Old Man Marley

"You can say hello when you see me. You don't have to be afraid. There's a lot of things going around about me, but none of it's true."

- Old Man Marley Old Man Marley is the deuteragonist of Home Alone and the next door neighbor of Kevin McCallister. He was played by Roberts Blossom

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In the film, Old Man Marley was Kevin's neighbor. He was called "the South Bend Shovel Slayer", and was said to have murdered his family back in 1958 by Kevin's older brother Buzz. He was also said to have kept his victims in his garbage can full of salt, and that the salt was supposed to have turned the dead bodies into mummies. When Kevin meets Marley outside his house, he turns and runs back inside his house, afraid.

Kevin goes to the drug store, gets a toothbrush and asks the clerk about whether or not it was approved by the American Dental Association. Marley then comes in while Kevin is checking his pockets to see if he brought enough cash to buy the toothbrush. Kevin then looks up, sees Marley and backs away a little before running off while also accidentally taking the toothbrush he was holding with him.

Later when Kevin goes to church, he meets up with Marley again and learns that he's actually a nice guy, a Christian and a father, and that he didn't murder his family like Buzz claimed but rather had a fight with them - more particularly his son. Kevin told Marley about his family and Marley knows and talks about families. Marley tells Kevin that he came to hear his granddaughter sing, and that he can't come and hear her tonight. When Kevin thought that meant he had Marley corrected him in saying that he wasn't welcome not at the church (as he believes one is always welcome at church) but with his son.

According to Marley, years back before Kevin and his family moved into the neighborhood, he and his son got into an argument for an unknown reason, and told each other they didn't care to see each other anymore, causing them  to become estranged from each other. Kevin asks Marley to call his son, and Marley says that he's afraid to because he thinks that his son won't talk to him. Kevin tells Marley that he used to be afraid of his basement until he turned on the light, and that Marley should call his son and whether or not the son talks to him, Marley will know and he won't be afraid. Kevin tells Marley that he should do it for his granddaughter, who probably misses him and the presents. Marley tells Kevin that he sent his granddaughter a check for Thanksgiving, and Kevin tells him he wished his grandparents did that, but they usually send him clothes, Marley says that nice. After that Kevin talks a little more clothes. Marley says to Kevin you better run along home you think about what i said. Kevin says to Marley what about you and your son Marley says we'll see what happens after that they said good-bye to each other.

Later when the Wet Bandits trapped Kevin at the Murphy's house Marley sneaks in, and saves him by knocking the burglars out with his shovel and takes Kevin back home and the Police arrests The Wet Bandits. After Kevin is reunited with his family, and at the end of the movie Kevin walks over to the window, and sees that Marley has taken his advice and reunited with his son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter Marley sees Kevin and waves to him grinning, as a sign of thanking him, Kevin waves back also smiling. Then Marley turns and goes home with his family, After that Kevin's brother Buzz can be heard saying "Kevin, what did you do to my room?!" and Kevin runs off.