''A Christmas Story'' is a 1983
Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a Religion, religious and Culture, cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by coun ...
comedy film
The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...
directed by
Bob Clark
Benjamin Robert Clark (August 5, 1939 – April 4, 2007) was an American film director and screenwriter. In the 1970s and 1980s, he was responsible for some of the most successful films in Canadian film industry, Canadian film history such ...
and based on the 1966 book ''
In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash'' by
Jean Shepherd
Jean Parker "Shep" Shepherd Jr. (July 26, 1921 – October 16, 1999) was an American storytelling, storyteller, humorist, radio and TV personality, writer, and actor. With a career that spanned decades, Shepherd is known for the film ''A Christm ...
, with some elements from his 1971 book ''Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories and Other Disasters''. It stars
Melinda Dillon
Melinda Ruth Dillon (October 13, 1939 – January 9, 2023) was an American actress. She received a 1963 Tony Award nomination for her Broadway debut in the original production of '' Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'', and she was nominated for th ...
,
Darren McGavin
Darren McGavin (born William Lyle Richardson; May 7, 1922 – February 25, 2006) was an American actor.
McGavin began his career working as a set painter for Columbia Pictures. In 1954, he originated roles in Broadway productions of '' My Three ...
, and
Peter Billingsley
Peter Billingsley (born April 16, 1971), also known as Peter Michaelsen and Peter Billingsley-Michaelsen, is an American actor and filmmaker. He is best known for portraying Ralphie Parker in ''A Christmas Story'' and ''A Christmas Story Christm ...
, and follows a young boy and his family's misadventures during Christmas time in December 1940. It is the third installment in the
Parker Family Saga.
''A Christmas Story'' was released on November 18, 1983, and received positive reviews from critics. Filmed partly in Canada, the film earned two Canadian
Genie Awards
The Genie Awards were given out annually by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television to recognize the best of Canadian cinema from 1980–2012. They succeeded the Canadian Film Awards (1949–1978), known as the "Etrog Awards" for sculpt ...
in 1984. Widely considered a holiday classic in the United States and Canada, it has been shown in a marathon annually on
TNT
Troponin T (shortened TnT or TropT) is a part of the troponin complex, which are proteins integral to the contraction of skeletal and heart muscles. They are expressed in skeletal and cardiac myocytes. Troponin T binds to tropomyosin and helps ...
since 1997 and on
TBS since 2004 titled "24 Hours of ''A Christmas Story''", consisting of 12 consecutive airings of the film from the evening of Christmas Eve to the evening of Christmas Day.
In 2012, it was selected for preservation in the United States
National Film Registry
The National Film Registry (NFR) is the United States National Film Preservation Board's (NFPB) collection of films selected for preservation (library and archival science), preservation, each selected for its cultural, historical, and aestheti ...
by the
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...
for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
The film spawned three sequels. The first, ''
My Summer Story
''My Summer Story'' (originally released in theaters as ''It Runs in the Family'') is a 1994 American comedy film directed by Bob Clark that serves as a sequel to his 1983 film ''A Christmas Story''. Like the previous film, it is based on semi-a ...
'' (originally released as ''It Runs in the Family''), also directed by Clark, was released in 1994. The second, entitled ''
A Christmas Story 2
''A Christmas Story 2'' is a 2012 American Christmas comedy film directed by Brian Levant and starring Daniel Stern and Braeden Lemasters. The film is a direct sequel to the 1983 film ''A Christmas Story'' and ignores the events of the 1994 film ...
'', was released
straight to DVD
Direct-to-video or straight-to-video refers to the release of a film, television series, short or special to the public immediately on home video formats rather than an initial theatrical release or television premiere. This distribution strateg ...
in 2012. A third sequel, entitled ''
A Christmas Story Christmas
''A Christmas Story Christmas'' is a 2022 American Christmas comedy film directed by Clay Kaytis from a script by Nick Schenk. It is a sequel to the 1983 film ''A Christmas Story''. Peter Billingsley reprises his role as Ralphie Parker alongside ...
'', was released on
HBO Max
Max (known in other countries as, and soon to be reverted globally to HBO Max) is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. It is a proprietary unit of Warner Bros. Discovery Streaming on behalf of Home Box Of ...
in 2022 and features most of the original cast returning.
Plot

The film is presented in a series of
vignettes, with narration provided by the adult Ralphie Parker. As a 9-year-old boy living in
Northwest Indiana
Northwest Indiana, nicknamed "The Region" after the Calumet Region, is an unofficial region of Northern Indiana, northern Indiana, United States that is located at the northwestern corner of the state. Though there is no official definition of th ...
in December 1940, all Ralphie wants for Christmas is a
Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle. Ralphie's request is rejected by his mother, his teacher Miss Shields, and a disgruntled Santa at
Higbee's
Higbee's was a department store founded in 1860 in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1987, Higbee's was sold to the joint partnership of Dillard's department stores and Youngstown-based developer, Edward J. DeBartolo. The stores continued to operate under ...
store, all of whom insist Ralphie will shoot his eye out.
On Christmas morning, Ralphie receives some presents that he enjoys, but is disappointed not to find the rifle among them. Ralphie's father ("The Old Man") directs him to one last box hidden in the corner, which proves to contain the rifle. Ralphie eagerly hurries outside to try it out, but when he shoots at the metal target he has set up, the BB
ricochet
A ricochet ( ; ) is a rebound, bounce, or skip off a surface, particularly in the case of a projectile. Most ricochets are caused by accident and while the force of the deflection decelerates the projectile, it can still be energetic and almost ...
s and knocks off his glasses. Ralphie accidentally steps on and breaks the glasses while trying to find them; he makes up a cover story about an
icicle
An icicle is a spike of ice formed when water falling from an object freezes. Formation and dynamics
Icicles can form during bright, sunny, but subfreezing weather, when ice or snow melted by sunlight or some other heat source (such as a poor ...
falling from the roof of the garage and hitting his eye, which fools his mom and keeps him from getting into trouble.
That night, Ralphie goes to sleep with the gun by his side, as his adult self reflects that it was the best Christmas present he had ever received or would ever receive.
Other vignettes
Interspersed with the main story are several loosely related vignettes involving the Parkers:
* The Old Man is continually having to fix the unreliable household
furnace; his frustrations cause him to swear profusely (heard as gibberish in the film), leading Ralphie to suspect a cloud of profanity "is still hanging in space over
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan ( ) is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume () and depth () after Lake Superior and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the ...
."
* Ralphie's friends Flick and Schwartz argue over whether a tongue will stick to a cold flagpole. Schwartz escalates the dare to a "triple dog dare" and Flick reluctantly tries, getting stuck and requiring the
fire department
A fire department (North American English) or fire brigade (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English), also known as a fire company, fire authority, fire district, fire and rescue, or fire service in some areas, is an organi ...
's help to get unstuck. None of the students divulge who was responsible, and Miss Shields reasons that the perpetrator's guilty conscience is punishment enough.
* The Old Man is delighted when he wins a "major award" in a newspaper contest – a table lamp in the shape of a woman's leg wearing a
fishnet stocking. Mrs. Parker dislikes it, and the ensuing "Battle of the Lamp" ends with her "accidentally" breaking it. Unable to fix it, the Old Man sadly buries it in the backyard.
* Ralphie earns a
decoder pin as a loyal listener to the ''
Little Orphan Annie
''Little Orphan Annie'' was a daily American comic strip created by Harold Gray and print syndication#Comic strip syndication, syndicated by the Tribune Media Services. The strip took its name from the 1885 poem "Little Orphant Annie" by James ...
