The Ralphie Pass is an all-inclusive weekend pass that gets you into all of the convention events including special exclusive events for pass holders only.
The Ralphie Pass includes admission to:
1. A Christmas Story House and Museum
2. The Convention to see the actors
3. The exclusive Speakers Series
4. The premiere of “Shooting Your Eye Out”
5. Round trip ride on Lolly Trolley to and from A Christmas Story House
6. A ride on the fire truck from the movie
7. World Premiere of ClarkWORLD with priority seating
Ralphie Passes are $40 for Adults, $25 for Children (12-6), and $35 for Seniors. Kids 6 and under enjoy free admission to all events.
Passes can be purchased online in our gift shop and are will call at the convention.
“ClarkWORLD” will have a special premiere screening during the “A Christmas Story” 25th year Anniversary Celebration and Convention on Nov. 29th, 2008 in Cleveland, Ohio at the Cleveland Renaissance Hotel. The proceeds from tickets and a special fundraising raffle will go to MADD in Cleveland. The movie features many of the people that worked closely with Bob Clark over the years including Kim Cattrall, Denise Richards, Jon Voight, Scott Baio, Peter Billingsley, Dom DeLuise, and many others!
In the tradition of award winning, offbeat and stylized documentaries such as The Kid Stays in the Picture and Crumb, ClarkWorldis an inside look into the eccentric life of famed film Director, Bob Clark. When success was met with high-profile box office failures, Clark would effortlessly switch genres, studios and even countries…anything to continue making movies. But as Clark continued to struggle against a series of flops, he was simultaneously being heralded as an inspiration to a new breed of filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino, John Carpenter and many others, citing their influence from his iconic films such as Porky’s, Murder by Decree, Turk 182, Black Christmas, and of course, the legendary film A Christmas Story (on over 100 critics lists of top 50 movies of all time, and the best Christmas movie of all time). Clark’s film Black Christmas was initially blasted by critics when originally released in 1974, but now, three decades later, it is acknowledged a a pure post-modern masterpiece. As we continue to weave between various anecdotes told by some very famous people, we discover insight to Clark’s quirky and unpredictable personality as well as his integrity and genius. ClarkWorld is unique, because Bob Clark was unique. It is a riveting, hilarious, edgy, and poignant film that takes us on a whimsical journey inside the world of Bob Clark.
Official Wedding Photographer of A Christmas Story House
(216) 798-4672
The Wedding of Robyn and Michael of Maryland in A Christmas Story House on Saturday, June 14, 2008
The first Christmas Story House Wedding, Saturday, December 2, 2007
Erin Reed and Jeff Dubois from Fort Wayne, Indiana
Christmas in July
In Cleveland, it’s summer, but at A Christmas Story House & Museum, it’s always Christmas! We celebrate Christmas in July by having a variety of activities planned for our patrons. There will be some additions to the A Christmas Story House & Museum in July, and I’m sure you will all want a sneak peek. To top it all off there will month long specials in the gift shop.
Here is the schedule of events:
July 5th and 6th - Sneak preview of original movie costumes
You’ll be one of the first to see recently acquired original movie costumes, thought to have been lost to the ages, and a whole new set of exhibits including numerous behind the scenes photos from the archives of the Warner Bros Photo Collection.
July 12th and 13th - Food Drive
We will be hosting a food drive to benefit the Cleveland Food Bank. Receive $1 off admission for every non-perishable food item you bring, up to $3 per person. Enjoy Christmas in July while at the same time helping those in need.
Come enjoy all that Ralphie’s neighborhood of Tremont has to offer as we join our neighbors in The Taste of Tremont. Come visit the House, and then enjoy fine dining and shopping in Tremont.
July 26th and 27th - Games and bb-gun range
Shoot a bb-gun in the exact same place as Ralphie. But, don’t “shoot your eye out!” Other family fun games and activites like Leg Lamp Bowling (Yes, Leg Lamp Bowling) will be available (weather permitting).
So come join us and have a Merry Christmas in July!
A Christmas Story House, now restored to its movie splendor, is open year round to the public for tours. Directly across the street from the house is the official A Christmas Story House Museum, which features original props, costumes and memorabilia from the film, as well as hundreds of rare behind-the-scenes photos. Among the props and costumes are the toys from the Higbee’s window, Randy’s snowsuit and zeppelin, the chalkboard from Miss Shields’ classroom and the family car. After reliving A Christmas Story at Ralphie’s house don’t forget to visit the museum gift shop for your own Major Award Leg Lamp and other great movie memorabilia. You can even shop through our online gift shop here. Proceeds from the gift shop help support and maintain A Christmas Story House and Museum.
