In the bustling pre-production phase for his next ambitious project, 'The Color Purple', Steven Spielberg was immersed in myriad details that came with a period drama. So, it was with genuine surprise that he found a script delivered by his assistant with a note: "From Alex Hayes." He hadn't entirely expected the young star, amidst his own whirlwind of success with 'Footloose' and the recent wrapping of 'The Breakfast Club', to follow through so quickly after their brief chat at the 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom' premiere.
Curiosity piqued, Spielberg settled down to read. The title page read: 'Catch Me If You Can'.
The first page immediately indicated it was adapted from the 1980 autobiographical book of the same name, detailing the astonishing life of the young con artist Frank Abagnale Jr. However, Spielberg noted a significant alteration: Alex Hayes had changed the protagonist's name in the script to Fred Abbruzzi.
The story itself was undeniably captivating: a charismatic young man, Fred Abbruzzi, who, before even reaching his nineteenth birthday, masterfully defrauded companies and individuals out of millions of dollars by convincingly posing as a Pan American World Airways pilot, a Georgia doctor, and a Louisiana parish prosecutor. The sheer audacity and scale of the deceptions were almost unbelievable. Spielberg found himself engrossed, even as he suspected that some of the more outlandish incidents depicted were likely exaggerated for dramatic effect – a common enough occurrence in adaptations of "true stories."
And he thought perhaps this was why Alex Hayes had astutely changed the protagonist's name; it signaled an intention to treat the film as a thrilling work of fiction inspired by the book, rather than a direct, literal biography, thus allowing for greater dramatic license with the already fantastical source material.
Despite any potential embellishments, Spielberg had to admit the script was exceptionally well-crafted. It was tight, paced like a thriller, yet infused with a compelling character study of the young con man. He liked the premise immensely; it was a thrilling cat-and-mouse game with a complex, charming anti-hero at its center.
However, his immediate focus had to remain on 'The Color Purple'. It was a demanding film, one he was deeply committed to, and it required his full attention. 'Catch Me If You Can', as intriguing as it was, would have to wait.
A few days later, Alex Hayes received a call from Paula Wagner, his new agent at CAA.
"Alex, I just got off the phone with Spielberg's office," Paula began, a note of excitement in her voice. "He read 'Catch Me If You Can'. He's very interested, says he really liked the script."
Alex felt a surge of elation.
Paula continued, "He's keen on directing it. But—and this is the main thing—he can only seriously consider starting it towards the end of the year, after he wraps principal photography on 'The Color Purple'."
Alex leaned back, a satisfied smile spreading across his face. That was more than he could have hoped for at this stage. "That's great news, Paula. Understandable about the timing. Let him know I appreciate him reading it so quickly and that the project will be here when he's ready."
This was a significant step for Alex. 'Catch Me If You Can' was the first screenplay he had written entirely on his own, a departure from his earlier co-writing efforts. Knowing that Steven Spielberg himself saw promise in it was a huge validation.
The wait for Spielberg would give him the time to relax. Alex recognized that after the relentless pace of the past couple of years—a period of intense creative output and skyrocketing fame—he also wanted to dedicate some of that upcoming interim period to himself. He decided he was going to take a break, a deliberate pause to recharge, reflect, and work on his own personal growth before embarking on potentially even greater challenges.
******
June 1984 settled over Los Angeles, and Alex Hayes was finally taking a well-deserved personal break, a period of quiet reflection after a whirlwind year of intense work and skyrocketing fame. While Alex recharged, the film industry, as always, was taking stock. With the summer movie season beginning to unfold, the final box office numbers for films released in 1983 had completed their tallies, painting a clear picture of the previous year's cinematic landscape.
The Domestic Box Office Top Ten for 1983 are:
* 'Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi' - $252 million
* 'Terms of Endearment' - $108 million
* Risky Business (starring Alex Hayes) - $105 million
* 'Flashdance' - $92 million
* 'Trading Places' - $90 million
* 'WarGames' - $79 million
* 'Sixteen Candles' (featuring Alex Hayes) - $73 million
* 'Octopussy' - $67.8 million
* 'Sudden Impact' - $67.6 million
* 'Mr. Mom' - $64 million
Alex Hayes starring in the #3 film of the year, 'Risky Business', which also crossed the $100 million threshold, was a major factor in his high ranking on the 1983 exhibitors' poll.
The Worldwide Box Office Top Ten for 1983 are:
* 'Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi' - $374 million
* 'Flashdance' - $201 million
* 'Terms of Endearment' - $165 million
* 'Octopussy' - $187 million
* 'Never Say Never Again' - $160 million
* Risky Business (starring Alex Hayes) - $158 million
* 'Staying Alive' - $126 million
* 'WarGames' - $124 million
* 'Trading Places' - $120 million
* 'Sixteen Candles' - $102 million
Industry analysts noted that while Alex Hayes commanded an immense and loyal following domestically, with major hits like 'Risky Business' and 'Sixteen Candles', his overall worldwide box office penetration for these earlier youth-focused films was strong but still had room to grow compared to global mega-franchises. The subjects, while resonating powerfully in the U.S. and performing well internationally, were often seen as having a more specific cultural context. However, the consensus remained firm: at his young age and with his rapidly expanding talents, Alex Hayes was well-poised to achieve even greater dominance on the global stage as he branched into different genres.
Meanwhile, 'Footloose', Alex Hayes's early 1984 cinematic triumph, had also concluded its remarkable theatrical run. The film became an even bigger sensation than initially projected, finishing with a stunning $128 million domestically and an impressive $65 million in foreign markets, bringing its total worldwide gross to a formidable $193 million. This performance marked another $100 million-plus domestic hit for Hayes, adding to his impressive tally of successes.
The film's music continued its historic chart performance. The 'Footloose' soundtrack album stayed at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for an incredible 13 consecutive weeks. Alex Hayes's rendition of the title track, "Footloose," held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for a remarkable 7 weeks. Adding to the soundtrack's dominance, Deniece Williams's "Let's Hear It for the Boy" also surged to No. 1 for 3 weeks, making the 'Footloose' soundtrack a true chart powerhouse.
Beyond chart positions, the album's commercial success was staggering: the 'Footloose' soundtrack sold more than 7 million copies in the U.S. alone, with industry insiders predicting it had the momentum to cross the coveted 10 million mark, positioning it for an eventual Diamond certification.
With 'Footloose' becoming his latest and biggest success, Alex Hayes now had a string of eight consecutive hit films to his name. This unprecedented run solidified his reputation, even at such a young age, as arguably the most consistent and bankable star in Hollywood.