'' radio show. When the pin arrives, he frantically decodes
Pierre Andre
Muhammad Pierre Andre bin Nazrul Andre (born 17 March 1985) is a Malaysian actor, director and writer, born of mixed Malay-French descent.
His role as Reza in the 2005 film ''Gol & Gincu'' was his first major role. Since then, he has since ...
's secret message, revealing a disappointingly "crummy commercial" for
Ovaltine
Ovaltine, also known by its original name Ovomaltine, is a brand of milk flavouring product made with malt extract, sugar (except in Switzerland), and whey. Some flavours also have cocoa. Ovaltine, a registered trademark of Associated British ...
.
* While helping The Old Man change a tire, Ralphie accidentally drops an
F bomb and gets his mouth washed out with
Lifebuoy soap as a punishment. When Mrs. Parker demands to know where Ralphie learned the word, Ralphie (who actually learned it from The Old Man) instinctively blames Schwartz, whose mother
spanks him offscreen. That night, Ralphie imagines his parents' reaction to him going blind from soap poisoning.
* Ralphie, his brother Randy, and Flick and Schwartz are tormented by the neighborhood bullies Scut Farkus and Grover Dill. Ralphie eventually snaps and attacks Farkus, unleashing a stream of vulgar gibberish similar to the Old Man's. Mrs. Parker halts him mid-fight and escorts him home; Ralphie and Randy expect The Old Man to "kill" Ralphie when he finds out, but Mrs. Parker downplays the fight and distracts the Old Man by talking about
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
, earning Ralphie's respect.
* Ralphie's Aunt Clara gifts him a pink bunny
footed sleeper, which Mrs. Parker orders Ralphie to put on. Both Ralphie and The Old Man are disgusted by the infantile outfit, and Mrs. Parker agrees to only make Ralphie wear it when Aunt Clara is present.
* The Old Man is frequently chased by a pack of "at least 785 smelly
hound dogs" owned by the Bumpus family, the Parkers'
hillbilly
''Hillbilly'' is a term historically used for White people who dwell in rural area, rural, mountainous areas in the United States, primarily in the Appalachian region and Ozarks. As people migrated out of the region during the Great Depression, ...
neighbors. On Christmas Day, the dogs invade the Parker house and devour their Christmas
turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
. The Old Man takes the family to a
Chinese restaurant
A Chinese restaurant is a restaurant that serves Chinese cuisine. Most of them are in the Cantonese cuisine, Cantonese style, due to the history of the Overseas Chinese, Chinese diaspora, though other Chinese regional cuisine, regional cuisin ...
, introducing Ralphie to
"Chinese Turkey."
Cast
*
Peter Billingsley
Peter Billingsley (born April 16, 1971), also known as Peter Michaelsen and Peter Billingsley-Michaelsen, is an American actor and filmmaker. He is best known for portraying Ralphie Parker in ''A Christmas Story'' and ''A Christmas Story Christm ...
as Ralphie Parker
*
Jean Shepherd
Jean Parker "Shep" Shepherd Jr. (July 26, 1921 – October 16, 1999) was an American storytelling, storyteller, humorist, radio and TV personality, writer, and actor. With a career that spanned decades, Shepherd is known for the film ''A Christm ...
as adult Ralphie (voice) / man standing in the Santa Claus line at
Higbee's
Higbee's was a department store founded in 1860 in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1987, Higbee's was sold to the joint partnership of Dillard's department stores and Youngstown-based developer, Edward J. DeBartolo. The stores continued to operate under ...
*
Ian Petrella as Randy Parker
*
Melinda Dillon
Melinda Ruth Dillon (October 13, 1939 – January 9, 2023) was an American actress. She received a 1963 Tony Award nomination for her Broadway debut in the original production of '' Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'', and she was nominated for th ...
as Mrs. Parker
*
Darren McGavin
Darren McGavin (born William Lyle Richardson; May 7, 1922 – February 25, 2006) was an American actor.
McGavin began his career working as a set painter for Columbia Pictures. In 1954, he originated roles in Broadway productions of '' My Three ...
as Mr. Parker/The Old Man
*
Scott Schwartz
Scott Schwartz (born May 12, 1968) is an American actor best known for his roles in the films '' The Toy'' (1982), ''A Christmas Story'' (1983) and '' A Christmas Story Christmas (2022)'', and '' Kidco'' (1984).
Life and career
Schwartz co-s ...
as Flick
*
R. D. Robb
R. D. Robb (born March 31, 1972) is an American actor who appeared as Schwartz in the 1983 film ''A Christmas Story'' and its 2022 sequel '' A Christmas Story Christmas''. He was nominated for an Edda Award in 2005. In 2001, he co-wrote and direct ...
as Schwartz
*
Zack Ward
Zacharias Ward is a Canadian actor. He is known for his role as Scut Farkus in the 1983 film '' A Christmas Story'' and its 2022 sequel '' A Christmas Story Christmas''.
Early life
Ward was born on August 31 in either 1970 or 1973 in Toronto, Ont ...
as Scut Farkus
* Yano Anaya as Grover Dill
*
Tedde Moore
Tedde Moore (born April 11, 1947) is a retired Canadian actress, script editor, creative consultant and acting instructor.
Early life
Tedde Moore is the daughter of Darwina (née Faessler) and actor and cultural icon Mavor Moore, the granddaugh ...
as Miss Shields
* Jeff Gillen as Santa Claus
* Patty Johnson as Lead Elf
["Where are they Now" @AChristmasStoryHouse.com](_blank)
Retrieved December 26, 2020.
* Drew Hocevar as Male Elf
*
Leslie Carlson
Les Carlson ( Leslie Merle Carlson; February 24, 1933 – May 3, 2014) was an American-Canadian film and television character actor who acted on stage in Canada, the U.S. and England. His films include the horror films '' Deranged'', '' Black Ch ...
as Christmas Tree Salesman
Production
Development
The screenplay for ''A Christmas Story'' is based on material from author
Jean Shepherd
Jean Parker "Shep" Shepherd Jr. (July 26, 1921 – October 16, 1999) was an American storytelling, storyteller, humorist, radio and TV personality, writer, and actor. With a career that spanned decades, Shepherd is known for the film ''A Christm ...
's collection of short stories, ''
In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash''. Three of the semi-
autobiographical
An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life, providing a personal narrative that reflects on the author's experiences, memories, and insights. This genre allows individuals to share thei ...
short stories
A short story is a piece of prose fiction. It can typically be read in a single sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the old ...
on which the film is based were originally published in ''
Playboy
''Playboy'' (stylized in all caps) is an American men's Lifestyle journalism, lifestyle and entertainment magazine, available both online and in print. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, funded in part by a $ ...
'' magazine between 1964 and 1966. Shepherd later read "Duel in the Snow, or Red Ryder nails the Cleveland Street Kid" and told the otherwise unpublished story "Flick's Tongue" on his
WOR Radio talk show
A talk show is a television programming, radio programming or podcast genre structured around the act of spontaneous conversation.Bernard M. Timberg, Robert J. Erler'' (2010Television Talk: A History of the TV Talk Show', pp.3-4Erler, Robert (201 ...
, as can be heard in one of the DVD extras. Bob Clark stated on the
DVD commentary
An audio commentary is an additional audio track, usually digital, consisting of a lecture or comments by one or more speakers, that plays in real time with a video. Commentaries can be serious or entertaining in nature, and can add informatio ...
that he became interested in Shepherd's work when he heard "Flick's Tongue" on the radio in 1968. Additional source material for the film, according to Clark, came from unpublished anecdotes that Shepherd told live audiences "on the college circuit".
While shooting scenes in both
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–United States border, Canada–U.S. maritime border ...
