Search Results for: 80s film

You’d think the round-the-clock TV marathons of Bob Clark’s comedy, A Christmas Story, would be as overwhelming as Ralphie Parker’s Pepto Bismol-colored bunny costume, but really, the nostalgia, hilarious absurdity, and the countless memorable scenes and quotes are all too joyfully addicting. NY Daily News By the way, have you been drinking your Ovaltine? Based on Jean Shepherd’s semi-autobiographical short stories, A Christmas Story surprisingly took some time to become the American mainstream classic that it is today. Decades after its 1983 release, it started garnering the kudos it deserved, with some media outlets ranking it as the top holiday film of all time. Regardless of the film’s sleeper-hit status, most of the actors were already veterans in the business by the time they decided to take on their off-kilter, iconic roles and went on to lead successful careers in Hollywood. Let’s dig a little deeper to see where our favorite Christmas movie cast has been as of late: 1. Scott Schwartz, Flick Then: Scott Schwartz played Flick, who was goaded into licking a frozen flag poll in 'A Christmas Story's most memorable scene. He also starred in 'The Toy,' as a spoiled rich kid who keeps Richard Pryor as his personal manservant. The '80s were a different time, folks. Now: Schwartz, 43, managed adult film actors for a while, even starring in the unfortunately-titled ''Scotty's X-Rated Adventure.' These days he appears in the odd direct-to-video movie and works at his father's business, Baseball Cards & Movie Collectables Etc. in Westlake Village, California. MGM/WPXI 2. Peter Billingsley, Ralphie MGM/Getty Images Then: Peter Billingsley played Ralphie Parker, A Christmas Story 's Red Ryder BB gun-pining protagonist. Now: Although Billingsley, 40, still occasionally acts, he is best known for his behind-the-camera collaborations with his good buddies Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau. He recently directed the pair in Couples Retreat, and produced such movies as Iron Man and The Break-Up. And he has yet to shoot his eye out with any BB guns. Below is Peter talking about his experience during A Christmas Story. 3. Melinda Dillon, Mrs. Parker Then: Melinda Dillon was cast as Ralphie and Randy's mom based on a similar performance she gave in Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Now: Dillon has also appeared in the films Harry and the Hendersons, Magnolia (pictured below, right), and Reign Over Me. Her most recent part was a recurring role in the 2007 drama Heartland, though she hasn't appeared in anything since. MGM/New Line 4. Ian Petrella, Randy Parker Then: Ian Petrella played Ralphie's little brother, Randy. Now: Petrella, 37, become a puppeteer and an animator after his career as a child actor. He's also served as a special tour guide for The Christmas Story House and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio. MGM/WPXI 5. R.D. Robb, Schwartz MGM/Getty Images Then: R.D. Robb's role as Schwartz, one of Ralphie's friends in A Christmas Story, was his acting debut. Now: After a spotty acting career Robb, 39, turned to producing. He also directed Leonardo DiCaprio, Kevin Connolly, and Tobey Maguire in the 1995 short film Don's Plum, which DiCaprio and Maguire sued to prevent the release of in North America. Below is a video about the strange occurrences that surrounded that movie and shows Leo and Tobey actually giving testimony. 6. Zack Ward, Scut Farkus Then: Zack Ward was the notorious bully Scut Farkus in A Christmas Story. Now: If you recognized Ward's less scrunched up mug, it's because the 41-year-old has consistently been appearing in movies and TV shows since his debut in A Christmas Story. In fact, the Canadian-born actor had 11 acting credits -- including shows such as Hawaii Five-O and The Mentalist -- in 2011 alone. MGM/Getty Images 7. Yano Anaya, Grover Dill Then: Yano Anaya played Grover Dill, sidekick to school yard bully Scut Farcus, and tormentor of Ralphie in A Christmas Story. Now: Anaya also had a memorable role as the paperboy in Better Off Dead, but quit acting soon after that. In 2010, he was working at Cupcakes and Milkshakes, a bakery and milkshake bar in Bethel, Connecticut. No word on whether he still shakes down customers for his "two dollars." MGM/MySpace 8. Darren McGavin, The Old Man Parker As you may know, the great Darren McGavin passed away in 2006 at the age of 83. We just couldn't leave him out of this article, however, as he was such a fabulous character actor for decades. Darren was the first actor to star in two popular television series simultaneously. He was in Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer (1956) and Riverboat (1958). If you don't remember those, you'll probably remember him from Night Stalker (1972),The Night Strangler (1973), and the 1974 series Kolchak: The Night Stalker. Darren McGavin's inspired and bigger-than-life performances have helped these programs become cult classics. RELATED: This Holiday Season You Can Stay In The ‘Christmas Story’ House