A Christmas Story cast reunion around the leg lamp in A Christmas Story House living room at the Grand Opening. From left to right Zack Ward (Scut Farkus), Yano Anaya (Grover Dill), Tedde Moore (Miss Shields), Ian Petrella (Randy), Scott Schwartz (Flick), Patty Lafontaine (Elf) and Drew Hocevear (Elf).
Below are pre and post renovation pictures of A Christmas Story House. To see the pictures of the renovation process please visit our renovation log
The old mailbox is still there.
A light dusting of snow in early winter
Snow falling just like the end of A Christmas Story
Below are pictures of the house before it was renovated back to its Movie Glory.
Note the gray siding and replacement windows
The old shed had fallen to disrepair
Below is the listing posted on Ebay in 2004 offering the house for sale
Original eBay Ad
Offered on eBay - December 2004
Buy this house and re-live Ralphies adventures in the original house from the movie “A Christmas Story”. The # 1 Christmas movie of all time. Still attracts hundreds of people from all over who are interested in seeing this historic Christmas icon. The original shed from the movie still stands in the back yard, and will bring back childhood memories. The home has been vinyl sided, re-roofed and new windows since the release of the movie. Backyard view overlooks Cleveland Ohio.
Buy this house and re-live Ralphies adventures in the original house from the movie “A Christmas Story”. The # 1 Christmas movie of all time. Still attracts hundreds of people from all over who are interested in seeing this historic Christmas icon. The original shed from the movie still stands in the back yard, and will bring back childhood memories. The home has been vinyl sided, re-roofed and new windows since the release of the movie. Backyard view overlooks Cleveland Ohio.
�
Director Bob Clark (above right) played a cameo role as the dim witted neighbor Swede who inquires about the Old Man’s (Darren McGavin) “Major Award”
-Biography:August 05, 1941 - April 04, 2007 -New Orleans, LA. Bob Clark began making independent low-budget features as a writer/director with the transvestite comedy The She Man in 1967, and is fondly remembered for his horror films of the early ’70s, made with writer/actor Alan Ormsby: Children Shouldn’t Play With Dead Things and Deathdream. Clark also won admiration for his Sherlock Holmes film Murder By Decree, scripted by John Hopkins.
Clark then branched out as a competent helmer of a wide variety of genres, mostly from his own original stories. His films include the atmospheric, imaginative period thriller, “Murder By Decree” (1979), in which Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson solve the mystery of Jack the Ripper, the film version of the sentimental father-son stage drama “Tribute” (1980) and the semi-autobiographical, smarmy but high grossing hit comedies, “Porky’s” (1981) and “Porky’s II–The Next Day” (1983). Clark is perhaps best-known for the now classic holiday-themed “A Christmas Story” (1983).
Bob Clark was killed along with his son, Ariel Hanrath-Clark, in a head-on crash with a vehicle that steered into the wrong lane. The driver fo the other car was found guilty of driving without a license while intoxicated.
Author - Jean Shepherd
A Christmas Story author Jean Shepherd (above left) played a cameo role as the angery gentleman who tells Ralphie “The line ends here! It begins there!”
-Biography:Raised in Hammond Indiana, Jean Shepherd also known simply as Shep went on to work in the steel mills and was a veteran of the Army Signal Corps before entering the arts. In the 1950s, he began a long career as a radio personality telling stories of his youth, commenting on current topics and performing silly songs. While at WOR-AM in New York he also broadcast live night club acts from the Limelight in Greenwich Village. He wrote for Playboy and other magazines. His articles were published in a series of books including “The America of George Ade”, “In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash”, “Wanda Hickey’s Night of Golden Memories, and Other Disasters”, “A Fistful of Fig Newtons” and “The Ferrari in the Bedroom”. During the 1970s he did two series of humorous programs as well as several “American Playhouse” episodes for PBS. In 1983 he wrote his first feature film, “A Christmas Story” putting together many tales of his semi-autobiographical character “Ralphie”. A sequel, “My Summer Story” (AKA “It Runs in the Family”) was made in 1994. To find out more about Jean Shepherd visit FlickLives.com
The Star - Peter Billingsley as Ralphie Parker
Prior to “A Christmas Story,” Peter Billingsley, who played Ralphie, gained fame as a correspondent for the variety show “Real People.” He also played Messy Marvin in Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup commercials. After a waining child acting career Peter made the move behind the camera and is now a producer often working with his close friends Vince Vaugh and John Favreau. His recent credits as a producer include: Iron Man and The Break Up. He often appears in cameo roles in the movies he produces.