, and
Toronto, Ontario
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
in early 1983, Clark told a reporter that it had taken him a considerable number of years to get the film into production. Shepherd envisioned his stories as "Dickens's Christmas Carol as retold by Scrooge", although Clark would soften it for the film; the two did not particularly get along, as Clark did not admire Shepherd's attempts at trying to guide the actors with ideas about how the characters should be played, to the point where he had him barred from the set.
Casting
The basis of the screenplay is a series of monologues written and performed by
Jean Shepherd
Jean Parker "Shep" Shepherd Jr. (July 26, 1921 – October 16, 1999) was an American storytelling, storyteller, humorist, radio and TV personality, writer, and actor. With a career that spanned decades, Shepherd is known for the film ''A Christm ...
on the radio. Shepherd wrote the adaptation with
Bob Clark
Benjamin Robert Clark (August 5, 1939 – April 4, 2007) was an American film director and screenwriter. In the 1970s and 1980s, he was responsible for some of the most successful films in Canadian film industry, Canadian film history such ...
and Leigh Brown. Several subplots are incorporated into the body of the film, based on other separate short stories by Shepherd. Shepherd provides the film's narration from the perspective of an adult Ralphie, a narrative style later used in the
comedy-drama
Comedy drama (also known by the portmanteau dramedy) is a hybrid genre of works that combine elements of comedy and Drama (film and television), drama. In film, as well as scripted television series, serious dramatic subjects (such as death, il ...
television series ''
The Wonder Years
''The Wonder Years'' is an American coming-of-age comedy television series created by Neal Marlens and Carol Black. It ran on ABC from January 31, 1988, until May 12, 1993. The series premiered immediately after ABC's coverage of Super Bowl X ...
'' and the
sitcom
A sitcom (short for situation comedy or situational comedy) is a genre of comedy produced for radio and television, that centers on a recurring cast of character (arts), characters as they navigate humorous situations within a consistent settin ...
''
Young Sheldon
''Young Sheldon'' is an American sitcom television series created by Chuck Lorre and Steven Molaro which aired on CBS from September 25, 2017, to May 16, 2024. The series is a Spin-off (media), spin-off prequel to ''The Big Bang Theory'' that ...
''. Shepherd, Brown, and Clark have cameo appearances in the film: Shepherd plays the man who directs Ralphie and Randy to the back of the Santa line at the department store; Brown – Shepherd's wife in real life – plays the woman in the Santa line with Shepherd; Clark plays Swede, the neighbor the Old Man talks to outside during the Leg Lamp scene.
In the DVD commentary, director Bob Clark mentions that
Jack Nicholson
John Joseph Nicholson (born April 22, 1937) is an American retired actor and filmmaker. Nicholson is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of the 20th century, often playing rebels fighting against the social structure. Over his five-de ...
was considered for the role of the Old Man; Clark expresses gratitude that he ended up with Darren McGavin instead, who later appeared in several other Clark films.
James Broderick
James Joseph Broderick III (March 7, 1927November 1, 1982) was an American actor. He is known for his role as Doug Lawrence in the television series ''Family'', which ran from 1976 to 1980, and he played a pivotal role in the 1975 film ''Dog Day ...
, who had portrayed the role in the television films, had died the year prior. He cast Melinda Dillon on the basis of her similar role in ''
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
''Close Encounters of the Third Kind'' is a 1977 American science fiction film, science fiction drama film written and directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Richard Dreyfuss, Melinda Dillon, Teri Garr, Bob Balaban, Cary Guffey, and François ...
''. Peter Billingsley was Clark's first choice for Ralphie: he was already a successful actor in commercials
and from co-hosting the TV series ''
Real People Real People may refer to:
* Human, a species
** People, or all humans as a whole
* ''Real People'' (TV program), a 1970s television show that aired on NBC in the United States
* ''Real People'' (album), a 1980 album by funk/disco group Chic
** " ...
''. Clark recalled: "He walked in, and he had us from the beginning(.)" Fearing it was "too obvious" a choice, Clark auditioned approximately 8,000 actors for the part—among them
Keith Coogan
Keith Coogan (born Keith Eric Mitchell; January 13, 1970) is an American actor. He is the grandson of actor Jackie Coogan.
Early life
Keith Eric Mitchell was born on January 13, 1970, in Palm Springs, California, the son of Leslie Diane Coogan ...
,
Sean Astin
Sean Patrick Astin (; born February 25, 1971) is an American actor. His acting roles include Mikey Walsh in '' The Goonies'' (1985), Billy Tepper in '' Toy Soldiers'' (1991), Dave Morgan in '' Encino Man'' (1992), Daniel Ruettiger in '' Rudy'' ...
and
Wil Wheaton
Richard William "Wil" Wheaton III (born July 29, 1972) is an American actor and writer. He portrayed Wesley Crusher on the television series ''Star Trek: The Next Generation'', Gordie Lachance in the film ''Stand by Me (film), Stand by Me'', ...
— before deciding Billingsley was the right choice after all.
Ian Petrella was cast immediately before filming began. Tedde Moore had previously appeared in Clark's film ''
Murder by Decree
''Murder by Decree'' is a 1979 mystery thriller film directed by Bob Clark. It features the Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson characters created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who are embroiled in the investigation surrounding the real-life 1 ...
'' and was the only onscreen character from ''A Christmas Story'' who was played by the same actor in the sequel, ''
My Summer Story
''My Summer Story'' (originally released in theaters as ''It Runs in the Family'') is a 1994 American comedy film directed by Bob Clark that serves as a sequel to his 1983 film ''A Christmas Story''. Like the previous film, it is based on semi-a ...
''. Jeff Gillen was an old friend of Clark's who had been in one of his earliest films.
The schoolyard bully, Scut Farkus, was played by Zack Ward, now an actor, writer and director, who had actually been bullied himself while in elementary school. In 2017, he said he was surprised at the impact his role had over the years: "I saw that I was ranked – as Christmas villains go – higher than the
Grinch
The Grinch is a character created by children's author and cartoonist Dr. Seuss. He is best known as the titular main protagonist of the 1957 children's book ''How the Grinch Stole Christmas!'' He has been portrayed and voiced by many actors, i ...
. That's amazing."
Locations
The film is set in Hohman, Indiana, a fictionalized version of Shepherd's hometown of
Hammond
Hammond may refer to:
People
* Hammond Innes (1913–1998), English novelist
* Hammond (surname)
* Justice Hammond (disambiguation)
Places Antarctica
* Hammond Glacier, Antarctica
Australia
*Hammond, South Australia, a small settlement in Sout ...
, the only Hoosier city to border
Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
. The name is derived from Hohman Avenue, a major street in downtown Hammond.
Local references in the film include Warren G. Harding Elementary School and Cleveland Street (where Shepherd spent his childhood). Other local references include mention of a person "swallowing a yo-yo" in nearby
Griffith
Griffith may refer to:
People
* Griffith (name)
* Griffith (surname)
* Griffith (given name)
Places Antarctica
* Mount Griffith, Ross Dependency
* Griffith Peak (Antarctica), Marie Byrd Land
* Griffith Glacier, Marie Byrd Land
* Griffith Ridge, ...
,
[ the Old Man being one of the fiercest "furnace fighters in Northern Indiana" and that his obscenities were "hanging in space over ]Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan ( ) is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume () and depth () after Lake Superior and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the ...
", a mention of the Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500, formally known as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, and commonly shortened to Indy 500, is an annual automobile race held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of Indian ...
, and the line to Santa Claus "stretching all the way to Terre Haute
Terre Haute ( ) is a city in Vigo County, Indiana, United States, and its county seat. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 58,389 and its metropolitan area had a population of 168,716.
Located along the Wabash River about e ...
