ByRoger Cormier|Mar 22, 2022, 9:19 PM EDT
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Released a little over two weeks after the infamous New York Magazine article that dubbed its cast “The Brat Pack,” St. Elmo’s Fire was the 1985 coming-of-age movie featuring Emilio Estevez, Ally Sheedy, and Judd Nelson that wasn’t The Breakfast Club. It was the one about the uncertainty of life right after college, not the teenage angst of high school. It also was the one not made by John Hughes. Here are 15 things you might not know about St. Elmo’s Fire.
1. IT WAS WRITTEN BY JOEL SCHUMACHER AND HIS ASSISTANT.
Carl Kurlander suffered from unrequited love with a waitress one summer while working as a bellhop at Chautauqua, New York’s St. Elmo hotel. He eventually turned the experience into a short story, which his college professor suggested he title St. Elmo’s Fire. By the time Kurlander had become writer-director Joel Schumacher’s assistant, he had turned it into a screenplay. The two then worked together to rewrite it.
2. THE STUDIO HATED THE TITLE.
Columbia Pictures ended up producing the movie, and sent a 35-page memo listing all of their issues with the proposed title and suggesting such alternatives as The Real World and Sparks.
3. ANTHONY EDWARDS AND LEA THOMPSON AUDITIONED.
The future stars had to find their fame a little later. Most young actors weren’t turned off by the script, even though one major studio head allegedly called the seven main characters “the most loathsome humans he had ever read on the page.”
4. JOHN HUGHES WAS A BIG HELP IN THE CASTING PROCESS, BOTH ON PURPOSE AND BY ACCIDENT.
Emilio Estevez, Ally Sheedy, and Judd Nelson were all strongly recommended for the movie by their Breakfast Club director. Schumacher “discovered” Demi Moore when she rushed past his office one day after Hughes stood her up for a meeting. Schumacher asked Kurlander to follow her to find out if she was an actress, believing she looked just like what the character of Jules should look like. Fortunately for them, she was; she had just spent a season on General Hospital.
5. MOORE AND ROB LOWE HAD MEMORABLE AUDITIONS.
Moore came in on a motorcycle for hers, with the tags still on her clothes. Lowe walked into his audition for Billy Hicks with a six-pack of Corona.
6. EMILIO ESTEVEZ WANTED TO PLAY BILLY HICKS.
He settled for playing Kirby Keger and dating Moore.
7. DEMI MOORE HAD TO GO TO REHAB BEFORE SHOOTING.
When she started showing up high for clothes fittings, Schumacher demanded that she get clean from drugs and alcohol to play Jules, who of course had a coke problem.
8. GETTING CAST AS DALE BIBERMAN JUMPSTARTED ANDIE MACDOWELL’S FILM CAREER.
Though the former model had appeared in 1984‘s Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes, she was never actually heard, as Glenn Close dubbed all of her dialogue. Schumacher hired her anyway, which she said changed her life.
9. MARE WINNINGHAM PLAYED A VIRGIN WHILE SHE WAS PREGNANT.
The 26-year-old actress was actually pregnant with her third child when she played Wendy Beamish. Winningham’s brother, Patrick, was also in the film; he played a member of Billy’s band, The New Breed.
10. WENDY’S PARENTS WERE A DIVORCED COUPLE.
Martin Balsam and Joyce Van Patten, who played Wendy’s parents in the movie, were actually married from 1957 to 1962. Their daughter, Talia Balsam, is also a noted actress who appeared on Mad Men with her husband, John Slattery. Balsam also holds the distinction of being the first Mrs. George Clooney (they married in 1989 and were divorced less than four years later).
11. “ST. ELMO’S FIRE (MAN IN MOTION)” WAS WRITTEN ABOUT A PARALYZED ATHLETE.
David Foster and John Parr were attempting to write a theme song for the film, but Parr wasn’t motivated enough by it to write lyrics. Foster brought the story of athlete Rick Hansen—who was traveling the world in his wheelchair in his “Man in Motion Tour” to promote spinal cord injury awareness—to Parr’s attention. Parr wrote the words to promote Hansen, but made it ambiguous enough so that it could also work for the movie.
12. GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY WOULDN’T ALLOW ANY FILMING ON ITS CAMPUS.
While the story was about a bunch of Georgetown grads, the university read the script and declined the production’s request to shoot on campus. But the nearby University of Maryland stepped in and said yes. Still, the St. Elmo’s Bar is known to be based on The Tombs, a popular bar for Georgetown students.
13. JULES DID HAVE A FULL NAME.
According to the screenplay, it was meant to be Julianna Van Patten.
14. ANDREW MCCARTHY WASN’T MUCH OF A JOINER.
He spent his downtime listening to Bruce Springsteen on his Walkman. Estevez wrote screenplays during his breaks. Judd Nelson read Billy Budd while he was on set.
15. ALLY SHEEDY WAS “HORRIFIED” BY HER SEX SCENE.
It wasn’t until the day of filming her steamy scene with McCarthy that Sheedy realized it wouldn’t be a simple fade out before any of the naked stuff happened (she wore a body suit). But both McCarthy and Schumacher made the process more comfortable. “He knew I felt awkward, and he shot it fast,” Sheedy said of her director. “He didn’t draw it out into this painful exercise at all.” And a mishap actually added some laughter to the scene; when the shower door was pushed out of frame, it was an accident that stayed in the film, much like Sheedy’s reaction: “It was my real laugh there,” she says.
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The 5 Best Indian Restaurants in the U.S., According to Guy Fieri
Chicken vindaloo in Alaska and lamb curry in New Mexico? These are the unexpected Indian restaurant picks that made Guy Fieri’s list.
ByNitya Rao|May 12, 2026, 8:34 PM EDT
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Guy Fieri has spent decades behind the wheel of his red Camaro, proving that you don’t need a plane ticket to Delhi to find world-class curry. From the high-desert heat of Santa Fe to a hidden gem inside a Utah gas station, the Mayor of Flavortown has uncovered a “real deal” map of Indian cuisine right here in the U.S.
We aren’t just talking about your standard, lukewarm lunch buffets or the neon-red chicken you find at the mall. We’re shouting out five standout restaurants where the spices are toasted fresh, the tandoors are roaring, and the flavors are, in Fieri’s words, “off the hook.”
If you’re ready to trade the burgers for biryani and see how the spice trade meets the American Main Street, explore this mouthwatering list of Fieri’s top five Indian restaurants in the U.S.
- Paper Dosa – Santa Fe, NM
- Tandoori Oven – Logan, UT
- Gandhi Mahal – Minneapolis, MN
- Hari Om Cuisine of India – Fairbanks, AK
- Al Noor – Baton Rouge, LA
Paper Dosa – Santa Fe, NM
Lamb Curry
Santa Fe is world-renowned for its green chile, but Paper Dosa is successfully putting South Indian comfort food on the New Mexican map. This isn’t your typical rich, cream-based fare; instead, Chef Paulraj Karuppasamy offers an aromatic, authentic approach to the subcontinent’s lesser-known culinary region.
While their namesake paper-thin fermented rice crepes are a work of art, Fieri was specifically floored by the lamb curry. The dish features a lighter profile than most Northern Indian stews, relying on fresh curry leaves and toasted mustard seeds rather than heavy dairy. The result is a vibrant, aromatic dish with layers of flavor—”spice,” “smoke,” and “acid,” to be specific—that allow the tenderness of the lamb to shine through. After sampling the spread, from the potato-stuffed masala dosa to the fragrant lamb curry, Fieri noted that a visit here “isn’t just a meal; it’s an experience.”
Tandoori Oven – Logan, UT
Chicken Tikka Masala
In the world of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, some of the best culinary treasures are found in the most unassuming places. Case in point: Tandoori Oven, which is famously tucked inside a Utah gas station. While travelers might stop for a tank of unleaded, locals know to head inside for a “smorgasbord of flavors” that the Arora brothers have been perfecting for years.
