Ohio still home to 'A Christmas Story'

[Omaha Steve]

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20131201/DAADI3R83.html

Dec 1, 6:47 AM (ET)

Associated Press
CLEVELAND (AP) - Fans of the 1983 movie "A Christmas Story" still can't get enough of its quirky humor and heart-warming family theme and are relishing this season's 30th anniversary celebration.

Hundreds stood in line Saturday to get into the Ohio home in Cleveland, where some of the movie was filmed and 9-year-old Ralphie dreamed of getting an air rifle for Christmas. The story's 1940s trappings are all there: the iconic leg lamp, a typewriter and globe, a BB gun range in the backyard.

At a hotel in the city's Public Square, some of the original cast members signed autographs. And thousands were thrilled during the city's annual winter festival when a gigantic image of a leg lamp was projected onto a tower.

9-year-old Ralphie Parker ( (Peter Billingsley) then and now:

[Wounded Bear]

1. One of, if not the, funniest Christmas movies ever...

ever.

I LOL just remembering scenes from that flick.

[pinboy3niner]

2. Watch it with that lamp, willya?

It's FRA-GEE-LAY.

[Wounded Bear]

4. Must be a town in Italy, where it was made...

[msanthrope]

5. It's Italian. nt

[llmart]

20. "Why, it's a major award"....

I've visited that house and love that movie.

[Buns_of_Fire]

10. If finances permit this month, I think I'll order one.

There are still a few people left who don't think that I'm the tackiest person on earth. The fuzzy dice hanging from the rear view mirror and the Velvet Elvis didn't convince them, maybe this'll do the trick.

[KittyWampus]

3. guy in the post office and I do the fra-gil-ee thing almost every time I send a package.

[dixiegrrrrl]

6. So much of the movie captured my childhood memories

the big lightbulbs on the Christmas tree
the buying of the tree at the lot
the dept store Santa trip
pre-tv radio days

They got it so right..

We watch it every year without fail.

[WCGreen]

21. The Bunny PJs

[pinboy3niner]

25. Ralphie didn't look too happy...

[JNelson6563]

7. The restaurant scene...

man I laughed so hard! That was a hilarious movie, loved it! And my but didn't that cute little boy grow into a rather handsome man? Very nice.

Julie

[longship]

8. Jean Shepherd was a treasure.

An long time icon on NYC radio. He went national on NPR's All Things Considered -- was it in the Noah Adams/Susan Stamberg days?

I've read a few of his books, often collapsing on the floor with unstoppable laughing out loud.

My favorite story is "The shoot out in room 303" from his book "A Fistfull of Fig Newtons". But all were priceless.

R&K

[elleng]

13. Yes he was.

For a while when I was in high school, listening to him was trendy. What great memories!

[The Wizard]

14. I remember listening to him on

WOR, AM radio 9:00PM in 68 and 69. Then I got an FM radio in my car and everything changed. That and the acid.

[elleng]

16. HA!

[Ernest Partridge]

19. Recollections of Jean Shepherd

Thank you, Longship, for mentioning Jean Shepherd, the screenwriter and narrator of "A Christmas Story."

Jean Shepherd was a national treasure, and also my friend.

His tribute to JFK, three days after the assassination, should not be missed.

You may find it here: http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2013/11/25/mpr_news_presents

My personal tribute, which I wrote on the occasion of Shepherd's passing, is here:

http://gadfly.igc.org/essays2/shepherd.htm

Excelsior!

Ernest Partridge

[WCGreen]

22. A gentle humorist who sentimental to his core and I love it...

Every body of literature should needs at least two of them to keep it authentic...

[Mz Pip]

29. There were a few of his stories made into little movie vignettes.

I remember seeing a couple of old black and white shorts based on his stories. There was one about the 4th of July and another about a young man's first crush. Can't remember the titles. I wonder if they are available anywhere?

[pinboy3niner]

30. Some are on youtube and other sites

Google his name and videos.

[SeattleVet]

33. Excelsior, ya fathead!

I spent many nights with the transistor radio under my pillow listening to Shep's musings about life, the universe, and creeping meatballism. A couple of years ago I started listening to the "Brass Figlagee" series of podcasts from iTunes. While some of the material is dated, a lot of it is as relevant today as it was when he spoke the words.

In a 'flashback moment', I was listening to one of these podcasts when I heard Shep read my name, and a question I had sent in ('When's your next book coming out?'). I had completely forgotten about sending in a postcard for his 'Second Annual Names Show', where he just read names off of postcards that listeners had sent in.

So I'm this kid, see... and my best friend and I send in these postcards to WOR radio with our names to be read on the air. Here it is, almost 50 years later, and I'm sitting here on the other coast, in Seattle, listening to recordings of some old Jean Shepherd programs. Suddenly I hear my name come through the earbuds. Followed by my friend's name and his comment - 'I fly, too' (Shep was a Private Pilot, and we were cadets in the Civil Air Patrol, and getting some 'stick time'. Shep's reply was 'Yeah, but I use an airplane, kid.) It all came flooding back. A few weeks later I actually got back in touch with this long-lost friend on Facebook, and told him about what had just happened. 40-plus years later, and a coast away, Shep is *still* having an effect on people!