". The Old Man is also revealed to be a fan of the Bears
Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family Ursidae (). They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout most o ...
(whom he jokingly calls the "Chicago Chipmunks") and White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The club plays its home games at Rate Fie ...
, consistent with living in northwest Indiana. In commemoration of the setting, the City of Hammond holds an annual exhibit regarding the film in November and December, including a statue recreating the scene where Ralphie's friend Flick freezes his tongue to a flagpole.
Director Bob Clark
Benjamin Robert Clark (August 5, 1939 – April 4, 2007) was an American film director and screenwriter. In the 1970s and 1980s, he was responsible for some of the most successful films in Canadian film industry, Canadian film history such ...
reportedly sent scouts
Scouting or the Scout Movement is a youth social movement, movement which became popularly established in the first decade of the twentieth century. It follows the Scout method of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activi ...
to twenty cities before selecting Cleveland for exterior filming. Cleveland was chosen because of Higbee's
Higbee's was a department store founded in 1860 in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1987, Higbee's was sold to the joint partnership of Dillard's department stores and Youngstown-based developer, Edward J. DeBartolo. The stores continued to operate under ...
Department Store in downtown Cleveland. Since Higbee's was exclusive to northeast Ohio, the department store referred to in Shepherd's book and the film is most likely Goldblatt's, located in downtown Hammond (with the Cam-Lan Chinese Restaurant three doors down on Sibley Avenue). Until they connected with Higbee's, location scouts had been unsuccessful in finding a department store that was willing to be part of the film. Higbee's vice president Bruce Campbell agreed to take part in the project on the condition he be allowed to edit the script for cursing. Ultimately, Higbee's was the stage for three scenes in the film:
*The opening scene in which Ralphie first spies the Red Ryder BB Gun in the store's Christmas window
A Christmas window is a special window display prepared for the Christmas shopping season at department stores and other retailers. Some retailers around the world have become noted for their Christmas window displays, with some becoming tou ...
display. Higbee's was known for its elaborate, child-centered Christmas themes and decorations, with Santa Claus as the centerpiece.
*The parade scene, filmed just outside Higbee's on Public Square
A town square (or public square, urban square, city square or simply square), also called a plaza or piazza, is an open public space commonly found in the heart of a traditional town or city, and which is used for community gatherings. Relat ...
. The parade was filmed late at night (3 a.m.) because during the daytime the newer Erieview Tower
The Erieview Tower (also known as the Tower at Erieview, 100 Erieview, or the Erieview Plaza Tower) is a skyscraper featuring elements of the International style located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. The building has 40 stories, r ...
and Federal Building
A federal building is a building housing local offices of various government departments and agencies in countries with a federal system, especially when the central government is referred to as the "federal government
A federation (als ...
were visible from the Public Square, as was the BP Tower, which was under construction at the time.
* Ralphie and Randy's visit to see Santa, which was filmed inside Higbee's. The store kept the Santa slide that was made for the film and used it for several years after the film's release. Higbee's became Dillard's
Dillard's, Inc. is an American department store chain with approximately 267 stores in 29 states and headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas. Currently, the largest number of stores are located in Texas with 57 and Florida with 42. The company a ...
in 1992 and closed permanently in 2002.
In addition to the scenes involving Higbee's, the exterior shots (and select interior shots where Ralphie lived, including the opening of the leg lamp) of the house and neighborhood, were filmed in the Tremont section of Cleveland's West Side. The house used as the Parker home in these scenes has been restored, reconfigured inside to match the soundstage interiors, and opened to the public as " A Christmas Story House". Appropriately, the fictional boyhood home of Ralphie Parker is on Cleveland Street, the name of the actual street where Shepherd grew up.
Several other locations were used. The school scenes were shot at the Victoria School in St. Catharines, Ontario
St. Catharines is the most populous city in Canada's Niagara Region, the eighth largest urban area in the province of Ontario. As of 2021, St. Catharines has an area of and 136,803 residents. It lies in Southern Ontario, south of Toronto ac ...
. The Christmas tree-purchasing scene was filmed in Toronto, Ontario
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
, as was the sound stage
A sound stage (also written soundstage) is a large, soundproof structure, building or room with large doors and high ceilings, used for the production of theatrical film-making and television productions, usually located on a secured movie or te ...
filming of interior shots of the Parker home. The "...only I didn't say fudge" scene was filmed at the foot of Cherry Street in Toronto; several lake freighter
Lake freighters, or lakers, are bulk carriers operating on the Great Lakes of North America. These vessels are traditionally called boats, although classified as ships. Freighters typically have a long, narrow hull, a raised pilothouse, and the ...
s are visible in the background spending the winter at Toronto's port, which lends authenticity to the time of year when the film was produced.
In 2008, two Canadian fans released a documentary that visits every location. Their film, ''Road Trip for Ralphie'', was shot over two years and includes footage of the filmmakers saving Miss Shields' blackboard from the garbage bin on the day the old Victoria School was gutted for renovation, discovering the antique fire truck that saved Flick, locating original costumes from the film, and tracking down the location of the film's Chop Suey Palace in Toronto.
Red Ryder BB Gun
The "Red Ryder" model BB Gun was manufactured in Plymouth, Michigan, by Daisy, beginning in 1938; it was never manufactured in the exact configuration mentioned in the film. The Daisy "Buck Jones" model did have a compass and a sundial in the stock, but these features were not included in the Red Ryder model. The compass and sundial were placed on Ralphie's BB gun, but on the opposite side of the stock because Peter Billingsley was left-handed.
Dating the story
Director Bob Clark stated in the film's DVD commentary that both he and author Shepherd wished for the film to be seen as "amorphously late-'30s, early-'40s". A specific year is never explicitly mentioned in the film, with the most explicit references being a December 1939 calendar seen in one scene and the 1940 date on Ralphie's (authentic) ''Little Orphan Annie'' decoder ring, the last year the program was associated with Ovaltine and Pierre Andre before they moved on to ''Captain Midnight
''Captain Midnight'' (later rebranded on television as ''Jet Jackson, Flying Commando'') is an American adventure franchise first broadcast as a radio serial from 1938 to 1949. The character's popularity throughout the 1940s and into the mid-19 ...
''. While the Lionel streamline model passenger train in Higbee's window is a prewar item, the freight train in the same window is of postwar manufacture. Much of the Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, comedian, entertainer and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwi ...
soundtrack consisted of material recorded after World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, including the 1947 hit version of "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town
"Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" is a Christmas music, Christmas song written by John Frederick Coots, J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie, and first recorded by Harry Reser and His Orchestra. When it was covered by Eddie Cantor on his radio show ...
" (though multiple other versions were already popular by the late 1930s) and "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
"It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" is a Christmas song written in 1951 by Meredith Willson. The song was originally titled "It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas". Perry Como was the first to record and release the song in 1951.
The so ...
," which would not be written until 1951. The '' Look'' magazine that Ralphie hides the Red Ryder ad in is the December 1937 cover with Shirley Temple and Santa. The parade in front of Higbee's features characters from MGM's version of ''The Wizard of Oz
''The Wizard of Oz'' is a 1939 American Musical film, musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). Based on the 1900 novel ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' by L. Frank Baum, it was primarily directed by Victor Fleming, who left pro ...
'', which was released in 1939, and the war, which the United States entered in December 1941, is never mentioned. The "Old Man's" treasured Oldsmobile 6 is a 1937 Oldsmobile F-Series Touring Sedan. Although the director and author have said that the year has been obfuscated, some sources, including ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' and CBS News
CBS News is the news division of the American television and radio broadcaster CBS. It is headquartered in New York City. CBS News television programs include ''CBS Evening News'', ''CBS Mornings'', news magazine programs ''CBS News Sunday Morn ...
