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Former child actor remembers cinema fun of ‘A Christmas Story’
Valley City Times Record ^ | Wednesday, December 14, 2005 | Carla Kelly

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.”


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: achristmasstory; christmasmovies; churchlady; electricsex; fahrahrahrahrahrahra; flick; idoubledogdareya; ilikesanta; itripledogdareya; itsamajoraward; meatloafsmeatloaf; mommyslittlepiggy; mustbeitalian; peterbillingsley; ralphie; soappoisoning; youllshootyoureyeout
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To: presidio9

I love this movie! So glad Peter Billingsley's parents raised him well. He sounds very level headed and well grounded.


61 posted on 12/15/2005 6:41:55 PM PST by Ladysmith ((NRA, SAS) Prepare for Override! Support Zien's PPA/CCW bill in Wisconsin.)
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To: billorites
The Dick Dale???
62 posted on 12/15/2005 6:42:15 PM PST by presidio9 (Islam Is As Islam Does)
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Comment #63 Removed by Moderator

To: Bernard Marx

For fans of Shep, some of his old radio shows are available for listening online here:

http://www.flicklives.com/Mass_Back/mass_back.htm

(I'm listening to the "Christmas is Coming" show from December 13, 1965 now...)


64 posted on 12/15/2005 6:43:16 PM PST by LibFreeOrDie (L'chaim!)
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To: martin_fierro

65 posted on 12/15/2005 6:46:27 PM PST by presidio9 (Islam Is As Islam Does)
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To: andysandmikesmom
I grew up in Indianapolis during about the same time frame, and I LOVE this movie, because it captured perfectly the sights and sounds of those years.

I attended a school that was identical to Ralphie's. We had neighbors who had goats and donkeys that would get loose and wander through our yard (this less than 3 miles from the center of Indianapolis). Our tree looked just like Ralphie's. The downtown Santa land was very similar to the one in the movie. I could go on and on, but the Darren McGavin's father role reminded me so much of my dad (who also did 5 years in the army during WWII and taught me MANY interesting turns of phrase...LOL).

66 posted on 12/15/2005 6:48:03 PM PST by Miss Marple (Lord, please look after Mozart Lover's son and keep him strong.)
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To: yarddog

67 posted on 12/15/2005 6:48:23 PM PST by presidio9 (Islam Is As Islam Does)
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To: andysandmikesmom
...all the snowsuits,

I can't put my arms down!
68 posted on 12/15/2005 6:50:09 PM PST by MaryFromMichigan
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To: martin_fierro

"I could've sworn that kid grew up to be Phil Donahue."

ROFLMAO!!!!

Too Funny!

Jean Shepard bump!


69 posted on 12/15/2005 6:51:06 PM PST by jocon307
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To: martin_fierro

"I could've sworn that kid grew up to be Phil Donahue."

ROFLMAO!!!!

Too Funny!

Jean Shepard bump!


70 posted on 12/15/2005 6:51:07 PM PST by jocon307
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To: Miss Marple

It was grand to have dads such as ours, wasnt it?...my dad never backed down when it came to colorful language...he loved language in fact, and used as many different and 'colorful' words and phrases as he could think of...he thought it kept things interesting, and amused me and my brother all the time...

Hes been gone for many years now, and I sure do miss him...


71 posted on 12/15/2005 6:52:03 PM PST by andysandmikesmom
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To: presidio9; All

Wanna see a 30 second recap of the movie, done by cartoon bunnies? (don't ask!)

Click here: http://www.angryalien.com/


72 posted on 12/15/2005 6:53:32 PM PST by mwyounce
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To: Blood of Tyrants

No, it's "Yule shoot your eye out."


73 posted on 12/15/2005 6:53:43 PM PST by SamAdams76 (What Would Howard Roarke Do?)
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To: MaryFromMichigan

LOL...that was so true...some of those snowsuits were so puffy and thick, it was hard to put our arms down...ah well, our moms just wanted to make sure we were warm...


74 posted on 12/15/2005 6:53:47 PM PST by andysandmikesmom
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To: presidio9
"The Dick Dale??? "

Most famous pseudonym of Franklin W. Dixon.


75 posted on 12/15/2005 6:53:55 PM PST by billorites (freepo ergo sum)
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To: presidio9

With as much dignity as he could muster, the Old Man gathered up the sad remains of his shattered Major Award. Later that night, alone in the backyard, he buried it next to the garage. Now I could never be sure, but I thought that I heard the sound of "Taps" being played. Gently.

I just love this movie!

76 posted on 12/15/2005 6:54:17 PM PST by tapatio
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To: presidio9

The furnace scenes crack me up. My brother and I fed our furnace many a shovelful of sawdust in those good ole days!
And I remember being bundled up in a snowsuit and galoshes.
Oh, the smell of snow-wet wool. Great movie!


77 posted on 12/15/2005 6:54:41 PM PST by Paperdoll (On the cutting edge)
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To: billorites

78 posted on 12/15/2005 6:56:52 PM PST by presidio9 (Islam Is As Islam Does)
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To: RTINSC

Perhaps you were a girl.


I was a girl. 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.


79 posted on 12/15/2005 6:57:40 PM PST by Chickensoup (Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas! Merry Chri)
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To: Chickensoup; RTINSC

Since we're all adults here, would you mind giving us an example of the language you found so offensive?


80 posted on 12/15/2005 6:59:24 PM PST by presidio9 (Islam Is As Islam Does)
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