Daniel Stern, the actor best known for portraying bumbling burglar Marv Murchins in the classic Home Alone films alongside Joe Pesci, has had a misdemeanor prostitution charge against him officially dismissed. The 68-year-old star was issued a citation on December 10 last year, accused of soliciting a prostitute at a hotel in Camarillo, California. He was not arrested in connection with the incident.
Case Dismissed After Education Class
A hearing for Stern's case had been scheduled for this Friday, where he potentially faced up to six months in jail and a fine of $1,000 if convicted. However, a representative for the Ventura County District Attorney's Office has now confirmed that the charge has been dropped. The defendant did what he was supposed to do, the representative told Entertainment Weekly. He completed his education class and earned a dismissal. This is our standard disposition for first-time prostitution offenses.
Career Impact and Recent Roles
Prior to the citation, Stern had been hired as a series regular in the upcoming ABC comedy Do You Want Kids?, starring alongside Rachel Bloom and Rory Scovel. In the wake of the scandal, the network confirmed to the Daily Mail that his role was being recast. Stern's last television appearance was in 2023, playing Eli Hobson in the fourth season of the Apple TV+ sci-fi series For All Mankind. His most recent film role was in the 2019 movie James vs. His Future Self, directed by Jeremy Lalonde, where he played the older version of a time-travel scientist.
Home Alone Salary Revelation
In his 2024 memoir Home and Alone, Stern revealed intriguing details about his salary negotiations for the Home Alone sequel. When the original 1990 film became a massive box office hit and a follow-up was greenlit, the studios offered him $600,000—double his salary from the first movie. However, he noted that his co-stars had received multi-million dollar starting offers. Stern recalled asking Twentieth Century Fox for more money, pointing out that Joe Pesci, who played his Wet Bandits sidekick Harry, was making approximately $2 million to $3 million.
Life Beyond Hollywood
In December, Stern shared that he has left Hollywood behind and now resides on a farm where he grows tangerines. In a TikTok video, he explained, Hello, as you have come to discover, I live on a farm and we grow tangerines here. He described how the tangerines are picked, juiced, frozen, and given away to friends. Another video, which garnered over 1.6 million views, showcased one of the impressive sculptures he has been working on, highlighting his creative pursuits away from the entertainment industry.