When giving Fieri the lowdown on the restaurant’s offerings, Chef Sham Arora clarified that Northern Indian food is typically richer than its Southern counterparts, and the signature chicken tikka masala he later whipped up is a prime example. The secret to this creamy, spicy “Indian stew,” as Fieri describes it, lies in a rigorous two-day marination process that breaks down the proteins until the meat is so tender that your teeth simply sink into it.
After a trip into a traditional clay tandoor oven, the chicken is smothered in a vibrant, orange-red tomato-onion gravy and served with rice, naan, or—if you’re doing it right—both. Between the “perfect blend of spice” and the high-heat char from the clay tandoor, Fieri found himself struggling with the etiquette of eating something so delicious. He joked that his only real anxiety was figuring out how to “shovel it in fast enough” without looking like a dog who had never seen food before.
Gandhi Mahal – Minneapolis, MN
Dal with Naan
Gandhi Mahal is a Minneapolis legend that proves you can be “green” while serving up red-hot curry. Before its original building was lost in 2020, the restaurant was a marvel of urban sustainability, featuring a full aquaponics system in the basement. This high-tech setup allowed the kitchen to grow its own fresh produce and raise fish right on-site. Today, that commitment to fresh ingredients continues through their “Curry in a Hurry” concept.
When Fieri visited, he was immediately floored by the “outstanding” chicken tikka masala, noting it had “such a depth” of flavor. He specifically praised the “richness” of the ground almonds in the sauce and the juiciness of the chicken, which he likened to butter.
But the “next level” experience didn’t stop there. Fieri also got a taste of the plant-based side of the menu, continuing his Indian feast with a helping of earthy dal and blistered naan. The lentils are simmered for hours before being finished with a tarka—a traditional technique where whole spices are tempered in hot ghee to create an explosion of flavor.
Fieri was so impressed by the bite of smooth dal and pillowy naan that he declared the combination “multi-layered perfection.” For Fieri, the soulfulness of the cooking made it the perfect entry point for any skeptic: “If you don’t think you like Indian food, let this be your visa.”
Hari Om Cuisine of India – Fairbanks, AK
Chicken Vindaloo
If you think you have to be in a major metro area—or even the mainland—for authentic spice, Hari Om in Fairbanks is here to prove you wrong. Located just a few hours south of the Arctic Circle, this eatery provides a fiery contrast to the Alaskan chill thanks to the expertise of Chef Amit Paul.
With nearly three decades of experience, Paul has mastered the Dum Pukht tradition—a specialized slow-cooking method where the pot is sealed, allowing the food to steam in its own juices. This technique is likely why Fieri was so impressed with the texture of the chicken vindaloo, noting that the chicken was so tender it “just fell apart.”
The dish features a thick sauce built from a potent paste of red chiles and vinegar, a combination that hits all the right notes for the Mayor of Flavortown. “I love the spice, and I love the acidity,” Fieri remarked, adding that the dish has a “really nice mix of spices” and a distinct “zip.” While the vindaloo brought the heat, Fieri also sampled the lamb korma, a rich, nut-based curry that showed off the kitchen’s range.
Ultimately, Fieri concluded that the meal is “everything you want it to be, especially on a cold day in Fairbanks.”
Al Noor – Baton Rouge, LA
Lamb Kebabs
Baton Rouge might be the land of gumbo and crawfish, but Fieri found a culinary powerhouse tucked away in a suburban strip mall at Al-Noor. Chef Khalad Al-Noor famously walked away from a career in corporate engineering to return to his roots, and the result is what Fieri calls “Indian Soul Food.”
The lamb sheekh kebabs are a masterclass in tandoori cooking. The process starts with fresh ground lamb mixed with a total of 16 flavorful ingredients, including fresh ginger, garlic, and a custom blend of toasted spices. Next, the supple meat is hand-molded onto long metal skewers and lowered into a roaring clay tandoor. The intense heat renders the fat perfectly, creating a kebab that is incredibly juicy with a signature charred exterior.
While Fieri called the restaurant’s unique espresso-rubbed venison “off the hook,” it was the lamb that he deemed truly “outrageous,” noting that the spices aren’t just on the meat—they’re in it.