Peter discusses career high lights and the Black Bart scene from A Christmas Story during an episode of Dinner for Five; a television series for which he was also a producer.
Mrs. Parker
Mr. Parker
Ralphie Parker
Randy Parker
Flick
Schwartz
Miss Shields
Grover Dill
Scut Farkus
Santa Claus
Ming the Merciless
Flash Gordon
Tree Man (as Les Carlson)
Freight Man
Head Elf
Male Elf
Goggles
Black Bart
Wicked Witch
Chop Suey Palace Owner
Waiter #1
Waiter #2
Waiter #3
Street Kid
Boy in School
Narrator, Man in Line for Santa, Voice of Santa
Swede (uncredited)
Billy (uncredited)
Boy Visiting Santa (uncredited)
Screaming Girl On Slide After Ralphie (uncredited)
Interview with Peter Billingsley
interview by Wayne Chinsang
YOU MIGHT NOT REMEMBER PETER BILLINGSLEY AS THE TWO-YEAR-OLD PROP IN THAT GERITOL COMMERCIAL FROM THE SEVENTIES. BUT YOU PROBABLY DO REMEMBER HIM AS “RALPHIE” FROM A CHRISTMAS STORY. READ ON TO FIND OUT JUST HOW MUCH OUR LITTLE PETER HAS GROWNS UP, AND GROWNS UP, AND GROWNS UP.
Wayne: So, how did you get into acting?
Peter: I guess sort of by luck. I grew up in New York City, and people used to tell my mom that my brother and I were cute, and that we should be in commercials. My mom didn’t know much about it, but she took us to an agent with aspirations of maybe getting a print ad in The Times in our little sailor suits or something. One agent said we were too fat, another agent said we were too ugly. (laughs) She was kind of beaten up from the business after a couple of meetings. But the third agent said, “Yeah, they’ll work.” So I went on an audition for Geritol, and I got it. I was two-and-a-half years old. Betty Buckley played the mom, and there were some other kids, but I was basically a prop. And she said something like, “With kids like these you take Geritol twice a day.” It just snowballed from there.
W: I was going to ask how a kid–
P: Was using Geritol?
W: Yeah. (laughs)
P: Yeah. They were just popping me full of pills. (laughs) I was blessed because I didn’t have the child star syndrome family that you hear a lot about. It was always just something that was to be done for fun. If anything, my family was trying to stop and make sure that I was comfortable doing it. And I was.
W: That was part of my next question. There seems to be so much talk of child actors being thrown into the “harsh world” of Hollywood. Do you think it’s that dramatic?
P: I think it was a different time for me back then. The amount of available money wasn’t as great. Now, kids are making adult salaries. Before, there were kid salaries and adult salaries. So I think it’s encouraging parents more and more to see there’s some financial benefit that they can make off of their kids. But also, the regulations have improved. But I was really lucky. I don’t have an E! True Hollywood Story. (laughs) Some woman from E! came up to me in a bar one time and said, “Oh, we should do one.” And I said, “I don’t think it will get good ratings.” There’s nothing to talk about. You know: “Peter grew up in a loving family in Phoenix.”
W: (laughs) “He did not smoke crack or star in porn.”
P: (laughs) “He tried a cigarette once. We’ll be right back.” There’s really nothing there.
W: You hear a lot, especially earlier on and with child actors, about how people sign their royalty rights away because it wasn’t something anybody considered. Were you fortunate enough to not sign away your royalties?
P: Yeah. As far as I understand it, it was all done through the Union through SAG, so it was whatever the contracts were at the time. The unfortunate thing is that with movies like A Christmas Story, made in ‘83, cable was something that only a couple of lucky people had. No one really knew what it was. So, they had to find a royalty based for cable back then, and it’s really worth nothing, and of course TNT plays it a lot. But, it’s certainly not about that. I’m just thrilled to have been a part of a movie that goes on and on. I mean, Jesus, it plays 24 straight hours. That’s pretty awesome.
