A Christmas Story Cast Reunion

A Christmas Story cast reunion around the leg lamp at A Christmas Story Convention.
From left to right Ian Petrella (Randy),  Zack Ward (Scut Farkus), Tedde Moore (Miss Shields),
Yano Anaya (Grover Dill), Dwayne McClean (Black Bart), Scott Schwartz (Flick), Patty Lafontaine (Elf), Drew Hocevar (Elf) and Jim Moralevitz (Freight Human).

peter billingsley Ralphie A Christmas Story

Peter Billingsley (Ralphie Parker)

And then: Before fist-fighting bullies on his quest for a BB gun every bit Ralphie Parker, Billingsley was a child role player in well over 100 TV commercials — including him portraying Messy Marvin for Hershey's Chocolate Syrup. As the dumb-lucked Ralphie Parker, Billingsley delieverd 1 of the most famous child actor performances in picture history. The prototype of him, with glasses and a grin on his face, getting pushed down a long slide by the kick of a stern section store Santa Claus is indelible.

Now: Billingsley has acted regularly his entire life, but much of his piece of work recently has been on the other side of the photographic camera. Subsequently striking up a friendship with Vince Vaughn in the 1990 fabricated-for-Television picture 'CBS Schoolbreak Special: The 4th Homo'and after friending Jon Favreau, Billingsley has gone on to produce several projects with them ('Dinner for 5,' 'Iron Homo,' '4 Christmases'). In 2009, he even directed his pals in the comedy 'Couples Retreat.'  In 2010 he returned to his 'A Christmas Story' roots as executive director of 'A Christmas Story The Musical.'


Old Man Parker Christmas Story Darren McGavin

Darren McGavin (Mr. Parker, aka The Erstwhile Man)

Then: Until 'A Christmas Story,' McGavin had been known primarily for his Tv acting; he played the title roles on 'Mike Hammer' and 'Kolchak: The Night Stalker,' likewise as a series regular on the western 'Riverboat.' McGavin stole scenes equally the sailor-mouthed Parker pop, who was every bit delusional about his handiness with home appliances as he was nearly his own swearing, and in the end, he "heroically" buys the male child that air burglarize.

Now: McGavin continued to act in movies and TV until his death in 2006 at the age of 83. The highlight of this acting career (besides playing Adam Sandler'south dad in 'Baton Madison') came in 1990 when McGavin was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Role player in a Comedy Series for 'Irish potato Brown.'


Melinda Dillon A Christmas Story Mom Mother

Melinda Dillon (Mrs. Parker)

Then: Melinda Dillon played the always-doting female parent of the Parker family and the first to warn the principal grapheme that he could lose an heart with the infamous BB gun. Dillon'due south most acclaimed prior performances had come up in two Oscar-nominated performances, in 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' and 'Absence of Malice.' She had as well earned as a Golden World nomination for the Woody Guthrie biopic 'Bound for Celebrity.'

Now: Dillon is largely a private person, but has continued to human activity. After 'A Christmas Story,' she appeared not only in 'Harry and the Hendersons' only also had a memorable part in Paul Thomas Anderson'south 'Magnolia' as Tv set game prove host Jimmy Gator's married woman.  She has also appeared in more than a dozen TV movies and made guest star appearance in 'Law and Order: SVU' and 'Heartland.'


Ian Petrella Randy A Christmas Story

Ian Petrella (Randy Parker)
Then: Petrella's interim career had begun at age three only landing the role of Ralphie's younger brother, Randy, in 'A Christmas Story,' was his big break. Interestingly, while Petrella was non recognized immediately for his strong operation, two years later on he was nominated for a Young Artist Award for the role.

Now: Petrella continued to act, and at 17, was the youngest fellow member of the famous L.A. comedy troupe the Groundlings. Later, Ian discovered a love for puppetry, which he worked on and studied around the world. He also studied animation and continues cartooning to this day.


Flick Scott Spitty Schwartz A Christmas Story

Scott Schwartz (Picture)
Then: Earlier being "triple dog dared" into licking a frozen flagpole equally one of Ralphie'due south friends, Schwartz had made his film debut in the Richard Pryor and Jackie Gleason comedy 'The Toy.'

Now: In 1987, Schwartz, with his father, began managing a sports and movie memorabilia collectibles store ingeniously named Baseball Cards – Movie Collectibles Etc. Subsequently a questionable foray into developed films in the 1990s, Schwartz returned to the collectibles concern and, in 2006, started a line of celebrity-based trading cards. He still appears in the odd direct-to-video flick.


RD Robb Schwartz A Christmas Story

R.D. Robb (Schwartz)
And so: Robb made his acting debut in 'A Christmas Story,' playing Ralphie's other friend, Schwartz. (He was involved in the "tongue stuck to the flagpole" gambit.)

Now: Robb went on to announced in several TV shows and movies, most notably 'The Brady Bunch Movie' (every bit Charlie Anderson). In the past decade, Robb has transitioned to a producer role; he has half a dozen straight-to-rental features to his name. Robb'due south almost interesting post-'ACS' project was 'Don's Plum,' the scandalous 1995 short picture show he directed, which featured Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire. Robb and co-producer John Schindler tried to release the short as a feature-length motion-picture show, but were blocked by a law suit from DiCaprio and Maguire.


