History Main / HighSchoolHustler

* Squib of ''FifteenLove'' was a JerkWithAHeartOfGold and borderline ManipulativeBastard who lived to torment the school president, Harold Bates. Bates bans sugar on the premises, Squib smuggles in chocolate bars. Bates wants extra training sessions, Squib tries to get them removed, etc, etc.
* Griff on BoyMeetsWorld takes this trope BeyondTheImpossible, organizing pro wresting matches in the schools gymnasium in one episode.

* British comics have Roger the Dodger from ''TheBeano'' and Winker Watson (the Wangler) from ''The Dandy''.
** And 'Young Arfur' from ''School Fun''

* ''Better Luck Tomorrow'' subverted this trope by playing it very darkly, with four high school hustlers whose schemes range from selling stolen test answers to murder.

* Droz (Played by Jeremy Piven!) in ''{{PCU}}''.

* ''TheThirdMan'': Harry Lime.

* [[http://nomimushi.livejournal.com/4423.html In the novel]], a middleschool hustler!Orihara Izaya of ''{{Durarara}}'' was the bookie of the school's betting pool for baseball. It didn't run so smoothly when [[spoiler:a better who had betted using stolen money from his father's wallet threatens Izaya with a knife. Shinra steps in to receive the blow. In return for telling people that it was actually Izaya who did it, Izaya vows to make the stabber regret his move for his entire life. Knowing Izaya, it probably works. All too well.]]

* Kira Sakuya from AngelSanctuary would fit this to a T, except [[CosmicHorrorStory not really]].
* Hiruma of {{Eyeshield 21}} is an example of what happens when the {{high school hustler}} becomes a {{drill sergeant nasty}} football player. At heart, Hiruma is a good guy who loves football and cares about his teammates. That said, he's not afraid to blackmail people to get what he wants and god help the people who piss him off or get in his way. His ability to manipulate situations to benefit himself scares even authority figures.

* Creepy adult example: RogerCorman's ''Rock and Roll High School'' features Clint Howard as the enterprising Eaglebauer, who resides in an office that is accessed through a stall door in the boys' bathroom, which leads to massive lines for that one stall, includes a receptionist with her own klaxons (a girl approaching inspires a red alert, complete with alarms), and an office many times larger than what should be available given the space. Eaglebauer's ability to sell students' needs borders on the satanic, with many references to selling touchdowns in football games to the male protagonist and a plot revolving around characters paying to become sexually involved with their desired love interests.

* Droz (Played by Jeremy Piven!) in ''PCU''.

* ''It's Your Move'': Matthew Burton (played by Jason Bateman).

* ''The Phil Silvers Show'': Sgt. Bilko (Phil Silvers) was a middle aged version, with an army base as his "high school" and its colonel as the DeanBitterman.

* ''What's With Andy?''

* ''The Phil Silvers Show'': Sgt. Bilko(Phil Silvers) a middle aged version with an army base as his "high school" and it's colonel the DeanBitterman.

[[folder: Videogames ]]

* Raz of ''{{Psychonauts}}'' has elements of this in his character, although he is younger than average. The bad guy of the game is [[spoiler:Coach Oleander]], the kind of adult that any HighSchoolHustler would be against. Which just makes it more ironic that [[spoiler: Oleander's the one who gave Raz info about the camp in the first place.]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* ''{{Rugrats}}'': Tommy Pickles is a toddler version.

* Smythe from the RobertAHeinlein juvenile ''Red Planet''.

The high school {{hustler}} effortlessly outfoxes authority figures -- particularly those who are irrational and hidebound. He's just packed full of brainpower, chutzpah, connections and luck.

The high school {{hustler}} effortlessly outfoxes authority figures -- particularly those who are irrational and hidebound. He's just packed full of brainpower, connections and luck.

Also separating him from the straightforward young heros is his desire for some ''incentive'' for his good deeds -- but popularity is his greatest motivation. He won't demand payment from those who can't pay though, or run out on his friends. He just likes to take the easy road to success. In general he is a [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold good guy]].

[[AC:{{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]

* Tamaki from ''OuranHighSchoolHostClub'' is able to charm the pants off anyone in doubt (not literally) and managed to gather the members of the club despite being the last thing any of them needed (or so they thought). In the last two episodes of the anime, Tamaki falsely believes that he has really mucked up everyone's lives instead of helping them and it pushes him to make a rash decision. He's wrong, of course; even though he is constantly pulling the others along in eccentric plans and gimmicks, his carefree look on life is the right medicine for everyone.
** About the 'not literally'...it's probably a good thing he's an idiot and a gentleman, because he could [[strike: probably]] definitely charm the skirt off any girl at that school but Haruhi (well, and Renge when she's there.) Not to mention a few of the guys might be susceptible too. After all, he ''runs'' a ''[[TheOldestProfession Host Club]].''