W: I was wondering about that. There’s so many things that people associate with the holidays. They watch certain things, or they do certain things. And A Christmas Story is a big part of many other people’s holidays. What is something that is a big part of your holiday?
P: Trying to avoid watching A Christmas Story. (laughs) Sometimes I go back and my parents will still put it on. My family is all spread out so, like a lot of families, we just try our best to get together at Christmas time. Every other holiday and birthdays fall by the wayside, but Christmas is one time we all try to meet up. We’re just spread out everywhere. I’m on the West Coast, I have family in Philly, Florida and New York. And I’ve got a brother in Turkey.
W: Yeah. I read an interview E! did with you, and you were in Turkey while you were doing the interview.
P: Really?
W: I’m pretty sure. I remember thinking it was bizarre you were in Turkey. Maybe they made it up.
P: Well, I was in Romania once, and I saw a TV movie that I had done; it was one of the last things I had done acting. I was about 21 at the time. But it was dubbed in Turkish, and I had the voice of a 55-year-old guy. (laughs) I had a really deep voice.
W: One of the most timeless qualities about A Christmas Story is that Jean Shepherd’s writing is so universal. I know you said you try and avoid watching it, but how does the film hold up for you?
P: I say that I avoid it really only as a joke. I’m at the point where I can appreciate it now. It’s just that, when you’re so close to something, and you’ve got so many memories associated with it, it’s hard to be objective when watching it. But I’m actually at a point when I can watch it, and it does hold up. He (Shepherd) just seemed to have a knack, and everyone,.. (pauses) I think the movie speaks for itself. So it’s a bit difficult to articulate why the movie works. Jean just really had a way of capturing the world through a child’s eyes, and creating a family life that everyone can relate to. He was a great guy.
W: There has always been a lot of comparisons between A Christmas Story and The Wonder Years.
P: Yeah. The similarities are pretty obvious, I guess. Hats off to ‘em. They were smart enough to be inspired by the film and to make a really successful TV show about it. It was neat to watch.
W: The interview that I read on E!–
P: I don’t know what this interview on E! is.
W: I can send you the link.
P: They cannot be trusted. (laughs)
W: (laughs) But the funny part about the interview is that it is with “The Christmas Story Kid”, not Peter Billingsley. Does it ever get frustrating being “The Christmas Story Kid”?
P: (laughs) Yeah. But thank God it’s not like, “Oh. You’re Mikey from Life.” At least it’s a great film. It’s kind of something I want to be known for. Being associated with it is a really positive thing.
W: It’s cool to hear that you enjoy being a part of it, because so often you hear people that are like, “That was forever ago, and I don’t want to have anything to do with it now.”
P: I think your life takes you where you lead it. And, in time, people will get to know you. And I prefer to move more organically toward the things I’m doing next. As I became a teenager, I wasn’t going to rip off my glasses, spike my hair, and say, “Oh. I’m a young adult.” I was still blind; I still wore my hair down. It was just a lot easier to be myself through the phases of life than to try and do something fake. My family life was a blessing. With the kids I was working with at the time, really the big difference was the family. We were raised in Phoenix, I had a lot of brothers and sisters, and acting was something that was a privilege and a joy to be a part of. And if it wasn’t fun, then it was just going to stop.
W: That’s a great way to look at it. I just interviewed James Gunn, and we talked about how so many people just bitch about working in Hollywood. And he said they should just get a different job.
P: It’s a pretty awesome business to be involved in when you break it down. I mean, what we’re actually doing for a living is pretty incredible.
W: The freedom has to be amazing.
P: It’s great. But you’re also in that a little bit, aren’t you? I imagine you can budget your schedule, and you get to call up cool people and ask them funky questions.
W: (laughs) Yeah.
P: Try and rattle their cages a little bit. (laughs)
W: A bit. (laughs) So, has there been any talk of a sequel?
P: There was one.
W: You mean the one where no one from the original returns?
P: Yeah. With Mary Steenburgen and Kieran Culkin. Did you see it?
W: No. But I’m talking a sequel with the original cast, where the kids are all grown up.
P: Well, A Christmas Story is a short story in Jean’s anthology. There was some talk about it. But Jean’s gone now, and I don’t know,.. you know, the idea certainly entered my head. But I don’t know how you approach it without him. Without the voice and without his vision behind it, it would be hard.
W: Good point. So, my father loves the movie. He got me hooked on it as a kid, and he wants me to ask you who got to keep the leg lamp?