, have dated the film to 1940 or the early 1940s.
The real Shepherd was several years older than Ralphie; Shepherd was intentionally dishonest about many of the details of his own life and regularly obscured the line between fact and fiction in his writings. A teacher called "Miss Shields" was Shepherd's second-grade teacher at Warren G. Harding Elementary School in 1928. By 1939, Shepherd had already graduated from high school.
Release
Initially overlooked as a sleeper film, ''A Christmas Story'' was released a week before Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in October and November in the United States, Canada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Germany. It is also observed in the Australian territory ...
1983 to moderate success, earning about $2 million in its first weekend.[ ]Film critics
Film criticism is the analysis and evaluation of films and the film medium. In general, film criticism can be divided into two categories: Academic criticism by film scholars, who study the composition of film theory and publish their findin ...
generally supported the film. Leonard Maltin
Leonard Michael Maltin (born December 18, 1950) is an American film critic, film historian, and author. He is known for his book of film capsule reviews, '' Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide'', published from 1969 to 2014. Maltin was the film criti ...
proclaimed it "a top screen comedy". Gene Siskel
Eugene Kal Siskel (January 26, 1946 – February 20, 1999) was an American film critic and journalist for the ''Chicago Tribune'' who co-hosted a movie review television series alongside colleague Roger Ebert.
Siskel started writing for the '' ...
gave it 3 stars, calling it a "delightful motion picture", with "delightful characters and performances", but opined that it was "doomed to box office failure" for being released too early in the holiday season. Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert ( ; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American Film criticism, film critic, film historian, journalist, essayist, screenwriter and author. He wrote for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. Eber ...
initially gave the film three stars out of four, but later awarded the film four stars and added the film to his "Great Movies" list. He suggested that the film only experienced modest success because holiday-themed films were not popular at the time. Vincent Canby
Vincent Canby (July 27, 1924 – October 15, 2000) was an American film and theatre critic who was the chief film critic for ''The New York Times'' from 1969 until the early 1990s, then its chief theatre critic from 1994 until his death in 2000. ...
's mostly negative ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' review complained that "the movie's big comic pieces tend only to be exceedingly busy. Though Mr. Billingsley, Mr. Gavin ic Miss Dillon and the actress who plays Ralphie's school teacher (Tedde Moore) are all very able, they are less funny than actors in a television situation comedy".
In Canada, the film would go on to win two categories in the 5th Genie Awards
The 5th Genie Awards were presented on March 21, 1984, to honour films released in 1983.
This year's entries numbered 15 features, 14 theatrical shorts and 5 theatrical documentaries."11 nominations for Chapdelaine in Genie race". ''The Globe and ...
, for Director Bob Clark and Best Original Screenplay for the work of Leigh Brown, Bob Clark and Jean Shepherd.
By Christmas 1983, the film was no longer playing at most venues but remained in about a hundred theatres until January 1984. Gross earnings were just over $19.2 million. In December 1984, the film was re-released for a brief second theatrical run, coinciding with its home video release. Writer Glenn Lovell of ''Knight Ridder
Knight Ridder was an American media company, specializing in newspaper and Internet publishing. It was bought by McClatchy on June 27, 2006, allowing the latter to become the second largest newspaper publisher in the United States at the time ...
'' noted that after a year had passed, the film had "caught on with critics and the public", and rather than unload the film to cable television, MGM saw enough interest budding for a second run during the holiday season - this time much closer to and through the week of Christmas.
Reception
Over the years, the film's critical reputation has grown considerably and it is regarded by some as one of the best films of 1983. By the late 1980s, it was already considered a classic. Based on 61 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review aggregator, review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee ...
, the film has an overall approval rating from critics of 89%, with an average
In colloquial, ordinary language, an average is a single number or value that best represents a set of data. The type of average taken as most typically representative of a list of numbers is the arithmetic mean the sum of the numbers divided by ...
score of 8.4/10. The site's consensus reads: "Both warmly nostalgic and darkly humorous, ''A Christmas Story'' deserves its status as a holiday perennial." On Metacritic
Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
, the film has a score of 77 out of 100, based on 16 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. In his movie guide, Leonard Maltin
Leonard Michael Maltin (born December 18, 1950) is an American film critic, film historian, and author. He is known for his book of film capsule reviews, '' Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide'', published from 1969 to 2014. Maltin was the film criti ...
awarded the film a four-star rating, calling the film "delightful" and "truly funny for kids and grown-ups alike" with "wonderful period flavor". In his book ''Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas'', critic Alonso Duralde
Alonso Duralde (born May 18, 1967) is an American film critic, author, and podcaster. He has been a writer and editor for ''The Film Verdict'', ''The Wrap'', ''The Advocate (LGBT magazine), The Advocate'' and MSNBC.com.
Personal life
Duralde ...
lists ''A Christmas Story'' in his chapter of "Christmas Classics".
Due to television airings and home video release, ''A Christmas Story'' has become widely popular and is now an annual Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a Religion, religious and Culture, cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by coun ...
special. The film was produced and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...
(MGM). The rights to the film were acquired by Turner Entertainment Co. after Ted Turner
Robert Edward Turner III (born November 19, 1938) is an American entrepreneur, television producer, media proprietor, and Philanthropy, philanthropist. He founded the CNN, Cable News Network (CNN), the first 24-hour United States cable news, ...
's purchase of MGM's pre-1986 film library. Subsequently, Time Warner
Warner Media, LLC ( doing business as WarnerMedia) was an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate owned by AT&T. It was headquartered at the 30 Hudson Yards complex in New York City.
It was established as Time Warne ...
purchased Turner Entertainment in 1996 and currently holds rights to the film as Warner Bros. Discovery
Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (WBD) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational mass media and Outline of entertainment, entertainment Conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered in New York City. It was formed from WarnerMedi ...
(WBD). On December 24, 2007, AOL
AOL (formerly a company known as AOL Inc. and originally known as America Online) is an American web portal and online service provider based in New York City, and a brand marketed by Yahoo! Inc.
The service traces its history to an online ...
ranked the film their #1 Christmas film of all time. IGN
''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...
ranked the film the top holiday-themed film of all time. In 2012, a Marist Poll
The Marist Poll, founded in 1978, is a national public opinion poll operated by the Marist Institute for Public Opinion (MIPO) on the campus of Marist University in Poughkeepsie, New York. The poll was one of the first college-based public opin ...
named the film the favorite holiday film in the US. In 2019, a poll commissioned by Tubitv and conducted by Onepoll also ranked the film Best Holiday Movie Ever. ''A Christmas Story'' received a nomination for Best Digital – Comedy, and won Best Digital – Animation/Family at the 2023 Golden Trailer Awards
The Golden Trailer Awards are an American annual award show for film trailers founded in 1999. The awards also honor the best work in all areas of film and video game marketing, including posters, television advertisements and other media, in 10 ...
.
Lawsuit
In August 2011, Zack Ward
Zacharias Ward is a Canadian actor. He is known for his role as Scut Farkus in the 1983 film '' A Christmas Story'' and its 2022 sequel '' A Christmas Story Christmas''.
Early life
Ward was born on August 31 in either 1970 or 1973 in Toronto, Ont ...
, who played Scut Farkus in the film, sued Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...
and Enesco
Enesco is a privately held American giftware company that began in 1958. After changing ownership many times, the company was bought in 2023 by holding company Ad Populum. Brands owned or licensed by Enesco include Heartwood Creek (Jim Shore) and ...
over merchandising for the film after the company authorized a figure resembling his character from the film without his permission. It was revealed that when he signed on to play that character, he did not receive any merchandising rights because of a mishap with his contract. The lawsuit was dropped in January 2012 after Warner Bros. revealed that the figurine showed a "generic face" that has been used on them since 2006 and that the statute of limitations
A statute of limitations, known in civil law systems as a prescriptive period, is a law passed by a legislative body to set the maximum time after an event within which legal proceedings may be initiated. ("Time for commencing proceedings") In ...
had run out.
