Flicklives


Last Page Update: 08-18-2024
Movies

A Christmas Story
November 18, 1983

Based on short stories from his books "In God We Trust - All Others Pay Cash" and "Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories and Other Disasters". Shep first told many of these stories on the radio or during live performances, then they were published as short stories in Playboy magazine, before finally being collected into the two books. On his February 14, 1975 show, Shep stated that just this week, we signed a contract with Warner Bros. to write a script based on "In God We Trust. . ." and "Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories. . ." Released in the theatre in 1983, it wasn't until the 90's when it was repeatedly shown on tv and released on video that it quickly became one of the all time favorite Christmas movies.

Production Information:		Buy It
Studio / Network:	MGM-UA
Director:	Bob Clark
Asst Director:
Producer:	Rene Dupont and Bob Clark
Executive Producer:
Running Time:	95 Minutes

Related Plots / Story Lines and Other References Used

Time	Category	Date	Title	Comments
•	Radio	February 14, 1975	Valentine's Day Party	Shep announces contract signing
•	People		Schwartz, Paul
•	Plots / Story Lines		Flick's Tongue
•	People		Flick
•	People		Parker, Randy
•	People		Parker, Ralph
•	People		Shields, Miss
•	Plots / Story Lines		Red Ryder BB Gun
•	People		Farkas, Scut
•	Plots / Story Lines		The Leg Lamp
•	Plots / Story Lines		Wax Teeth
•	Plots / Story Lines		Writing a Theme
•	Plots / Story Lines		Little Orphan Annie Decoder Pin
•	Plots / Story Lines		Bumpus Family
•	Plots / Story Lines		How does the little piggy eat?
•	Plots / Story Lines		Red Cabbage
•	Plots / Story Lines		Bunny Slippers / Pajamas
•	Plots / Story Lines		Chinese Turkey
•	Plots / Story Lines		Soap Poisoning
•	Short Stories and Columns by Shep	September 1964	Grover Dill And The Tasmanian Devil
•	Plots / Story Lines		Flash Gordon - ACS deleted scene

Where Shep Makes Reference To This Subject:

Time	Date	Category	Title
•	December 11, 1983	Article	Have You Heard About Shepherd
•	December 2016	Article	The Making of A Christmas Story
•	December 2016	Article	The Man Behind the LEG LAMP
•	December 2, 1983	Article	'A Christmas Story' - a surprise under the tree revives spirit
•	January 8, 1985	Article	Seen And Heard in Our Neighborhood
•	November 27, 1983	Article	Indiana life spices 'A Christmas Story'
•	January 26, 1989	Article	Jean Shepherd to humor Friends of the Library
•	October 14, 1966	Books	In God We Trust - All Others Pay Cash
•	January 27, 1989	Live Shows	Friends of the Library
•		Plots / Story Lines	Flash Gordon - ACS deleted scene
•	December 26, 1964	Radio	Early Version of Red Ryder story
•	December 25, 1967	Radio	Red Ryder
•	January 27, 1968	Radio	Flick's Tongue
• 05:00	July 1968	Radio	The Bumpus Hounds
• 28:16	February 14, 1975	Radio	Valentine's Day Party
• 23:27	May 7, 1975	Radio	Kid Jokes
• 18:23	May 8, 1975	Radio	Words to Marches
• 09:35	May 18, 1970	Radio	Being Syndicated, Oh, Fudge Moment, America
•	March 31, 1974	Television	Wonderama
•	December 17, 2017	Television	A Christmas Story Live!
•	November 6, 1983	Television	Bobbie Wygant Interviews Jean Shepherd for A Christmas Story

Links to Further Information:

• A Christmas Story

Related Articles / Reviews:

Date	Publication	Title
November 16, 1983	The Aquarian	A Christmas Story Review
November 18, 1983	The Sunday Star Ledger	Warm nostalgia colors comic 'Christmas Story' Review Richard Freedman
November 18, 1983	New York Post	'Christmas Story' is kiddie korn Review Rex Reed
November 18, 1983	New York Daily News	'Christmas Story': bah, humbug Review ERNEST LEOGRANDE
November 23, 1983	The Daily Collegian	'Christmas Story' is no gift Review SHAWN ISRAEL - Collegian Staff Writer
December 3, 1983	Staten Island Advance	He and his critic are mismatched Review Pete Delaney
November 16, 1983	Variety	A Christmas Story
November 18, 1983	The New York Times	Film: 'Christmas Story,' Indiana Tale Vincent Canby
December 2, 1983	The Record	Shepherd, man in the ironic mask Lou Lumenick
December 4, 1983	The Sunday Star Ledger	Shepherd not nostalgic for the 'good old days' Richard Freedman
December 5, 1984	Variety	Shepherd And Clark Plan Sequel To MGM/UA's 'Christmas Story'
December 11, 1983	The Grand Rapids Press	Have You Heard About Shepherd Douglas
December 2, 1983	The Daily Eastern News	'A Christmas Story' - a surprise under the tree revives spirit Steve Sandstrom

