• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • ABOUT US
  • MEDIA
  • PRIVACY
  • TERMS
  • DMCA
  • CONTACT US
  • AUTHORS
do you remember

DoYouRemember?

The Home of Nostalgia

  • Celebrity News
    • Family
    • Obituaries
    • Life Behind the Fame
    • ICONS
    • Celebrity Feuds
  • Entertainment
    • Cast
    • Showbiz Rewind
    • Music
    • Beauty & fashion
  • STORIES
  • Celebrity Buzz!?
  • Sitcoms
    • Bewitched
    • Little Rascals
    • The Partridge Family
    • I Dream of Jeannie
    • All in the Family
    • MASH
    • Happy Days
    • Cheers
  • Celebrity Collections
  • SHOP DYR
    • DYR Book

Stories

One ‘Home Alone 2’ Stunt Caused Joe Pesci A Real, Serious Injury

by Dana Daly

Published November 25, 2023

Joe Pesci details an injry he sustained filmimg Home Alone 2

The Wet Bandits, the Sticky Bandits, whatever their moniker, this nefarious duo was always making trouble for Home Alone‘s Kevin McCallister, played by Macaulay Culkin. Fortunately, Kevin could be very effective with his traps to stop these bumbling bandits, played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern. Maybe a little too effective. While filming, Pesci actually suffered a real injury while filming Home Alone 2.

Released in 1992, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York sees Kevin once again separated from his family as they embark on their holiday vacation. But what starts as a merry mishap soon turns into a frantic festive fight to protect a toy store from Harry and Marv. Fortunately, even when lost in New York, Kevin knows how to set more than a few mean traps – including one that put Pesci at real risk.

Related:

  1. Joe Pesci Says He Got Seriously Injured While Filming ‘Home Alone 2’
  2. Harrison Ford Wanted Stunt Guys To “Leave Me The F— Alone” Filming ‘Indiana Jones 5’

Joe Pescie sustained a real injury filming ‘Home Alone 2’

One perilous prank saw Joe Pesci sustain a similar injury as Harry
One perilous prank saw Joe Pesci sustain a similar injury as Harry / YouTube screenshot

Last year marked the 30th anniversary of Home Alone 2. In celebration, Pesci spoke with PEOPLE about his filming experience, including the injury he suffered in solidary with his on-screen counterpart, Harry.

RELATED: The Cast Of ‘Home Alone 1 & 2’ Then And Now 2023

“In addition to the expected bumps, bruises, and general pains that you would associate with that particular type of physical humor,” Pesci began, “I did sustain serious burns to the top of my head during the scene where Harry’s hat is set on fire.”

The traps Kevin set for the Wet Bandits varied in their intensity and the targeted areas of the body. For instance, Marv has more than a few bricks thrown at his skull. Both of them had a heavy – and very full – metal shelf slammed into them. Giving due credit, Pesci assured, “I was fortunate enough to have professional stuntmen do the real heavy stunts.”

Getting into and staying in character

HOME ALONE 2: LOST IN NEW YORK, Joe Pesci, Macaulay Culkin, Daniel Stern
HOME ALONE 2: LOST IN NEW YORK, Joe Pesci, Macaulay Culkin, Daniel Stern, 1992, TM and Copyright (c)20th Century Fox Film Corp. All rights reserved / Everett Collection

The physically heavy stuff may have been covered by a stunt expert. But stuff like the fiery head trick was all Pesci, which meant it was really his head that was burned.

He got back at his young co-star, in a sense. Around the same time the outrageous Christmas classic was released, Pesci also had a prominent role in the gritty, mature gangster film Goodfellas alongside Ray Liotta. His reputation preceded Pesci and Culkin would end up feeling a bit afraid of Pesci while filming on set.

GOODFELLAS, Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, Paul Sorvino, Joe Pesci
GOODFELLAS, Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, Paul Sorvino, Joe Pesci, 1990 / Everett Collection

It didn’t help that Pesci, who generally favored mob movies, didn’t have a history of working with child actors, promoting more potential for distance between the on-screen rivals. But he was so charmed by the script, Pesci couldn’t say no and “wanted to play it for the kids.” In the end, Pesci proved himself excellent when it came to working alongside child actors. He did, however, avoid Culkin for a time to maintain an air of sinister mystery between them, to great effect.

Perhaps too great an effect.

Next up: Barbra Streisand Says Prince Charles Had A Pinup Of Her At College
Previous article: Barbra Streisand Says Prince Charles Had A Pinup Of Her At College
Next Post: Dolly Parton’s New ‘Rockstar’ Album Is Over 2 Hours Of Ambitious Collaborations

Primary Sidebar

© 2025 DoYouRemember? Inc.

  • about us
  • media
  • privacy
  • terms
  • DMCA
  • CONTACT US
  • AUTHORS