Actor James Spader recalled with fondness his work with celebrated teen angst filmmaker John Hughes, who died unexpectedly of a heart attack last week at age 59.

Spader starred as rich kid Steff opposite Molly Ringwald in the 1986 comedy romance "Pretty in Pink," which was written and executive produced by Hughes. In an @ The Movies interview Saturday, Spader said that while Howard Deutch directed the film, Hughes was very involved in the production.

"He not only wrote it, he was on the set every day. He and Howie Deutch worked very closely together," Spader recalled. "He would re-write little bits of dialogue as we would go along or he'd play around with us. He was very active and present in the making of the picture."

Spader, who recently ended his run on the television drama "Boston Legal," said that he not only admired Hughes' dedication to his craft, but his vision.

"He wanted to make films that interested him and he immersed himself in it," Spader said. "He was very funny, and had a funny and very ironic view of the world."

Spader next stars in director Robert Rodriguez's family comedy, "Shorts," set for an Aug. 21 release. The movie co-stars Spader's "Pretty in Pink" castmate Jon Cryer.