Foster Contracting
Provider of all restoration work on A Christmas Story House
THE MAKING OF A MUSEUM:
Renovation Log #6: October 16, 2006
The house is nearly complete!!! With exception to some touch up painting the outside of the house is just about complete. The “X” railing has been installed on the porch, and the new lattice work has been put on also. The side staircase is in place and is awaiting a paint job. On the inside, final touches are being put on the staircase and the spindles are being painted. The sink has been installed in the kitchen along with the checkered tile, and the wood paneling has been painted. As the final couple weeks of renovation come to a close, the second floor bathing will be getting tiled and a donated claw foot tub will be installed. House will then get a complete cleaning from top to bottom and the floors will then get one final coating.
Renovation Log #5: September 1, 2006
All new siding has been put up and painting has begun. The first coat of paint has been applied to the outside and the inside. Some green trim work has also begun on the outside. Work on the structure of the porch has also been started. The porch had to be jacked up a few inches. The original pillars have been removed and new ones will replace those. The porch itself is also starting to get its makeover. Parts on the porch have been torn out and soon will be replaced with all new wood. Work will continue on the porch and the siding in the next few weeks in order to complete its look.
The hardwood floors have been put in, sanded and stained. The temporary staircase has been removed and the permanent one has replaced it. Still to come for the inside, will be more painting, the trim will be installed and painted also. More work will also be continuing on the staircase.
Renovation Log #4: August 8, 2006
Work has been moving along smoothly over the past couple months, mostly center around the interior walls. Drywall has now been put up in replace of the plaster walls that were taken down in order go get new wiring and plumbing in the house. The house also recieved new modern insulation. The drywall marks the completion of the interior rough woork. The next step will be to sand the walls down, and get them primed for painting. Once the painting is complete flooring on both stories is will be installed.
Turning to the outside, all the new windows have been put in and framing around the windows is being worked on. The next step for the outside is to start on the new siding.
Renovation Log #3: May 22, 2006
Spring is in full swing in the Cleveland area. So with the nice weather work has shifted to the outside of the house. The once blue vinyl sided house is now cover it a house wrap. The original wood siding still visible is some parts of the house has been taken off and will be replaced with new wood siding. The porch is starting to get its make over also. The once solid vinyl railings have been removed and soon the “X” frame railing that were there in the movie will be going in.
Now although most of the work has shifted to the outside the inside is not being ignored. The new wiring, plumbing and duct work is almost at completion and the newly installed staircase is coming along nicely. There are just a few things that still need to be done on the inside, when those things are done new walls will be going up.
Renovation Log #2: February 9,2006
One full dumpster has been removed and a second dump truck of debris has also been taken away. Some more walls have cam down and a new bathroom entrance has been added. Two support beams have been added for the ceiling, so now the staircase can be started. The framework for the staircase has been started and the floor on the second story has been added for the top of the staircase.
Renovation Log #1: January 30, 2006
Renovation has started on the house. The dumpster arrived and it did not take long to fill it up. Walls have been removed and a hole cut into the ceiling for the staircase. Once the structure is secured they will proceed with the staircase.
The Fire Truck that arrived to rescue Flick from the flag pole is owned and opertated by the Chippawa Volunteer Fire Department in Canada. The Fire Truck, a 1938 Ford La-France is still in working order . Fans will be able to ride in the Fire Truck at the 25th Anniversary Celebration and Convention this November in Cleveland.
The movie A Christmas Story is arguably one of America’s favorite holiday films. Over the years, this modest little movie has grown into a Yuletide perennial.
The movie “A Christmas Story” might never have been made had it not been for another, decidedly less reputable comedic creature - “Porky’s.” That’s right. One of the most beloved holiday movies largely owes its existence to an infamous, unabashedly crude teen comedy.
In the late 1960s, “A Christmas Story” director Bob Clark was driving to a date’s house when he happened upon a broadcast of radio personality and writer Jean Shepherd’s recollections of growing up in Indiana in the late ’30s and early ’40s. Clark wound up driving around the block for almost an hour, glued to the radio until the program was over.
“My date was not happy,” Clark said, but he knew right away he wanted to make a movie out of the stories, many of which first appeared in Playboy magazine and were collected in Shepherd’s 1966 book, “In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash.”
