Posted on 12/22/2017 10:40:49 AM PST by DUMBGRUNT
By the early 1980s, Sheps 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 Clarks 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. Sheps 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 Floridas 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 ...
One of my neighbors puts a full-sized replica of the FraJEELay crate out in his yard every year. He also displays the leg lamp and about a hundred other light displays, ornaments, inflatables and Christmas figures.
They used to sell a replica of the lamp at our local drugstore every Christmas. I haven’t seen it the last couple of years...
Here’s Shep reading from his book, the source for the Christmas Story.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkicEleOiTM
Not only had he had a great radio show, was a well known author, but in the '80s, he had a wonderful show on PBS; so was nationally well known before this fantastic movie was being made/came out.
"scut" work ( it's English !) means work that tedious, looking up all kinds of facts and statistics/repetitive and boring searches.
Even better than the names Dickens gave his characters, very clever, and until now, I hadn't even thought about it. THANK YOU FOR POSTING WHAT YOU DID! :-)
ROTFLMAO!
Fa Ra Ra Ra Ra,
Ra Ra Ra RAH!
If you posted your comment as-is, it would look like ...
To: DUMBGRUNT
The snap of a few sparks a quick whiff of ozone, and the lamp blazed forth in unparalleled glory. From ankle to thigh the translucent flesh radiated a vibrant, sensual, luminous orange-yellow-pinkoish nimbus of Pagan fire.
That night was one of the very few times my father ever actually got publicly drunk. His cronies whooped and hollered, guzzled and yelled into the early morning hours, knocking over chairs and telling dirty stories.
That night, for the first time, our home had a Night Light. The living room was bathed through the long, still, silent hours with the soft glow of electric sex. The stage was set; the principal players were in the wings. The cue was about to be given for the greatest single fight that ever happened in our family.
The Old Man leaped from the floor, his towel gone, in start nakedness. He bellowed:
You always were jealous of that lamp!
Jealous? Of a plastic leg?
Her scorn ripped out like a hot knife slicing through soft oleomargerine. He faced her.
You were jealous cause I won!
Thats ridiculous. Jealous! Jealous of what? That was the ugliest lamp I ever saw!
Posted on 12/22/2017 1:22:24 PM PST by Fresh Wind (Hillary: Go to jail. Go directly to jail. Do not pass GO. Do not collect 2 billion dollars.)
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DUMBGRUNT
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“The snap of a few sparks a quick whiff of ozone, and the lamp blazed forth in unparalleled glory. From ankle to thigh the translucent flesh radiated a vibrant, sensual, luminous orange-yellow-pinkoish nimbus of Pagan fire.”
“That night was one of the very few times my father ever actually got publicly drunk. His cronies whooped and hollered, guzzled and yelled into the early morning hours, knocking over chairs and telling dirty stories.”
“That night, for the first time, our home had a Night Light. The living room was bathed through the long, still, silent hours with the soft glow of electric sex. The stage was set; the principal players were in the wings. The cue was about to be given for the greatest single fight that ever happened in our family.”
The Old Man leaped from the floor, his towel gone, in start nakedness. He bellowed:
“You always were jealous of that lamp!”
“Jealous? Of a plastic leg?”
Her scorn ripped out like a hot knife slicing through soft oleomargerine. He faced her.
“You were jealous ‘cause I won!”
That’s ridiculous. Jealous! Jealous of what? That was the ugliest lamp I ever saw!”
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In the General/Chat forum, on a thread titled The Story Behind A Christmas Story, DUMBGRUNT wrote:
He heard Shep on the radio tell the tale of how Ralphies friend Flick got triple-dog-dared into freezing his tongue to the school flagpole. Clark considered himself an expert on the vagaries of adolescent America, and he was convinced this story would make a great film scene.
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OMG, what happened!
Sorry, post all screwed up.
The house that they filmed it in is in Cleveland and my wife and I went for a visit this past summer.
It was great, the house was set just like in the movie and they had replica props you could pick up and have a picture taken with. There was the Red Ryder BB Gun, the bowling ball, a full size leg lamp in the crate. It’s very interactive and you get the whole run of the house.
If you’re ever in Cleveland it is a must visit. Veterans get 1/2 price tickets and the store has everything, bunny suit, BB guns, Life Bouy soap, leg lamps, etc.
Chapter XVI-Ludlow Kissel and the dago bomb that struck back
“Fa Ra Ra Ra Ra, Ra Ra Ra Ra”.
I grew up listening to Jean Shepard’s radio show as I went to sleep. He was a fantastic story teller that went far beyond just his growing up but also his time in the military. Years ago I found recordings of his radio show for free on the internet. They are probably still available.
The shortwave station WBCQ will run Shep’s shows. Naturally, one of the traditional Dago Bomb shows runs on the 4th.
Lol my wife will watch it all Christmas eve. Of the many great scenes the one with Ralphies brother falling down and enable to get up is my favorite a long with Ralphie beating the hell out of the billy.
I know. Great talent!
Jean Shepherd was one of the greatest storyteller ever. His books recounting the rights of passage growing up in Hammond Indiana are priceless.
And when Ralphies mother asked if she knew where he heard it, you hear the other woman say”probably his father”
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