In December 2012, Ward sued Warner Bros. again over his image after attending the annual ''Christmas Story'' charity fundraiser convention in Cleveland
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–U.S. maritime border and approximately west of the Ohio-Pennsylvania st ...
in November 2010, where a fan handed him a ''Christmas Story'' board game, playing cards, and calendar showing his face. The lawsuit was settled three days later.
Broadcasting and home media release
Television
The film first aired on television on premium cable networks The Movie Channel
The Movie Channel (often abbreviated as TMC) is an American pay television, premium television network owned by Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global operated through its Paramount Media Networks division. Not including CBS, it is t ...
, HBO
Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...
, and Showtime
Showtime or Show Time may refer to:
Film
* ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film
* ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur
Television Networks and channels
* Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global w ...
, as early as December 1985, followed by Cinemax
Cinemax is an American pay television network owned by Home Box Office, Inc., a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched on August 1, 1980, as a "maxi-pay" service to complement the offerings of its sister premium network, HBO (Home Box ...
in 1986. It never aired on a major network
Major most commonly refers to:
* Major (rank), a military rank
* Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits
* People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames
* Major and minor in musi ...
: NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
had no space on its holiday schedule, CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...
rejected the film as too dark, and ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting
* Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...
said it had never been offered to them. It was instead syndicated to local stations in 1986–1987, and the film quickly began to attract a following. On December 16, 1987, the film premiered on SuperStation WTBS. In 1989 and 1990, TBS Superstation showed it on Thanksgiving night, while in 1991 and 1992, they aired it the night after.
Turner Broadcasting
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. was an American television and media conglomerate founded by Ted Turner in 1965. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it merged with Time Warner (later WarnerMedia) on October 10, 1996. As of April 2022, all of its ass ...
(as both an independent company and, from 1996 onward, as a subsidiary of the company presently operating as Warner Bros. Discovery
Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (WBD) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational mass media and Outline of entertainment, entertainment Conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered in New York City. It was formed from WarnerMedi ...
) has maintained ownership of the broadcast rights, and since the mid-1990s, they have continued to air the film increasingly on both TBS and TNT
Troponin T (shortened TnT or TropT) is a part of the troponin complex, which are proteins integral to the contraction of skeletal and heart muscles. They are expressed in skeletal and cardiac myocytes. Troponin T binds to tropomyosin and helps ...
throughout the holiday season
The Christmas season or the festive season, also known as the holiday season or the holidays, is an annual period generally spanning from November or December to early January. Incorporating Christmas Day and New Year's Day, the various celebrat ...
annually. Turner Classic Movies
Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is an American movie channel, movie-oriented pay television, pay-TV television network, network owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in 1994, Turner Classic Movies is headquartered at Turner's Techwood broadcas ...
has also aired the film many times, as has The CW
The CW Network, LLC (commonly referred to as The CW or simply CW) is an American commercial broadcast television network which is controlled by Nexstar Media Group through a 75% ownership interest. The network's name is derived from the firs ...
in recent years. By 1995, it was aired on the three Turner networks a combined six times on December 24–26, and in 1996, it was aired eight times over four days, not including separate local channel airings.
The rerunning of ''A Christmas Story'' on television made Shepherd wealthier than anything he had done for television, even before the day-long marathons began. He contrasted the constant reruns of the film with the ephemeral nature of his teleplays, which were seen once and then never again. He initially vowed never to work in television again once ''A Christmas Story'' became a perennial hit (both because of this phenomenon and a previous bad experience a decade prior with ''The Phantom of the Open Hearth''); he reconsidered a few years later, noting the success of the film had allowed him more leverage to gain higher rights fees.
24 Hours of ''A Christmas Story''
Due to the increasing popularity of the film, in 1997, TNT began airing a 24-hour marathon
The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of kilometres ( 26 mi 385 yd), usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There ...
dubbed "24 Hours of ''A Christmas Story''", consisting of twelve consecutive showings of the film running from 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time
The Eastern Time Zone (ET) is a time zone encompassing part or all of 23 states in the eastern part of the United States, parts of eastern Canada, and the state of Quintana Roo in Mexico.
* Eastern Standard Time (EST) is five hours behi ...
on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas, the festival commemorating nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus. Christmas Day is observance of Christmas by country, observed around the world, and Christma ...
until 8:00 p.m. on Christmas Day
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A liturgical feast central to Christianity, Chri ...
. This was in addition to various other airings on the network earlier in the month of December. In 2004, after TNT switched to a predominantly drama-centered programming format, sister network TBS, under its comedy-based "Very Funny" moniker, took over carriage of the marathon. Clark stated that, in 2002, an estimated 38.4 million people tuned into the marathon at one point or another, nearly one sixth of the country. TBS reported 45.4 million viewers in 2005, and 45.5 million in 2006. In 2007, new all-time ratings records were set, with the highest single showing (8:00 p.m. Christmas Eve) drawing 4.4 million viewers.[ Viewership increased again in 2008, with the 8:00 p.m. airing on Christmas Eve drawing 4.5 million viewers, the 10:00 p.m. airing drawing 4.3 million, and total viewership topping at 54.4 million.] As of 2009, the film had been shown 250 times on the Turner family of networks.
In 2007, the marathon continued, and the original tradition was revived. TNT also aired the film twice the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend (November 25). In 2009, the 24-hour marathon continued on TBS, for the 13th overall year, starting at 8:00 p.m. ET on Christmas Eve.
In 2009, the film aired on TBS during a 24-hour marathon on Christmas Eve. The first viewing at 8:00 p.m. ET on December 24 earned a 1.6 rating (18–49) and beat the major broadcast networks (NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
, ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting
* Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...
, CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...
, and Fox
Foxes are small-to-medium-sized omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull; upright, triangular ears; a pointed, slightly upturned snout; and a long, bushy tail ("brush").
Twelve species ...
). In 2010, the marathon averaged 3 million viewers, up 2% from the previous year, ranking TBS as the top cable network for the 24-hour period. The 10:00 a.m. airing on December 25 was seen by 4.4 million viewers, and the 8:00 p.m. airing on December 24 was close behind with 4.3 million viewers. The marathons in 2011 and 2012 continued to see increases in ratings.
Beginning with the 2014 edition of the marathon, Turner elected to simulcast it on both TNT and TBS, marking the first time since 2003 that TNT aired it as well as the first time the marathon was aired on multiple networks. The two networks staggered their airings one hour apart, with the TBS marathon beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET and the TNT marathon beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET. Both networks have run 24-hour marathons with the one-hour offset format from 2014 annually, making it a new tradition for both TBS and TNT networks. For 2019, a majority of the most-watched programs—13 out of the top 25—broadcast on cable Christmas Day were ''A Christmas Story''.
In 2024, TBS aired the film in early December as part of their ''Dinner and a Movie
''Dinner and a Movie'' is an American cooking and entertainment television program aired on TBS from September 8, 1995 to 2011 and made its return since 2024.
The show was hosted by chef Claud Mann and comedian Paul Gilmartin throughout its ...