[[AC:ComicBooks]]

[[AC:{{Film}}]]

** Interestingly, [[DawsonCasting Howard's probably the youngest actor in the movie]].

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]

* There are also elements of this character in Fred and George Weasley from ''HarryPotter'', particularly in their later years at school.

[[AC: LiveActionTV]]

In another episode from the first season, Nog was told to get rid of some Cardassian packaged food that had been delivered to the bar, since there were no more Cardassians on the station who would order that food. Jake Sisko and Nog sold the food to a trader who gave them self-sealing stembolts that a Bajoran farmer had ordered but had been unable to pay for. Jake and Nog contacted the farmer to try and get money from him in exchange for the stembolts but the farmer could only pay them in land. Meanwhile, the land had become prime because the Bajoran government wanted to build something on it but didn't know who owned it. Jack and Nog approached Quark (who had mentioned he wanted the land so he could sell it at an inflated price), saying that they had something to sell him and that was the end of the episode.

[[AC:{{Videogames}}]]

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]

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->''"A: [[RefugeInAudacity You can never go too far.]] B: If I'm gonna get busted, it is *not* gonna be by [[TedBaxter a guy like *that*]]."''
-->--'''Ferris Bueller, on [[IncrediblyLamePun one of]] [[FerrisBuellersDayOff his off days]]'''

The high school {{hustler}}, often out for himself but just as often willing to help a friend - or strangers - whether they know they need help or not. He effortlessly flouts authority figures (particularly those who are irrational and hidebound) using brainpower, connections and occasionally obscene luck. He's the kind of guy who can arrange a ChainOfDeals and make it work for everybody involved, or pull off a BavarianFireDrill without getting his bluff called.

The High School Hustler may use a little DumbMuscle, often in the form of a friend, to deal with problems that brains can't beat. He's often the KarmicTrickster, using his brains to combat bullying problems or protect the weak, but will also run betting pools or sell term papers. What keeps him from being a genuine young hero is that he likes some incentive for his good deeds - but popularity is his greatest motivation. And sometimes baseball cards. He won't demand payment from those who can't pay though, or run out on his friends. He just likes to take the easy road to success. In general he is a [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold good guy]].

The high school hustler is the extreme positive adolescent version of the MouthyKid (the other end of the scale being ''BeavisAndButthead'' or the Sweathogs from ''WelcomeBackKotter''). Usually regarded as a good kid by almost all adults save those whose authority he directly challenges, and can maintain that camouflage even under fire. He is often a KarmicTrickster - dishing out poetic revenge against oppressors.

The character type is predominantly male, but there have been female versions. He is the ideological nemesis of DeanBitterman. If he grows up and joins a FiveManBand he'll end up as TheLancer, a DeadpanSnarker and cunning foil to TheHero's purity, or TheSmartGuy who comes up with the clever but often sneaky plans.

* Nabiki Tendo from ''[[RanmaOneHalf Ranma 1/2]]'', though more of a [[TheBarnum Barnum]] than not. She rarely (if ''ever'') cares about the consequences other people have to face for her actions, though.
** This ability is actually greatly played up in {{Fanon}}. In canon, Nabiki is more of a swindler than a schemer, quick to see the potential profit in a given bit of chaos and trying to milk some cash from that. She's a lazy opportunist, and frankly a lot of the stunts she pulls she gets away with only because she fails to antagonize her victims sufficiently that [[NeutralEvil making her go "squish" is worth the effort]]. At one point, she actually does [[StupidEvil cross the line]]; it's only the fact Ranma's [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold "heart of gold"]] (to go with his usual JerkAss behavior) is pure enough to convince him to come to her safety that allows her to survive.
* One of [[SuzumiyaHaruhi Haruhi Suzumiya's]] many strengths is the ability to get away with practically anything, up to and including extortion, indecent exposure, commandeering an entire room, and press-ganging members, and make the [[FiveManBand SOS Brigade]] end up in a ''better'' situation by the end of the episode. Her peculiar brand of [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold conscientious amorality]] tends to help with this.
** The fact that [[spoiler:she is possibly ''God'']] probably helps a lot more.

* Ferris Bueller in ''[=~Ferris Bueller's Day Off~=]'' is [[MostTriumphantExample the iconic example]] and former TropeNamer.

* Marty [=McFly=] is a variant of this trope, and seeing as ''{{Back to the Future}}'' was released before ''[=~Ferris Bueller's Day Off~=]'', he may have inspired this sort of character. Note that he is less of a trickster but no less lucky and helpful.
** The earlier drafts did make him a little more of this type of character, though.

** A similar example is Droz (Played by Jeremy Piven!) in ''PCU''.
* The 2008 film ''CharlieBartlett'' can basically be summed up as "Ferris Bueller if he tried to become an underground school psychiatrist."