Clark’s adaptation, however, didn’t happen overnight. At the time, he was a journeyman director who specialized in low-budget B movies. For years Clark tried to find a studio to finance the film. But none were interested. Nevertheless, Clark held on to his ambition to bring Shepherd’s stories to the screen, and, in 1981, he directed Porky’s. Which became a hit at the box office. Suddenly he had some clout the bargain with. In the wake of that hit the studio want a sequel to Porky’s. Clark agreed to make a sequel if the studio agreed to let him do “A Christmas Story” first.
The modestly budgeted little comedy opened in 1983 the week before Thanksgiving on fewer than 900 screens. The film took in about $2 million its first weekend and double that Thanksgiving weekend – solid business for the time. The movie was getting strong word-of-mouth support. But, MGM hadn’t counted on the movie receiving much success and did not schedule distribution to more than the opening screens for the lead up to Christmas.
Thus A Christmas Story disappeared from theatres. Abruptly elbowed into the theatrical void by the bigger seasonal studio movies of the day, most notably Scarface and Christine. Ultimately, A Christmas Story collected about $19 million at the box office. It was a good showing, but not great.
At the same time, however, home video and cable television were just beginning to grow in popularity, and A Christmas Story crept into the mainstream through videotape and cable broadcasts. The rights to the movie were sold in 1986 to Warner Bros. by MGM as part of a 50-movie package deal. In fact, MGM practically gave the movie way when it tossed A Christmas Story into the deal in order to simply meet the 50-movie quota agreed to. The cable network TNT first aired its 12 showing, 24-hour marathon as a stunt in 1988, but popular demand turned stunt into tradition. The annual marathon (now aired on TBS) starts every Christmas Eve and attracts more that 40 million people who tune in at some point to watch. A Christmas Story is now one of the most popular holiday movies of all time earning a place along side “It’s A Wonderful Life” and “Miracle on 34th Street.”
A Christmas Story Trivia Fun Facts
Jean Shepherd’s book “In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash”, which “A Christmas Story” is based on, is a collection of semi-autobiographical short stories that Shepherd wrote for “Playboy” magazine during the 1960s.
The character Scut Farkus, played by Zack Ward, was created specifically for the movie, and never appears in the book. In the book, Grover Dill is the only bully who torments Ralphie. The setting for the movie was based on Hammond, Indiana the home town of author Jean Sheperd. Sheperd grew up on Cleveland St and went to Warren G. Harding Elementary School. Just like Ralphie.
The movie was actually filmed in Cleveland, Ohio and Toronto, Ontario. The house from the movie is located just outside of downtown Cleveland and the Higbee building still stands in downtown Cleveland. The Christmas tree shopping scene and many of the inside shots of the house, were filmed in Toronto, Ontario . One of Toronto’s trademark red trolleys can be seen driving by the shot of the outside of the tree lot. Ralphie’s school exteriors were filmed at Victoria School in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.
To find an American city resembling an Indiana town of the 1940s, director Clark sent his location scouts to twenty cities before selecting Cleveland, Ohio, as the site for filming. The decision to film in Cleveland was due to the willing of Higbee’s (an actual department store) to allow the movie to be filmed inside the store.
In addition to providing the voice-over narration, writer Jean Shepherd had a cameo appearance in the movie as a grouchy department store customer who tells Ralphie to go to the back of the Santa line.
Director Bob Clark has a brief cameo appearance as Swede, the Parker family’s the dim-witted neighbor with a southern-accent who stops to marvel at the leg lamp from across the street.
The role of Mr. Parker, Ralphie’s father, was originally offered to Jack Nicholson, who reportedly was interested in playing the part. Director Clark, however, lobbied hard for Darren McGavin. The producers, worried about Nicholson’s typically large salary requests, eventually approved McGavin.
Yano Anaya, who played Grover Dill (the toadie), appeared in only two other films but is probably best known as the evil paperboy with the war cry, “Two dollars!” in the 1985 John Cusack comedy, “Better off Dead.”
For the scene in which Flick’s tongue sticks to the flagpole, a hidden suction tube was used to safely create the illusion that his tongue had frozen to the metal.
Author Jean Shepherd’s concept for the “major award” leg lamp was based on a real lamp: an illuminated Nehi logo. The style of the leg lamp for A Christmas Story was created by production designer Reuben Freed who had never before seen or heard of a leg lamp. Three leg lamps were made for the movie and all were broken on set during the filming.
The Radio Orphan Annie decoder pin that Ralphie receives is the 1940 “Speedomatic” model, indicating that the movie takes place in December, 1940. Different decoder badges were made each year from 1935-1940. By 1941, the decoders were made of paper due to World War II metal shortages.