'' series, this in addition to the marathon. Hosts Jason Biggs
Jason Matthew Biggs (born May 12, 1978) is an American actor. The accolades he has received include a Screen Actors Guild Awards, Screen Actors Guild Award, alongside nominations for a Daytime Emmy Awards, Daytime Emmy Award and a Satellite Award ...
and Jenny Mollen
Jenny Ann Biggs ( Mollen; born May 30, 1979) is an American actress and writer. She played List of minor Angel characters#Nina Ash, Nina Ash on the television series ''Angel (1999 TV series), Angel'' (2003–04). She appeared on the series ''Vi ...
were joined by Zack Ward
Zacharias Ward is a Canadian actor. He is known for his role as Scut Farkus in the 1983 film '' A Christmas Story'' and its 2022 sequel '' A Christmas Story Christmas''.
Early life
Ward was born on August 31 in either 1970 or 1973 in Toronto, Ont ...
.
Subsequent screen adaptations and sequels
The PBS series ''American Playhouse
''American Playhouse'' is an American anthology television series periodically broadcast by Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).
It premiered on January 12, 1982, with ''The Shady Hill Kidnapping'', written and narrated by John Cheever and direc ...
'' produced two subsequent television film
A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie, telefilm, telemovie or TV film/movie, is a film with a running time similar to a feature film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a Terrestr ...
adaptations featuring the same characters, also with Shepherd narrating: '' The Star-Crossed Romance of Josephine Cosnowski'' and ''Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss
''Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss'' is a 1988 American television film, made-for-television comedy film written by Jean Shepherd and directed by Dick Bartlett, based on the 1968 short story by Shepherd. A satire of childhood recollections of a ...
''. The latter of these was set in the early 1950s with a now-teenaged Ralphie and his friends and family. Shepherd had previously created '' The Phantom of the Open Hearth'' and '' The Great American Fourth of July and Other Disasters'' for the same network.
A theatrical sequel
A sequel is a work of literature, film, theatre, television, music, or video game that continues the story of, or expands upon, some earlier work. In the common context of a narrative work of fiction, a sequel portrays events set in the same ...
involving Ralphie and his family, titled ''It Runs in the Family'', was made in 1994. With the exceptions of Tedde Moore as Miss Shields (Ralphie's teacher) and Jean Shepherd as the narrator (the voice of the adult Ralphie), it features an entirely different cast. It received a limited release before being retitled ''My Summer Story
''My Summer Story'' (originally released in theaters as ''It Runs in the Family'') is a 1994 American comedy film directed by Bob Clark that serves as a sequel to his 1983 film ''A Christmas Story''. Like the previous film, it is based on semi-a ...
'' for home video and television release.
''A Christmas Story 2
''A Christmas Story 2'' is a 2012 American Christmas comedy film directed by Brian Levant and starring Daniel Stern and Braeden Lemasters. The film is a direct sequel to the 1983 film ''A Christmas Story'' and ignores the events of the 1994 film ...
'' is a direct sequel to the film, which ignores the references and events of ''My Summer Story'' and was released direct-to-video
Direct-to-video or straight-to-video refers to the release of a film, television series, short or special to the public immediately on home video formats rather than an initial theatrical release or television premiere. This distribution strat ...
in 2012 and directed by Brian Levant
Brian Michael Levant (born August 6, 1952) is an American filmmaker.
Early life and career
Born in Highland Park, Illinois to a Jewish family, Levant started his career in 1976 as a writer for the TV series ''Happy Days''. He also wrote for, ...
. It was filmed in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada.
Another sequel to the film, which ignores all previous sequels and is entitled ''A Christmas Story Christmas
''A Christmas Story Christmas'' is a 2022 American Christmas comedy film directed by Clay Kaytis from a script by Nick Schenk. It is a sequel to the 1983 film ''A Christmas Story''. Peter Billingsley reprises his role as Ralphie Parker alongside ...
'', was released in 2022. The film is directed by ''The Christmas Chronicles
''The Christmas Chronicles'' is a 2018 American Christmas comedy film directed by Clay Kaytis from a screenplay by Matt Lieberman. The film stars Kurt Russell, Judah Lewis, Darby Camp, Lamorne Morris, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, and Oliver Huds ...
'' director Clay Kaytis
Clay Kaytis (born March 22, 1973) is an American animator and film director, best known for directing the animated film ''The Angry Birds Movie'' (2016), the Christmas film, Christmas comedy film ''The Christmas Chronicles'' (2018), and the ''A Ch ...
and written by '' The Mule'' writer Nick Schenk
Nick Schenk (born November 12, 1965) is an American screenwriter known for writing the Clint Eastwood-directed feature film ''Gran Torino'' in 2008 for which he won Best Original Screenplay from the National Board of Review.AwardsBest Origin ...
(who is also executive producer of the film). Peter Billingsley
Peter Billingsley (born April 16, 1971), also known as Peter Michaelsen and Peter Billingsley-Michaelsen, is an American actor and filmmaker. He is best known for portraying Ralphie Parker in ''A Christmas Story'' and ''A Christmas Story Christm ...
reprised his role as Ralphie Parker, in addition serving as the film's producer. The film was released via streaming on HBO Max
Max (known in other countries as, and soon to be reverted globally to HBO Max) is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. It is a proprietary unit of Warner Bros. Discovery Streaming on behalf of Home Box Of ...
by Warner Bros. Discovery Global Streaming & Interactive Entertainment. It takes place in the 1970s following an adult Ralphie catching up with his old childhood friends. Ian Petrella, Scott Schwartz
Scott Schwartz (born May 12, 1968) is an American actor best known for his roles in the films '' The Toy'' (1982), ''A Christmas Story'' (1983) and '' A Christmas Story Christmas (2022)'', and '' Kidco'' (1984).
Life and career
Schwartz co-s ...
, R. D. Robb
R. D. Robb (born March 31, 1972) is an American actor who appeared as Schwartz in the 1983 film ''A Christmas Story'' and its 2022 sequel '' A Christmas Story Christmas''. He was nominated for an Edda Award in 2005. In 2001, he co-wrote and direct ...
, and Zack Ward
Zacharias Ward is a Canadian actor. He is known for his role as Scut Farkus in the 1983 film '' A Christmas Story'' and its 2022 sequel '' A Christmas Story Christmas''.
Early life
Ward was born on August 31 in either 1970 or 1973 in Toronto, Ont ...
reprised their roles of Randy Parker, Flick, Schwartz, and Scut Farkus, respectively. Erinn Hayes
Erinn Hayes (née Carter; born May 25, 1976) is an American actress and comedian. She is known for her role as Dr. Lola Spratt on the sitcom ''Childrens Hospital'' (2008–2016), which she later reprised in its spin-off series ''Medical Police' ...
, River Drosche, and Julianna Layne played Ralphie's wife and his kids while Julie Hagerty
Julie Beth Hagerty (born June 15, 1955) is an American actress. She starred as Elaine Dickinson in the films ''Airplane!'' (1980) and '' Airplane II: The Sequel'' (1982). Her other film roles include ''A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy'' (1982), '' ...
played Mrs. Parker in a role originated by Melinda Dillon
Melinda Ruth Dillon (October 13, 1939 – January 9, 2023) was an American actress. She received a 1963 Tony Award nomination for her Broadway debut in the original production of '' Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'', and she was nominated for th ...
(who would die less than two months after the film was released in 2023) in the original film. The film is dedicated to the memory of Darren McGavin
Darren McGavin (born William Lyle Richardson; May 7, 1922 – February 25, 2006) was an American actor.
McGavin began his career working as a set painter for Columbia Pictures. In 1954, he originated roles in Broadway productions of '' My Three ...
(who played "The Old Man" in the original film), who died on February 25, 2006.
Stage adaptations
In 2000, a stage play adaptation of ''A Christmas Story'' was written by Philip Grecian.
In November 2012, '' A Christmas Story: The Musical'', based on the film, opened on Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...