* Chris Knight, the Val Kilmer character in ''RealGenius'', is not only a prototypical example of this trope, he's also an OmnidisciplinaryScientist.
* Harry Lime is said to have been one in TheThirdMan.

* The protagonist is a variant in LittleBrother.

* Matthew Burton (played by Jason Bateman) in the 1984 series ''It's Your Move.''
* Joey Jeremiah from the various ''Degrassi'' series, although his schemes fail as often as they succeed. (In ''DegrassiTheNextGeneration'', it is revealed that he became a [[HonestJohnsDealership used-car salesman]] when he grew up.)

* Perhaps the most famous example of this is the Ferengi character Nog on ''StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' -- in one episode, he helps Chief O'Brien find a much-needed graviton stabilizer through a [[ChainOfDeals series of bizarre exchanges]], trading Captain Sisko's desk for an induction modulator from the USS Musashi, for a phaser emitter, which is finally traded for a graviton stabilizer.
** In another episode from the first season, Nog was told to get rid of some Cardassian packaged food that had been delivered to the bar, since there were no more Cardassians on the station who would order that food. Jake Sisko and Nog sold the food to a trader who gave them self-sealing stembolts that a Bajoran farmer had ordered but had been unable to pay for. Jake and Nog contacted the farmer to try and get money from him in exchange for the stembolts but the farmer could only pay them in land. Meanwhile, the land had become prime because the Bajoran government wanted to build something on it but didn't know who owned it. Jack and Nog approached Quark (who had mentioned he wanted the land so he could sell it at an inflated price), saying that they had something to sell him and that was the end of the episode.

* [[BuffyTheVampireSlayer Buffy]] and the rest of the Scoobies often end up in this role.
* Sgt. Bilko(Phil Silvers) a middle aged version in the "The Phil Silvers Show'' with an army base as his "high school" and it's colonel the DeanBitterman.
* Maeby in ArrestedDevelopment.

* [[{{Bully}} Gary Smith]] is basically what Parker Lewis would be if he was evil, [[DepravedHomosexual possibly bi]], and [[ForTheEvulz trying to turn all the students against each other rather than foster a thousand-man strong]] {{Nakama}}.

* Kevin Harnisch from ''O'Grady'' practically makes a religion out of pulling schemes (see {{Humphrey}}).

* Three words: ''What's With Andy?''
* Tommy Pickles from ''{{Rugrats}}'' is a toddler version.

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-->--'''[[TropeNamer Ferris Bueller]], on [[IncrediblyLamePun one of]] [[FerrisBuellersDayOff his off days]]'''

* Ferris Bueller in ''[=~Ferris Bueller's Day Off~=]'' is an iconic example.

->''"A: [[RefugeInAudacity You can never go too far.]]'' B: If I'm gonna get busted, it is *not* gonna be by [[TedBaxter a guy like *that*]]."''

* Max Goof in ''GoofTroop'' is a perfect example of this trope - in the episodes where he's at school anyway.

The character type is predominantly male, but there have been female versions. He is the ideological nemesis of DeanBitterman. If he grows up and joins a FiveManBand he'll end up as TheLancer, as the cynical and snarky foil to TheHero's purity, or TheSmartGuy who comes up with the clever but often sneaky plans.

* Jonesy of ''[[{{Sixteen}} 6teen]]'' qualifies when he's not getting caught at least.

The high school {{hustler}}, sometimes out for himself but just as often willing to help a friend -- or stranger -- whether they know they need help or not. He effortlessly flouts authority figures (particularly those who are irrational and hidebound) using brainpower, connections and occasionally obscene luck. He's the kind of guy who can arrange a ChainOfDeals and make it work for everybody involved, or pull off a BavarianFireDrill without getting his bluff called. When motivated, he can elevate a nerd to prom king, or turn a star quarterback into an outcast. Sometimes he runs betting pools or sells term papers, but in general he is a [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold good guy]], not a delinquent.

The high school hustler is the extreme positive adolescent version of the MouthyKid (the other end of the scale being ''BeavisAndButthead'' or the Sweathogs from ''WelcomeBackKotter''). Usually regarded as a good kid by almost all adults save those whose authority he directly challenges, and can maintain that camouflage even under fire. He is often a KarmicTrickster -- dishing out poetic revenge against oppressors.

The character type is predominantly male, but there have been female versions. He is the ideological nemesis of DeanBitterman, and he may grow up into a GuileHero, or perhaps just a ConMan. May overlap with CoolLoser and, in even rarer situations, BigManOnCampus. A particularly extreme version may morph into a sort of GaryStu (or MarySue).

** The fact that she is possibly [[spoiler:''God'']] probably helps a lot more.