Posted on 12/15/2005 6:04:54 PM PST by presidio9
Some former child actors cringe and protest when reminded by loyal fans of long-ago projects. Not Peter Billingsley, star of “A Christmas Story.”
According to journalist Rebecca Murray, “he seems to genuinely light up when the movie is mentioned.”
Billingsley is also used to passersby tossing their favorite quotes at him. “They all still love it,” he told Murray. People ask him if he’s tired of talking about it, but he’s not. “I’m really, really proud to be a part of it.”
Billingsley still appears in front of the cameras now and then. (He had an uncredited role in last year’s seasonal hit, “Elf,” playing - what else? - an elf. He also served as the movie’s executive producer.
He was executive producer on “Zathura,” which is still playing locally in theatres. In the upcoming comedy, “The Break-Up,” starring Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Anniston, he also does dual duty in front of and behind the camera.
It’s all part of a day in the life of a talented man who, unlike some child stars, was able to make his way gracefully from kid to grownup and remain in show business.
He credits his parents with this successful transition. From the beginning, back in New York City, the Billingsleys looked on the whole thing as fun, and never let themselves take their son’s stardom too seriously. “It was also something that was just done for fun,” Peter said, in a 2002 interview with Wayne Chinsang. “If it wasn’t fun, it was going to stop.”
On the advice of friends who told her that her sons were cute, Peter’s mother took them to a agent. “The first one said we were too fat, the next one said too ugly, but the third one said, ‘Yeah, they’ll work,’” Peter said.
The three-year-old’s first gig was a Geritol commercial. Other commercials followed, and then some forgettable movies. The Billingsleys moved to Phoenix, Ariz., and struck gold in 1983 with “A Christmas Story.”
Well, not literally gold. The movie was made with a modest budget by a director, Bob Clark, who believed in it. “They (Bob and Jean Shepherd) tried for 12 years to get that film made,” Peter said. “Bob had to agree to direct another junky film for the studio to greenlight it. They hardly gave him any money. MGM didn’t support the release of the movie.”
“It was so different,” Jean Shepherd said in a 1998 interview for TV Guide. “It was too real, and MGM didn’t think kids would like it.”
There’s no way for Peter to avoid the movie, even if he tried, not even in his own family. When the Billingsleys get together in Phoenix for Christmas, someone will invariably slip it in the VCR.
He doesn’t mind the connection. “It’s a great film,” he told Chinsang in the 2002 interview. “It’s something I want to be known for.”
Besides a modest paycheck from the movie, Peter was allowed to keep one of the specially made Red Ryder BB guns, the cowboy suit, and the pink bunny suit. “It’s tucked away,” he said. “But the gun is really cool.”
Peter never really left Hollywood, although he did vanish from sight for a while, leading to those predictable rumors that he died a derelict drug addict and was buried in an unmarked grave.
That’s not his style. He joked with Chinsang about his unremarkable, non-glamorous upbringing. “There’s nothing to talk about,” he said. “I grew up in a loving family in Phoenix. I tried a cigarette once.”
What Peter did do was move into editing, some writing, directing, and then producing, where he is most active today. He frequently teams up on projects with friends such as actor Vince Vaughn and director Jon Favreau.
Favreau and Peter collaborated on IFC’s popular “Dinner for Five,” which ran for five seasons. “Zathura” and “The Break-Up” continue their association as director and producer.
Peter acknowledges there have been many changes since 1983 in the way Hollywood markets pictures. “Today, there are so many things that are our of your control,” he said. “All that you can really ever do, which is what we did with ‘A Christmas Story,’ is tell a great story.”
I just saw that, too. They just released the first season on DVD.
That was a great series all around. You couldn't make that today, which is a shame because kids and parents could learn something from it.
My favorite of those is the one for "Jaws"
"Oh, put your arms down when you get to school!"
I almost died laughing tonight when I looked at our Chinese take out receipt and instead of brown sauce, it said "Blown sauce". Hubby and I immediately started singing "Fa ra ra ra ra....."
***I just love this movie!***
YOU USED UP ALL THE GLUE ON PURPOSE!
My husband is earnestly striving to maintain that tradition! lol!
(Active duty... 15 years and counting!)
** We did not swear. I was shocked and so were my children, at the language of the film. I kept on waiting for the characters to somehow redeem themselves. It didnt happen.**
I like this movie because it is so real! Language and all!
I learned the queen mother of all dirty words in the 3rd grade, 1956.
***Thanks for that. I really love Shepherd's work. I'll tune in.**
Then have you seen OLLIE HOPNOODLE'S HAVEN OF BLISS? It was on Walt Disney way back in the 1980's. Different actors though.
See, that's an odd one to me. Last year, for the first time in my life, I was informed that c*rap was a swear word. Heck, grandma said it! GRANDPA said it!
No. If my grandpa said it then it was not, and never will be, a swear word. That man was the purest soul born to this earth in the last 100 years and did not tolerate profanity. Ever.
lol
And for that, you owe me a keyboard! LMAO!!!
***What was your favorite bar of soap???**
My mom always threatened to wash out our mouths with bleach!
We were definitly careful around her! I once mentioned the word "pu$$y" and it is only because I was too old to catch that I didn't get "it".
I used to stick my liver into my knee socks and feed it to the dog after dinner. That dog loved me. :)
My son lost his BB gun last year for taking out his bedroom window. And his TV screen. Him and his best friend lost firecracker privileges when they spent about twenty "pops" against the side of the house. Yesterday he was using his father's electric staple gun (without permission) and hit his cousin right below the eye with a ricochet.
I keep telling myself, "It's normal, healthy behavior."
But I still loose my mind when they do such stupid things!!!
ROFLOL
We LOVE the TBS running of A Christmas Story for 24 hours on Christmas Eve/Day. And the DVD for Christmas in July. ;-)
**No. I assume that was vulgar too.**
You will really like the banter between Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacal in THE BIG SLEEP.
not a curse word in it yet I got red faced when they discussed horse racing.
I still want a Red Ryder BB gun!!!!
Heck, I can't believe how old I am now. I didn't think I'd live the three weeks to my 21st birthday, but the Tet offensive was going on then. Be glad for the time we've had and live every day for those we left behind.
***Hey it is true I saw special on E True Hollywood story they did special on what happen to cast of Christmas story Darrivn McGarvin did appear on X-Files I know that few episodes ***
Who can forget KOLCHAK, THE NIGHT STALKER.
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.