Some of the “snow” used during the scenes between the kids and the bullies was actually soap flakes and fire fighters foam. The stars later remarked that they were slipping and sliding during the filming of the scenes.
An elaborate fantasy sequence - in which Ralphie joins Flash Gordon to fight Ming the Merciless - was filmed but dropped from the final cut. Picture of this scene and the costumes used in it are on display at A Christmas Story House and Museum.
A Second fantasy sequence involving Blark Barts men was cut the film in favor of the back yard fantasy sequence. The delete sequence involved Ralphie rescuing Santa from Black Bart’s men while Santa is stuck in a chimney. Little brother Randy (in disguise) played one of Black Bart’s men in the scene. His costume from the scene is on display at A Christmas Story House and Museum.
The film was released just before Thanksgiving and became a surprise hit. By the time Christmas rolled around, the movie had already been pulled from most theaters because it had been “played out”. After complaints were lodged at the theater owners and the studio, the film played on select screens until after the first of the year 1984.
A Christmas Story” Inspired the creation of “The Wonder Year” television show.
Prior to “A Christmas Story,” Peter Billingsley, who played Ralphie, gained fame as a correspondent for the variety show “Real People.” He also played Messy Marvin in Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup commercials. Peter is now a producer often working with his close friends with Vince Vaugh and John Favreau. His credits as a producer include: Iron Man and The Break Up. He often appears in cameo roles in the movies he porduces
The Sequels – My Summer Story & Ollie Hopnoodle’s Haven of Bliss
My Summer Story (1994) is the little know sequel to A Christmas Story. My Summer Story originally titled It Runs in the Family is another collaboration of director Bob Clark and author Jean Sheperd. While the film once again features narration by author Jean Shepherd, the cast is entirely different. The only returning cast member is Ralphie’s teacher Miss Shield (Tedde Moore).
The story takes place soon after the events of A Christmas Story, still revolving around the lives of the Parker family. But summer has arrived, and with school out for vacation, fourth-grader Ralphie (Kieran Culkin) is ready to experience another life-changing season. Throughout the summer, Ralphie prepares himself rigorously to do battle with the class bully, Scut Farkus in a game of tops. Meanwhile, the Old Man (Charles Grodin) declares war on the family’s hillbilly neighbors, The Bumpus’ and introduces Ralphie to fishing, Mom (Mary Steenburgen) falls victim to a theatre manager’s con, and little brother Randy (Christian Culkin) continues his annoying ways.
As with most sequels this one is a far cry from the original brilliance of A Christmas Story. The film has received little praise or notoriety. Jean Shepherd himself admitted - “That one was a real turkey.”
A third, made for television movie about the Parker family is called “Ollie Hopnoodle’s Haven of Bliss.” (1988) Chronicles the Paker’s summer vacation, Ralphie getting a job, and the dissappearance of the family dog.
“Be Sure To Drink Your Ovaltine.”
After drink gallons of Ovaltine Ralphie finally receives his long-awaited Orphan Annie Secret Society decoder pin in the mail. After decoding his first message he finds out it’s only a crummy commercial telling him to “Be Sure To Drink Your Ovaltine.”
Not to ruin the hilarity of the scene for everyone but it wasn’t entirely accurate. Contrary to popular myth, the secret messages at the end of the Orphan Annie radio shows did not promote Ovaltine. Oh, the rest of the show certainly did. There was an Ovaltine commercial before the start of the program, and another one at the end. The virtues of Ovaltine were extolled by announcer Pierre Andre twice in each episode. But Annie’s secret messages, which appeared several times each week, were brief previews of what would happen in tomorrow’s exciting adventure. Orphan Annie was a fifteen minute juvenile serial show based on the comic strip by Harold Gray. Debuting in 1931, it was the first late-afternoon children’s serial.
At times, Pierre Andre would ramble on for up to three minutes about Ovaltine, and the latest gimmick on how to get premiums, Ovaltine-related merchandise. The episode included here is an example of how the show was used to push these and other premiums.
The show may best be remembered for its catchy opening song:
Who’s that little chatter box?
The one with pretty auburn locks?
Whom do you see?
It’s Little Orphan Annie!
She and Sandy make a pair
They never seem to have a care!
Cute little she,
It’s Little Orphan Annie
Bright eyes, cheeks a rosy glow,
There’s a store of healthiness handy.
