The Goonies was released on June 7, 1985, making the movie 38 years old this week. The movie featured a gang of kids hunting a treasure to save their homes from foreclosure, and laid the foundation for stardom for its young cast that included Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Corey Feldman, Kerri Green, Martha Plimpton, and Ke Huy Quan. For director Richard Donner, the year-long project was draining. He loved the kids, but working with a whole gang of them was stressful and exhausting. After the production wrapped, Donner took off to Hawaii for some rest and relaxation away from children.
Steven Spielberg, who wrote the story and helped out with some direction during the shoot, had a brainstorm and arranged for all the child actors, and a few of the adults, too, to surprise Donner in Hawaii. Spielberg had them all flown over to the island to visit Donner, and made sure the surprise was caught on camera.
If Donner was at all bothered by the invasion, he hid it well, and graciously welcomed the cast. You can hear one of the kids saying they would stay with him the whole time he was there, but I don't believe that's what ultimately happened. It probably gave Donner pause at the time. -via Fark