TBS Marathons:

Every Christmas since 1997 the TBS cable network has shown a 24 hour marathon of "A Christmas Story"

Date	Description
December 24, 1997	TBS shows 24 hour marathon of "A Christmas Story"
December 24, 1998	TBS shows 24 hour marathon of "A Christmas Story"
December 24, 1999	TBS shows 24 hour marathon of "A Christmas Story"
December 24, 2000	TBS shows 24 hour marathon of "A Christmas Story"
December 24, 2001	TBS shows 24 hour marathon of "A Christmas Story"
December 24, 2002	TBS shows 24 hour marathon of "A Christmas Story"
December 24, 2003	TBS shows 24 hour marathon of "A Christmas Story"
December 24, 2004	TBS shows 24 hour marathon of "A Christmas Story"
December 24, 2005	TBS shows 24 hour marathon of "A Christmas Story"
December 24, 2006	TBS shows 24 hour marathon of "A Christmas Story"
December 24, 2007	TBS shows 24 hour marathon of "A Christmas Story"
December 24, 2008	TBS shows 24 hour marathon of "A Christmas Story"
December 24, 2009	TBS shows 24 hour marathon of "A Christmas Story"
December 24, 2010	TBS shows 24 hour marathon of "A Christmas Story"
December 24, 2011	TBS shows 24 hour marathon of "A Christmas Story"
December 24, 2012	TBS shows 24 hour marathon of "A Christmas Story"
December 24, 2013	TBS shows 24 hour marathon of "A Christmas Story"
December 24, 2014	TBS shows 24 hour marathon of "A Christmas Story"
December 24, 2015	TBS shows 24 hour marathon of "A Christmas Story"
December 24, 2016	TBS shows 24 hour marathon of "A Christmas Story"
December 24, 2017	TBS shows 24 hour marathon of "A Christmas Story"
December 24, 2018	TBS shows 24 hour marathon of "A Christmas Story"
December 24, 2019	TBS shows 24 hour marathon of "A Christmas Story"
December 24, 2020	TBS shows 24 hour marathon of "A Christmas Story"
December 24, 2021	TBS shows 24 hour marathon of "A Christmas Story"
December 24, 2022	TBS shows 24 hour marathon of "A Christmas Story"
December 24, 2023	TBS shows 24 hour marathon of "A Christmas Story"
December 24, 2024	TBS shows 24 hour marathon of "A Christmas Story"
December 24, 2025	TBS shows 24 hour marathon of "A Christmas Story"

Photos:

December 22, 1994

Courtesy: William Welsch

Cast:

Melinda Dillon (Mother)

Darren McGavin (The "Old Man")

Peter Billingsley (Ralphie)

Ian Petrella (Randy)

Tedde Moore (Miss Shields)

Scott Schwartz (Flick)

R.D. Robb (Schwartz)

Yano Anaya (Grover Dill)

Zack Ward (Scut Farkus)

Jeff Gillen (Santa Claus)

Colin Fox (Ming the Merciless)

Paul Hubbard (Flash Gordon)

Les Carlson (Tree Man)

Jim Hunter (Freight Man)

Patty Johnson (Head Elf)

Drew Hocevar (Male Elf)

David Svoboda (Goggles)

Dwayne McLean (Black Bart)

Helen E Kaider (Wicked Witch)

John Wong (Chinese Father)

John Sebastion Wong (Waiter #1)

Fred Lee (Waiter #2)

Dan Ma (Waiter #3)

Rocco Bellusci

Tommy Wallace (Boy in School)

Screenshots:

Ralphie and Flash Gordon in deleted scene

Every Kid's Dream...

...a Red Ryder...

...at Higbees

If only I had one...

... I'd get the bad guys...

...and save the family

...like I had lobsters coming out of my ears!

"It's stuck!"

The Bribe

"Must be from Italy"

"It's a Leg!"

WOW!

"It's a Lamp"

I Know Just Where to Put It!

Every man's dream...

...every woman's nightmare!

I don't know what happened!

You were jealous!

The old man seeks to set a record

Indiana 1940

"Oh fuuudggge!"

Don't taste like fudge!

It was...soap poisoning!

It's Here!

I was now a member

"It was signed... in real ink!"

"Be sure to drink..."

"Red Cabbage"

He had yellow eyes!

"$%&@^ *%#&^*"

"Daddy's gonna kill Ralphie!"

Santa Mountain

Jean Shepherd and Leigh Brown

Leigh Brown

Randy meets "the Man"

"How about a nice football"

"No!!!"

"I want a Red Ryder..."

"You'll shoot your eye out kid"

Aunt Clara's gift

No Comment!

"A can of Simonize!"

"An Official Red Ryder..."

"Look out Black Bart!"

"I shot my eye out!"

Don't touch that turkey

"It's smiling"

No problem!

The Chop Suey Palace

Credits

"Can you imagine 4,000 years passing, and you're not even a memory?
Think about it, friends. It's not just a possibility. It is a certainty." - Jean Shepherd - 1975