being there, had prior fake calls from Kevin, and saw that that the Mercer home was protected by McCallister Home Security, he passed off the call as bogus.[7] The fact that Buzz cited the Mercer home having a McCallister Home Security system to justify the call as being bogus to fellow officers, suggests that Kevin may be apart of the company in some manner or even its owner.

Other appearances[]

Home Alone (video game)[]

In the 2006 PS2 video game Home Alone, Kevin is one of four playable characters. He is represented as a boy with blond hair, blue eyes, and a red sweater (like his film counterpart) and must defend his house from burglars by locking the doors.

Personality[]

Kevin appears to be quite a mischievous, yet good hearted eight/nine year old. As he's the youngest child, he is often the victim of bullying from his older siblings (especially Buzz) and with his mom often unfairly chastising Kevin instead of Buzz. He is hot-tempered and often says cruel hurtful comments, particularly when he says he doesn't want to see his family. Much of this is the reason why he acts out in the house. When he appears to have his wish granted, he is ecstatic and indulges in every whim especially since he was bullied by Buzz and his cousins. However, he deeply regrets his comments on the Christmas Eves he was abandoned, and does love his family, even his siblings.

He is very intelligent and cunning for his age. He is able to devise a whole array of booby traps in order to foil the Wet/Sticky Bandits. He also knows how to deceive them into thinking someone else is in the house or that other people are in the house to stop them from stealing the items in the house. He is wise for his age, giving advice to Marley and the Pigeon Lady.

In Home Alone 2, we see Kevin no longer hot-tempered, however, Buzz completely humiliated him during his solo, which led Kevin furious because of his family believing Buzz's lies and annoyed about going to Florida, much of his disadvantages.

In Home Sweet Home Alone, Kevin is shown have a level of immaturity in adulthood by enjoying annually prank calling Buzz during his Christmas patrols by claiming to be a child left home alone.

The following information comes from outside the main Home Alone franchise and therefore may not be reliable and/or officially acknowledged.

In his later life, Kevin became traumatised due to his treatment by his family and the Wet Bandits - Kevin became separated from his family, ignoring his mother, and marrying his childhood sweetheart Anna, a drug-user. He became violent towards all home invaders, even against those who he only believed were home invaders. He retained his intelligent ways of hurting and torturing his enemies, including a Car Jacker[4] and Marv Murchins.[5]

Potentially unofficial information ends here.

Behind the scenes[]

Although director Chris Columbus auditioned hundreds of child actors for the role of Kevin in Home Alone, writer John Hughes always had Macaulay Culkin in mind. After doing a read with Culkin, Columbus called Hughes to express his amazement with the young actor. He would later recall, "He's a real kid. He doesn't look like one of these Hollywood-perfect kids. His ear is bent a little bit. He had a great voice that was not annoying, it was just charming, and he was really funny."[8]

Culkin reprised the role in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. Early drafts of Home Alone 3 again featured Kevin as the protagonist, but after Culkin retired from acting in the mid-1990s, a new script featuring a new cast of characters was written.[9] Home Alone 4 again features the McCallister family from the first two films, but has an entirely different cast, with Mike Weinberg portraying Kevin.

Culkin appeared in the web-series :DRYVRS from 2015 to 2017 as an unnamed character who is heavily implied to be an adult Kevin McCallister.[4] In 2018, he appeared as Kevin in a Google Assistant promotional video titled Home Alone Again with the Google Assistant.[6]

Trivia[]

  • Kevin prefers cheese pizza.
  • In the scripts, he's 7, but in the first movie he's 8 and claims to be 10 in the second movie (although he may actually be 9 since the second movie only takes place one year later).

Gallery[]

References[]


The McCallister family
Peter and Kate's family KevinPeterKateBuzzMeganLinnieJeff
Frank and Leslie's family FrankLeslieTracySondraBrookeFuller
Rob and Georgette's family RobGeorgetteHeatherRodSteffanTwins
Others PenelopeAnna
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