# Ferris Bueller's Sister...Jeanie **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 15, 2001, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferris-buellers-sister-jeanie/72606 "2001-07-15T21:38:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2001, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferris-buellers-sister-jeanie/72606/1 "2001-07-15T21:38:56Z")
I’ve seen the movie before, but maybe I didn’t pay enough attention. What grade is Jeanie Bueller in? I always assumed she was Ferris’ older sister, but he’s a Senior in high school and she goes to school with him. Is she his older or younger sister? ---
**Author:** ![Atreyu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@Atreyu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atreyu)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2001, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferris-buellers-sister-jeanie/72606/2 "2001-07-15T21:51:22Z")
I don’t think the movie ever actually directly states what grade Jeanie is in, or what their respective ages are. Jeanie’s at least 16, like Ferris, since they both are shown driving and hence have driver’s licenses. I’ve always assumed that she was younger, and perhaps a grade or two behind Ferris. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2001, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferris-buellers-sister-jeanie/72606/3 "2001-07-15T21:59:53Z")
[this site](http://members.tripod.com/bueller_residence/movieinfo.htm) gives a lot of information about the actors and the story, but doesn’t mention her age/grade. The site indicates Ferris was a senior. I don’t know who is right. What amazed me was the actual age of the actors when they made the film. Broderick was 23, Jennifer Grey was 25. Cameron Frye, his best friend was 29!! Wowzzer!! ---
**Author:** ![hazel-rah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/73ab20/32.png) [@hazel-rah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hazel-rah)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2001, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferris-buellers-sister-jeanie/72606/4 "2001-07-15T22:21:26Z")
They’re in the same grade, both seniors, but she’s older. She got a car, he got a computer. How’s that for being born under a bad sign? -fh ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2001, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferris-buellers-sister-jeanie/72606/5 "2001-07-15T23:00:50Z")
Couldn’t they just be twins? She could still justify calling herself Ferris’ older brother, even if they were twins. And that tidily wraps up the whole continuity issue… ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2001, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferris-buellers-sister-jeanie/72606/6 "2001-07-15T23:07:43Z")
And don’t forget: Her name is jeannie but everybody calls her Shauna. oooo…shauna! shauna…shauna jean… jarbaby ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2001, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferris-buellers-sister-jeanie/72606/7 "2001-07-15T23:14:26Z")
Could they be **step** -brother and sister? That would explain their similar ages. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2001, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferris-buellers-sister-jeanie/72606/8 "2001-07-15T23:45:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rastahomie \* > \*\*Couldn’t they just be twins? She could still justify calling herself Ferris’ older brother, even if they were twins. > > And that tidily wraps up the whole continuity issue… \*\* I don’t think it would justify her calling herself Ferris’ older _brother_… ---
**Author:** ![Mystery\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f14d63/32.png) [@Mystery\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mystery_Dog)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2001, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferris-buellers-sister-jeanie/72606/9 "2001-07-16T13:31:13Z")
I have a copy of the screenplay for FBDO that I got from one of the screenplay sites on the Internet. Near the end, in the scene where Jeanie rescues Ferris from Ed Rooney on the back doorstep, there is the following description: “The door closes on Rooney’s defeated, lost, dejected, bewildered face. Not only has he lost Ferris again, he has Jeanie to deal with next year.” So it appears that Jeanie was only a junior in the screenplay. Of course, there are many differences between the screenplay and the finished movie (for one thing, the dialogue in the scene I’m quoting is very different), so that stage direction may not be completely authoritative.