We still talk about the Bumpus' hounds next door.
Jean Shepherd's stories were classic works of art. The books in their written form unsuitable for a family movie though. The Old Man in Christmas Story was a far cry from his written version. :>}
I can sympathize with The Old Man as he called his dad. My favorite stories were Ollie Hopnoddle's Haven of Bliss and the one where he finds himself nearly suckered into going to a Polish wedding {His own} LOL. Yes I remember cars that you had to jump up and down on the front bumper to start too. A 59 Rambler my dad owned required a hammer to tap the solenoid. At the age of about 8 I had the ritual down real well for mom to start the car.
"We still talk about the Bumpus' hounds next door."
My family WAS The Bumpus Family; Hounds from Hell and all, LOL! ;)