Posted on 12/22/2017 10:40:49 AM PST by DUMBGRUNT
By the early 1980s, Shep’s radio show was over. This movie idea was his last chance to avoid the poorhouse. Shep, Leigh and Clark collaborated on the screenplay, and she helped keep Shep off Clark’s set. Shep, who considered himself a co-director, was constantly “helping the actors” and haranguing visitors, most of whom had never heard of him. Shep was no longer a has-been. Like “the Old Man” he had finally won his own “major award.” And no one could steal this idea. Shep’s late-in-life success had been created out of the magical world of his own childhood, one he had explored and shared with enthralled audiences all his career. For the few years they had left, Shep and Leigh had enough money to retire on Florida’s Sanibel Island. “A Christmas Story” is now the most beloved Christmas film in America, just as Leigh had hoped and Shep had never dreamed.
(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...
I can’t help but watch it every year. So many great buzz-phrases in there.
a whole movie from a single scene- brilliant- one of the best movies going in my opinion- amazing that one account triggered the whole story
Darren McGavin makes the movie, it wouldn’t have been the same with anyone else.
my favorite part is when the mother is on the phone telling the other mother ralphie learned swear words- you can hear the kid in the background screammin “What did i doooo- what did i doooo? as he’s being punished for something he didn’t do” lol
Great movie, unsanitized by PC. Probably wouldn’t be made today.
Back when you didn’t cross Mom or you had the business end of a wooden spoon coming your way. (Guilty, as charged.)
"WHAAAAAAAAAT WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT WHAAAAAAAAAAT......"
That live version they put on Fox last weekend was sickening. As someone else said, “I want to shoot my eyes out”. I bailed after about 5 minutes.
Listened to Shep regularly on WOR-770 in NYC growing up.
I worked at WOR in the 70s but not for Jean Shepard. A friend of mine was his engineer and friend. He and his wife loved him. I never heard a word against him - and he was no has-been. His radio show was wonderfully popular but it was a different time - most radio was local, not national. Of course, A Christmas Story has simply solidified his place in culture. He’s in the movie; I just saw it last night in its nice blu-ray edition.
FraJEElay!
My husband says it every time we get an UPS package...
My son just confirmed that the story he heard about the kid with the goggles is true.
The film was so low budget, they shot the store scene in a real store at night.
They had some people just come in to be shoppers and fill out the crowd. Then they saw the kid with the goggles. The director put him in the scene. He didn’t even tell him what to say. He just saw this weird kid.
The kids lines weren’t scripted, so Ralphie’s reaction was pure.
At this site, you can listen to many of his WOR shows from the late 50's thru 70's
We lasted 6 minutes until my wife finally said, “Have you seen enough?”
“I like the Wizard of Oz.”
I love this movie, especially the scene where Aunt Clara sends him pink bunny jammies for Christmas. Reminds me of the types of gifts I used to get from my grandma, whom I had rarely seen and she didn’t know any of us kids very well. Yeah, I know, it’s the thought that counts...
If you watched the love musical version, you’ll see how sanitized by PC.
The Chinese guys actually sang FALALALALAL with very pronounced L’s.
It was pathetic.
Naddafinga!
I love the part where they get the socks and then just toss them.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.