Mite-size, always on the go,
If you want to know–”Arf,” it’s Sandy!
Always wears a sunny smile,
Now, wouldn’t it be worth the while,
If you could be
Like Little Orphan Annie
1935 pin was the first Orphan Annie decoder was introduced by Ovaltine. It was a small round pin with the year and “Radio Orphan Annie’s SS” and two crossed skeleton keys. The “SS” stood for “Secret Society.”
1936 pin was badge shaped with a secret compartment on the back. The two keys still crossed in the middle and “Radio Orphan Annie SS” was shortened to the initials “ROA SS.”
1937 was a sunburst design with the now-standard year, two keys, and “ROA SS” on it.
1938 model was known as the “Telematic” decoder pin. It featured a larger circular pin with a large star on it. The two keys, year and initials “ROA SS” remained
1939 model was known as the Mysto-Matic decoder pin. It was a plain circular decoder pin with a very large “ROA” in the center. The “SS” was removed, but “Secret Code” added. The two skeleton keys remained.
1940 model was the model feature in “A Christmas Story” This decoder had an eagle, shield and American flag on the front, with 1940, the skeleton keys and “ROA” on the back. Each was individualized with a unique serial number stamped on the back. The numbers and letters appeared on the edge of the wheel, rather than on the front or back.
-Plot: Set during a snowy Christmas season in 1940’s Indiana, nine-year-old Ralphie longs for the ideal Christmas gift, a 200-Shot, Range-Model Air Rifle with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time.” But when gruff dad and doting mom, and even a stressed-out Santa quote the usual BB gun warning, “You’ll shoot your eye out!” Ralphie mounts a full-scale, hint dropping campaign that is a sly combination of innocence and calculation. The movie is not only about Christmas and BB guns, but also about childhood and a semi-dysfunctional family life.
Ralphie endures endless kid-sized trials and classic moments: A bully with “yellow eyes” and a rancid coonskin cap terrorizes him. There is a sequence where a kid is not merely dared but Triple-Dog-Dared to stick his tongue onto a frozen lamp post, and the fire department has to be called to remove him from the pole. Ralphie’s Old Man winning the “Major Award” of a garish lamp in the shape of a woman’s leg. Ralphie blurts out the Queen Mother of swear words and gets his mouth washed out with Lifebuoy soap. His long-awaited Little Orphan Annie Secret Society Decoder Pin translates a radio program’s top-secret message that turns out to be a crummy commercial. Even Santa is a scary fraud. But Ralphie hangs tough and ends up getting his BB gun.
-Tag Line: A Tribute to the Original, Traditional, One-Hundred-Percent, Red-Blooded, Two-Fisted, All-American Christmas…
Peace. Harmony. Comfort and Joy… Maybe Next Year.
-Run Time: 94 min
-Release Date: Friday, November 18,1983
Below are a couple movie reviews of A Christmas Story when it was first released in November, 1983. The movie received both positive and negative reviews at its release.
N.Y. Daily News - November 18, 1983
Negative Review by Rex Reed New York Post - November 18, 1983
Official Chinese Restaurant of A Christmas Story House
Proudly serving Chinese Turkey
Make your visit to A Christmas Story House even more memorable by going out for Chinese Turkey just like Ralphie and his family after the Bumpus Hounds ate their turkey.
3922 St Clair Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 391-3113
Hours:
Sun-Thu: 10am – 2am
Fri-Sat: 10am – 3am
Less than 10 minutes from A Christmas Story House and just blocks from the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel
(See map and directions below)
…And yes they really do serve Peking Duck aka Chinese Turkey
Directions from A Christmas Story House
Start at 3159 W 11th St – Head toward downtown - Turn Left on Clark Ave – Turn Right on W 14th St – Merge on I-90 East – Take exit 174/Lakeside Ave – Merge onto E 33th St – Turn Left on St Clair Ave – Restaurant is located on the Right at 3922 St Clair Ave.
Start at Hotel parking garage - Turn Right and head East on Superior Ave (through Public Square) - Turn left at E 25th St - Turn right at St Clair Ave - Restaurant is located on the Right at 3922 St Clair Ave.
P: Yeah. They were just popping me full of pills. (laughs) I was blessed because I didn’t have the child star syndrome family that you hear a lot about. It was always just something that was to be done for fun. If anything, my family was trying to stop and make sure that I was comfortable doing it. And I was. 