. Written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, known together as Pasek and Paul, are an American songwriting duo and composing team for musical theater, films and television.
While Pasek usually writes lyrics and Paul usually writes music, they share credit for ...
(music and lyrics) and Joseph Robinette (book), the musical opened to positive reviews. The run ended on December 30 the same year. The musical was directed by John Rando
John Rando is an American stage director who won the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical for ''Urinetown the Musical'' in 2002. He received his 2nd nomination in the same category in 2015 for the 2014 Broadway revival of '' On the Town''.
...
with choreography by Warren Carlyle
Warren Carlyle is a British director and choreographer who was born in Norwich, Norfolk, England. He received Drama Desk Award nominations for Outstanding Choreography and Outstanding Director of a Musical for the 2009 revival of '' Finian's Rain ...
and featured Dan Lauria
Daniel Joseph Lauria (born April 12, 1947) is an American actor, who played the role of Jack Arnold in ''The Wonder Years'' (1988–1993), Jack Sullivan on '' Sullivan and Son'' (2012–2014), and Al Luongo on '' Pitch'' (2016–2017).
Early l ...
as Jean Shepherd. The musical received Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
nominations for Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical (Robinette), and Best Original Score (Music or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre.
The musical was then adapted for television as the three hour '' A Christmas Story Live!'', which aired on the Fox
Foxes are small-to-medium-sized omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull; upright, triangular ears; a pointed, slightly upturned snout; and a long, bushy tail ("brush").
Twelve species ...
network in the United States on December 17, 2017. Reviews were mixed; on Rotten Tomatoes, the production received a 46% rating based on 13 critics' reviews.
Home media
* Betamax
Betamax (also known as Beta, and stylized as the Greek letter Beta, β in its logo) is a discontinued consumer analog Videotape, video cassette recording format developed by Sony. It was one of the main competitors in the videotape format war ag ...
— 1984
* VHS
VHS (Video Home System) is a discontinued standard for consumer-level analog video recording on tape cassettes, introduced in 1976 by JVC. It was the dominant home video format throughout the tape media period of the 1980s and 1990s.
Ma ...
cardboard sleeve box — 1984, 1988, 1993, 1994, 1995 ("MGM/UA Family Entertainment" label), 1999 ("Warner Bros. Family Entertainment" label)
* VHS
VHS (Video Home System) is a discontinued standard for consumer-level analog video recording on tape cassettes, introduced in 1976 by JVC. It was the dominant home video format throughout the tape media period of the 1980s and 1990s.
Ma ...
plastic clamshell case — 1995, 1998 ("MGM Family Entertainment" label), 1999 ("Warner Bros. Family Entertainment" label)
* LaserDisc
LaserDisc (LD) is a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium. It was developed by Philips, Pioneer Corporation, Pioneer, and the movie studio MCA Inc., MCA. The format was initially marketed in the United State ...
— 1985: Pan and scan
Pan and scan is a film editing technique used to modify widescreen images for display on a fullscreen screen. It involves cropping the sides of the original widescreen image and panning across it when the shot's focus changes. This cropping c ...
* LaserDisc
LaserDisc (LD) is a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium. It was developed by Philips, Pioneer Corporation, Pioneer, and the movie studio MCA Inc., MCA. The format was initially marketed in the United State ...
— 1993: Deluxe Letterbox Edition
* DVD
The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...
— 1997: Fullscreen, includes the original theatrical trailer (reissued by Warner Home Video
Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment, Inc. (doing business as Warner Bros. Home Entertainment; formerly known as Warner Home Video and WCI Home Video and sometimes credited as Warner Home Entertainment) is the American home video distribution ...
in 1999).
* DVD
The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...
— 2003: 20th Anniversary 2-Disc Special Edition DVD: anamorphic widescreen
Anamorphic widescreen (also called full-height anamorphic or FHA) is a process by which a widescreen image is horizontally compressed to fit into a storage medium (photographic film or MPEG-2 standard-definition frame, for example) with a narr ...
and letterboxed
Letter-boxing is the practice of transferring film shot in a widescreen aspect ratio to standard-width video formats while preserving the film's original aspect ratio. The resulting video-graphic image has mattes of empty space above and belo ...
fullscreen; it includes cast interviews, audio commentary, and featurettes.
* HD DVD
HD DVD (short for High Density Digital Versatile Disc) is an obsolete high-density optical disc format for storing data and playback of high-definition video. — 2006
* Blu-ray
Blu-ray (Blu-ray Disc or BD) is a digital optical disc data storage format designed to supersede the DVD format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released worldwide on June 20, 2006, capable of storing several hours of high-defin ...
— 2006
* DVD
The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...
— 2008, Ultimate Collector's Edition: Metal tin case features the same 2003 two-disc special edition, but includes special memorabilia.
* Blu-ray
Blu-ray (Blu-ray Disc or BD) is a digital optical disc data storage format designed to supersede the DVD format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released worldwide on June 20, 2006, capable of storing several hours of high-defin ...
— 2008, Ultimate Collector's Edition: Metal tin which features the same 2006 Blu-ray Disc, but also includes a strand of Leg Lamp Christmas lights.
* Blu-ray
Blu-ray (Blu-ray Disc or BD) is a digital optical disc data storage format designed to supersede the DVD format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released worldwide on June 20, 2006, capable of storing several hours of high-defin ...
— 2013, 30th Anniversary Edition: Steelbook with Blu-ray in 1080p (like the previous Blu-ray and HD-DVD) with a DTS-HD Master Audio
DTS-HD Master Audio (DTS-HD MA; known as DTS++ before 2004) is a multi-channel, lossless audio codec developed by DTS as an extension of the lossy DTS Coherent Acoustics codec (DTS CA; usually itself referred to as just DTS). Rather than be ...
mono track (whereas the previous releases had Dolby Digital mono), and more special features than the previous Blu-ray and HD-DVD editions.
* Ultra HD Blu-ray
Ultra HD Blu-ray (4K Ultra HD, UHD-BD, or 4K Blu-ray) is a digital optical disc data storage format that is an enhanced variant of Blu-ray. Ultra HD Blu-ray supports 4K UHD (3840 × 2160 pixel resolution) video at frame rates up to 60 progre ...
— 2022
See also
* List of Christmas films
Many Christmas stories have been Christmas film, adapted to feature films and TV specials, and have been broadcast and repeated many times on television. Since the popularization of home video in the 1980s, these films are sold and re-sold every ...
* Parker Family Saga (franchise)
Notes
References
Bibliography
*
External links
Official DVD site
*
*
*
*
by Donald Fagen
Donald Jay Fagen (born January 10, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and musician who is the co-founder, lead singer, co-songwriter, and keyboardist of the rock band Steely Dan, formed in the early 1970s with musical partner Walter Becker ...
– ''Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous, metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade, regional metamorphism. It is the finest-grained foliated metamorphic ro ...
''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Christmas Story
1983 films
1983 children's films
1983 comedy films
1980s American films
1980s Canadian films
1980s children's comedy films
1980s Christmas comedy films
1980s English-language films
American children's comedy films
American Christmas comedy films
Canadian children's comedy films
Canadian Christmas comedy films
English-language Canadian films
English-language Christmas comedy films
Films about bullying
Films about families
Films based on American novels
Films based on multiple works
Films based on works by Jean Shepherd
Films directed by Bob Clark
Films produced by Bob Clark
Films scored by Paul Zaza
Films set in 1940
Films set in Indiana
Films shot in Cleveland
Films shot in Ohio
Films shot in Toronto
Films with screenplays by Bob Clark
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films
Parker Family Saga
United States National Film Registry films
Works by Jean Shepherd