Zack Wark Scut Scott Farkus Farcus A Christmas Story

Zack Ward (Scut Farkus)
Then: In the long list of great 1980'south bullies, Ward's portrayal of the yellow-eyed Scut Farkus sits near the acme. This role marked the Canadian built-in Ward's acting debut.

Now: But it certainly did not mark the terminate of his career, because Zack Ward has continuously worked in Goggle box and movies always since. From 1983 to 2010, he appeared in 80-plus projects — he's turned up in everything from 'Dollhouse' to 'The Transformers' to 'Deadwood' to 'Resident Evil: Apocalypse' to 'CSI' and and so on and so on.


yano anaya grover dill christmas story

Yano Anaya (Grover Dill)
Then: Born in London, England, Anaya played corking Scut Farkus' "toadie" pal Grover, who helps antagonize Ralphie.

At present: If you're a fan of Van Halen (and who isn't?), y'all may call back Anaya as the young Michael Anthony in the music video for 'Hot For Instructor.' Anaya also appeared as a paperboy in 'Better Off Expressionless,' only stopped acting not long later that.


Christmas Story Elves Santa Mountain

Patty Johnson (head elf), Drew Hocevar (male person elf), and Jeff Gillen(Santa)
Then: In a crucial scene in the movie, the two villainous elves manhandle children waiting to sit on the lap of Santa, who then inadvertently scares the kids and shoves them down a slide (trust us, information technology's funny). Hocevar and Johnson had no professional picture acting feel, but both had worked at i fourth dimension or another equally elves at Higbee's, a section store in Ohio (where the moving-picture show was shot). Every bit for Gillen, he had appeared in several of director Bob Clark'southward before movies, such as 'Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things' and 'She-Man.'

At present: Similar many others, Johnson, Hocevar and Gillen reached their actor zenith with 'A Christmas Story.' Gillen created Cracking Southern Studios, a production visitor in North Miami Embankment, Florida, and was its president until 1995, when he suffered a fatal heart attack. Patty Johnson and Drew Hocevar continue to alive in Ohio, where both are employed equally teachers.


Tedde Moore Miss Shields A Christmas Story

Tedde Moore (Miss Shields)

Then: Miss Shields was a good teacher, always looking out for Ralphie's best interest and attemping, to no avail, to dissuade him from wanting the Cerise Ryder BB gun. The chalkboard from her classroom hangs in the House museum.

Now: As for Tedde Moore, she's gone on to star in the sequel, 'It Runs in the Family unit' once more every bit Ralphie'southward teacher, as well as in 'RoboCop: Prime Directives.' She'south currently filming a movie, 'Downward the Road Once again,' in which she'll star as Annie in 2011.


Les Carlson A christmas Story tree man

Leslie Carlson (Tree Man)

Then: Leslie Carlson popped upwards in 'A Christmas Story' as the guy who sold Christmas trees. Since trying to sell the Parkers a bum tree, he's been a large moving picture and TV actor.

At present: Carlson continued to act in movies and TV until his death in 2014 at the historic period of 81.  His biggest films were 'Deranged' and 'Black Christmas.' His television credits include 'The Twilight Zone' and 'The Ten-Files.'

Dwayne McClean Black Bart A Christmas Story

Dwayne McLean (Black Bart)

Then: Ralphie goes into fantasy land, dreaming about his Red Ryder BB gun. Dwayne McLean was one of the bandits that he was shooting at. While it was a bit part in 'A Christmas Story,' by no means is McLean a modest actor.

Now: In fact, he'southward mainly known as a stuntman. He'southward performed in '10-Men' dorsum in 2000, 'Four Brothers' in 2005, and 'Shoot 'Em Up' in 2007, merely to proper noun a few. McLean too popped back into interim as Begetter McKinny in 'The Boondock Saints two: All Saints Day' in 2009. He can been seen now in the TV series, 'Cra$h and Fire' as the drunkard omnibus commuter.


jean shepherd A Christmas Story

Jean Shepherd (writer, narrator)
Then: Jean Shepherd narrated 'A Christmas Story,' giving voice to the adult Ralphie Parker, which makes sense because he wrote the Christmas gamble based on semi-fictional stories from his own childhood in Hammond, Indiana. Shepherd's screenplay includes previously released material from several of his books. Too, Shepherd knew his way around a microphone, as he had a very popular three-decade radio career, during which he told stories, read poetry and organized listener stunts.

Now: Jean Shepherd never stopped creating and delighting audiences. From 1948 onward, he put on live shows at major universities and theaters, and after 'A Christmas Story,' he successfully focused his efforts in television, most notably on PBS. Shepherd died in 1999 of natural causes.


Bob Clark Director A Christmas Story

Bob Clark (director)
Then: Before directing this perennial holiday classic, Bob Clark had helped pioneer two now-ubiquitous films genres: the slasher flick and the teen sex comedy. The former he touched on with the 1974 horror moving picture 'Black Christmas,' and the latter with the phenomenally popular 1981 romp 'Porky's.' Clark wrote, produced and directed 'Porky'southward' as well equally its not-and so-memorable 1983 sequel, but ultimately he left the franchise and had no hand in the trilogy-completing 'Porky'southward Revenge.'

Now: Clark continued to direct Television shows and movies up until his untimely death in 2007. His listing of credits is populated by many B-movies, and Clark was the brainchild behind the largely panned 'Babe Geniuses' and 'SuperBabies: Baby Geniuses two.' Bob Clark also directed a picture that has arguably the most hysterical premise always: the 2004 made-for-TV movie 'The Karate Dog.'