Also, I just found out a week or so ago, another older gentleman that I am acquainted with here was also a huge Shep fan. I gave him the info to get the Brass Figlagee and some of Bergman's podcasts.

Let's go mill, and hurl some invectives...

[longship]

35. Just watch out for the Boom-a-lax.

"Tastes like a Bon-Bon, goes off like an atomic bomb."
(The shootout in room 303.)


You are most welcome.

[BlueMTexpat]

9. This movie is definitely one of my all-time favorites.

And I laugh as hard every time I see it as I did the first time!

Just thinking about it now makes me chuckle.

[stopbush]

11. I admit it: I bought a small Leg Lamp yesterday for the holidays.

[Vashta Nerada]

12. I love that movie.

It's one of my favorites.

[opiate69]

15. Hmm. I could have sworn it was set (but obvioulsy not filmed), in Indiana?

[leftyohiolib]

17. the scene where they are downtown scene is d.t. cleveland. there is also a house that was done up

like their house. it's a museum on w11th

[opiate69]

18. Very cool.. I would love to go to that museum.

"Fa-ra-ra-ra-ra, ra ra ra ra"

[WCGreen]

23. We would take the rapid from Lakewood as kids and head on down for the excitement...

Higbees to see what was what while getting at least two of the soft milkshake drinks. Then .25 for a few Delicious cashews at the nut house, head over to Prospect and Kays Bookstore to buy some comic books but also to sneak a peak at the Playboys.

Then wander around downtown and watch what was going on...

[Auggie]

26. Eastside kid. I remember going downtown to Halle's 7th floor to see Mr. Jing-a-ling.

[WCGreen]

32. Mr. Jing-a-Ling was a professional actor...

His wife was my English Teacher out here in Westalke.

Their name, Keyes.

[Auggie]

39. What? He was a phony? I thought he was really the Keeper of Santa's keys.

Bummer

[WCGreen]

23. We would take the rapid from Lakewood as kids and head on down for the excitement...

Higbees to see what was what while getting at least two of the soft milkshake drinks. Then .25 for a few Delicious cashews at the nut house, head over to Prospect and Kays Bookstore to buy some comic books but also to sneak a peak at the Playboys.

Then wander around downtown and watch what was going on...

[leftyohiolib]

27. i was born and raised in lakewood and still work in dt cleveland

the nut house is that what it was called or are you talking about peterson's nuts

[WCGreen]

31. The one on the Corner of E2nd and Euclid...

I worked for Society Bank in the late 80's.

I was referring to Peterson's. We always called it the nut hut...

[Glamrock]

42. According to me mum...

The story is based in my hometown of hammond, IN. In the movie, they go to the parade in downtown hohman. Hohman ave is in downtown hammond....a few other references to local landmarks (like school name, etc.) in the movie

[opiate69]

43. Yeah.. That was my recollection..

I can picture a graphic at the bottom of the screen in the beginning saying "Hammond, In. 1958" or whatever year it was. Thanks!

[pinboy3niner]

44. The film is set in "Hohman, Indiana"--a fictionalized version of Hammond

The film is set in Hohman, Indiana, a fictionalized version of Shepherd's hometown of Hammond, Indiana.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Christmas_Story#Plot

''

[liberal_at_heart]

28. I've always been a sucker for blue eyes. He has turned into a very good looking man.

In fact except for his nose and blonde hair, he looks a little bit like my husband.

[longship]

34. Better than poor Scut Farkus. He had yellow eyes!

HE HAD YELLOW EYES!

[onager]

36. Thanks! Required viewing on Xmas Eve...

Along with NatLamp's "Xmas Vacation," of course.

Both movies are absolutely hated by the Nosy Fundamentalist branch of our family, who consider them abominations against all that is decent and Xmasy. And at least minor fronts in the War On Xmas, of course.

Another one I like - "The Man Who Came To Dinner," from way back in 1941, which is set during the Xmas season: Mr. Whiteside, I became a nurse to help suffering humanity. But you've convinced me to quit and go to work in a munitions factory. After meeting you, I think we should wipe out humanity as quickly as possible.



Happy Holidays to all, and to all a good night. Except any Nosy Fundamentalists, who are cheerfully wished lots of sugar-coated goodies resulting in explosive diarrhea.

[bedazzled]

37. we like to watch "blackadder christmas carol" also

total degeneracy...

[liberal_at_heart]

41. My favorite as a kid was Mickey's Christmas Carol. Unfortunately, they don't show it

very often anymore. When it does come on, I make sure to watch it. I wonder if I could find it on dvd somewhere.

[FSogol]

46. You can watch it here:

http://veehd.com/video/4502391_Mickey-Mouse-Mickeys-Christmas-Carol-1983

[Jenoch]

38. I have never seen

"A Christmas Story". TBS (or TNT, whatever) has made it even more difficult for me to avoid seeing this movie. I've seen bits and pieces over the years, however. I've seen just enough for me to decide to avoid it.

[spanone]

40. Darren McGavin was fabulous....

[MichaelSoE]

45. Listening to Shep every night as a teen inspired me to learn to play the kazoo & jew's harp