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‘A Christmas Story’ Cast Then & Now: Look at the Stars of the 1983 Classic

By:
December 25, 2025 3:00PM EST
'A Christmas Story' Cast Then & Now: Look At The Stars Of The 1983 Classic
Getty Images

Since 1983, ‘A Christmas Story’ has been a beloved classic of the holiday season. Take a look at the cast of this iconic Christmas film.

Since 1983, ‘A Christmas Story’ has been a fixture of the holiday season. A moderate sleeper hit at the box office (it pulled in $19 million), the movie would become a cult classic thanks to the era of VCRs and basic cable showings.

In the late 1990s, the film became synonymous with Christmas, thanks to the first-ever 24-hour ‘A Christmas Story’ marathon on TNT. From there, the story of Ralphie Parker, his brother Randy, and his parents have christened the season with each yearly viewing.

Since the film’s release, the cast has taken different paths. Peter Billingsley, who played Ralphie, went on to work as a producer and director. Ian Petrella, who portrayed Randy, built a career as a puppeteer and animator. Darren McGavin, who memorably played Ralphie’s father, was also known for his starring role in Kolchak: The Night Stalker, while Melinda Dillon, who played Mrs. Parker, appeared in notable films including Magnolia.

As the world gets ready to stick their tongues to the flagpole and write essays about BB guns, click through to take a look at the cast of ‘A Christmas Story.’

1 of 8

Ralphie AKA Peter Billingsley

Ralphie AKA Peter Billingsley
MGM/Shutterstock

Peter Billingsley is best known for portraying Ralphie in A Christmas Story. Now he focuses on producing, directing, and celebrating the legacy of ‘A Christmas Story’.

Remembering the film’s quiet release, Peter told ABC in Nov. 2017, “Nobody had any expectations. It was this quirky, weird period movie about a kid who wants this BB gun, with all these dreams sequences and fantasies. It’s kind of eccentric. It had odd tone, but clearly the filmmakers got it right.”

December 20, 2021, 9:24AM
2 of 8

Mrs. Parker AKA Melinda Dillon

Mrs. Parker AKA Melinda Dillon
MGM/Shutterstock

Melinda Dillon played Ralphie’s mom, Mother Parker in ‘A Christmas Story’.

She last appeared on the television series ‘Heartland’ in 2007. She also had roles in ‘Magnolia’, and ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’. The actress passed away on January 9, 2023, at the age of 83.

Star Peter Billingsley joked about ‘A Christmas Story’s’ simple plot with Vanity Fair in Nov. 2016. “I think it took so long to get made because the movie, by modern-day standards, is about nothing,” he said. “It’s a family a couple of weeks before Christmas, and the kid wants a BB gun. That’s not exactly a pitch in which you’d say, ‘Let me get the president of the studio on the phone!'”

December 20, 2021, 9:25AM
3 of 8

Randy AKA Ian Petrella

Randy AKA Ian Petrella
MGM/Shutterstock

Ian Petrella played Ralphie’s little brother, Randy in the original ‘A Christmas Story’. He quit acting and discovered a new love of puppetry.

Reflecting on the film in 2013 with the Rock Island Dispatch Argus, Ian said he was “lucky to be a part of something like that.”

December 20, 2021, 9:25AM
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Farkus AKA Zack Ward

Farkus AKA Zack Ward
MGM/Shutterstock

Zack Ward is best known as the bully, Scut Farkus, from ‘A Christmas Story’ has been acting consistently since. He even appeared on ‘American Horror Story in 2017’. Nice glow-up, Scut!

Zack looked back on the film with Fox News in Dec. 2021. Talking about the moral of the story, he said, “I think [it] teaches kids that bullies are people, too. And the fact is, once you face your fears, you can overcome that ‘bully’ who is intimidating you.

He went on, “I don’t think that it has to do just with getting into a fistfight, but I think it’s a metaphor for life. If you are scared of something, face it. If you are intimidated by something, address it. If you want to overcome the hurdles in life, you can’t do it by going down the side street to trying to avoid the confrontation. You have to take your life head on.”

December 20, 2021, 9:25AM
5 of 8

The Old Man AKA Darren McGavin

The Old Man AKA Darren McGavin
MGM

Darren McGavin played Old Man Parker in the original ‘A Christmas Story’.

His career was immense, as he played ‘Kolchak: The Nightstalker’, Mike Hammer, and more on television. His film legacy was just as long. Sadly, he passed away in February 2006 at the age of 83.

Film reporter Murray Horwitz talked about Darren’s acting in a 2011 NPR interview, “Darren McGavin is over the top, but he is everybody’s dad. I mean, he’s really – you know, dad’s this bumbling jerk who somehow saves the day always.”

December 20, 2021, 9:25AM
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Santa AKA Jeff Gillen

Santa AKA Jeff Gillen
MGM

Jeff Gillen played the mall Santa Claus in the original ‘A Christmas Story’. Sadly he died in June of 1995. He also appeared in ‘Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things’, ‘Easy Money’, and ‘Police Academy 5: Assignment: Miami Beach’.

Jeff’s son Phil talked about the film with Beyond The Marquee in 2012, saying, “I get a little emotional every time when the movie is at the point where Ralphie is standing in line waiting to see Santa. I hear my dad’s voice in the background, ‘Ho Ho Ho, Ho Ho Ho!’ I know my dad’s voice, so it’s great for me.”

December 20, 2021, 9:25AM
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Ms. Shields AKA Tedde Moore

Ms. Shields AKA Tedde Moore
MGM

Tedde Moore played Miss Shields in the original ‘A Christmas Story’. She still acts occasionally, including 2017’s ‘Magical Christmas Ornaments’ movie.

Tedde said she remembered shooting the iconic pole scene, telling the Northwest Indiana Times actor Scott Schwartz “had to wear that thing (bandage) on his tongue all day, and he never complained.”

December 20, 2021, 9:25AM
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Schwartz AKA R.D. Robb

Schwartz AKA R.D. Robb
MGM

R.D. Robb played Ralphie’s friend, Schwartz, in the original ‘A Christmas Story’. He’s still acting and producing, with one of his most recent projects being Freeform’s ‘Siren’.

R.D. said the role has stayed with him for years. “Every room I’ve ever walked in as an actor on an audition of on the set of something, or even as a producer or director, people do tend to recognize me. R.D. Robb said in 2013. “It’s definitely a conversation starter”

December 20, 2021, 9:25AM