A Christmas Story, a 1983 Christmas comedy film directed by Bob Clark, is based on Jean Shepherd's books In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash and Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories. Set in December 1939, the movie stars Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin, and Peter Billingsley and depicts a young boy and his family's humorous misadventures during the Christmas season. The story revolves around Ralphie Parker's persistent pursuit of a Red Ryder BB gun, despite constant warnings that he'll "shoot his eye out." The film portrays various comical holiday mishaps, including a leg lamp, a tongue stuck to a frozen pole, and other amusing family dynamics.
1928: Jean Shepherd's Teacher
Miss Shields, Ralphie's teacher in the film, was based on Shepherd's real-life second-grade teacher from 1928.
December 1937: Magazine Appearance
The December 1937 cover of Look magazine, featuring Shirley Temple and Santa, is seen in the film.
1938: Production of the Red Ryder BB Gun Begins
The Daisy "Red Ryder" BB gun began production in Plymouth, Michigan, in 1938.
December 1939: Setting of "A Christmas Story"
The film "A Christmas Story" takes place during Christmas time in December 1939, following a young boy and his family's experiences.
1939: "Wizard of Oz" parade and calendar
A parade with characters from the 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz" and a 1939 calendar appear in "A Christmas Story".
1939: Shepherd's High School Graduation
Jean Shepherd, author of the source material, had already graduated high school by 1939.
December 1940: Ralphie's Christmas Wish
In December 1940, nine-year-old Ralphie Parker desires a Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle for Christmas. His requests are met with resistance and the warning, "You'll shoot your eye out!".
1940: Ralphie's Decoder Pin
Ralphie's Little Orphan Annie decoder pin is from 1940.
December 1941: No Mention of WWII
World War II, which the US entered in December 1941, isn't mentioned in the film.
1943: Bing Crosby and Andrews Sisters songs featured
"Jingle Bells" and "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town" by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters, recorded in 1943, are used in "A Christmas Story".
1951: Another Crosby Song Featured
Bing Crosby's version of "It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas" (1951) is also heard in the film.
1964: Early "A Christmas Story" Material Published in Playboy
Between 1964 and 1966, Playboy magazine published three of Jean Shepherd's short stories that would later contribute to "A Christmas Story".
1966: Publication of "In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash"
Jean Shepherd's book "In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash", a source for "A Christmas Story", was published in 1966.
1966: End of Publication Run
The last of the three relevant Jean Shepherd stories appeared in Playboy, concluding the magazine's early contributions to what would become "A Christmas Story".
1968: Bob Clark discovers Jean Shepherd's work
Bob Clark became interested in Jean Shepherd's stories in 1968 after hearing "Flick's Tongue" on the radio.
1971: Publication of "Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories and Other Disasters"
Jean Shepherd's book "Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories and Other Disasters", another source for elements of "A Christmas Story", was published in 1971.
November 18, 1983: "A Christmas Story" theatrical release
"A Christmas Story" was released in theaters on November 18, 1983.
1983: Release of "A Christmas Story"
The film "A Christmas Story", directed by Bob Clark, was released in 1983.
1983: A Christmas Story Initial Release and Box Office Performance
In 1983, A Christmas Story was initially released and played until January 1984. The film earned just over $19.2 million at the box office.
1983: Growing Critical Acclaim for A Christmas Story
By 1983, A Christmas Story gradually gained critical acclaim and started to establish its reputation as one of the best films of the year.
1983: A Christmas Story Initial Release
A Christmas Story was initially released in 1983, a week before Thanksgiving. It received mixed reviews, with some critics praising it as a top comedy while others predicted its failure due to the early release date.
January 1984: End of Initial Theatrical Run
A Christmas Story ended its initial theatrical run in January 1984, after playing in a limited number of theaters following the holiday season.
December 1984: A Christmas Story Re-Release and Home Video Release
In December 1984, A Christmas Story was re-released in theaters, coinciding with its release on home video. This decision followed growing popularity among critics and the public.
1984: "A Christmas Story" wins two Genie Awards
The film won two Canadian Genie Awards in 1984.
1986: A Christmas Story Airs on Cinemax
A Christmas Story aired on Cinemax in 1986.
1986: Acquisition of Film Rights by Turner Entertainment Co.
In 1986, Ted Turner's Turner Entertainment Co. acquired the rights to A Christmas Story following his purchase of MGM's pre-1986 film library.
December 16, 1987: A Christmas Story Premieres on SuperStation WTBS
On December 16, 1987, A Christmas Story premiered on SuperStation WTBS.
1989: TBS Thanksgiving Airing
In 1989, TBS Superstation aired A Christmas Story on Thanksgiving night.
1990: TBS Thanksgiving Airing
TBS Superstation again aired A Christmas Story on Thanksgiving night in 1990.
1991: TBS Post-Thanksgiving Airing
TBS aired A Christmas Story the night after Thanksgiving in 1991.
1992: TBS Post-Thanksgiving Airing
TBS aired A Christmas Story the night after Thanksgiving in 1992.
1994: It Runs in the Family
A theatrical sequel, It Runs in the Family, was released in 1994 with a mostly new cast. It was later retitled My Summer Story for home video and television.
1994: Release of "My Summer Story"
The first sequel to "A Christmas Story", "My Summer Story" (originally titled "It Runs in the Family"), was released in 1994.
1995: Increased Airings on Turner Networks
In 1995, A Christmas Story was aired multiple times on Turner Networks, marking its growing presence on television.
1996: Time Warner Acquisition of Turner Entertainment
In 1996, Time Warner acquired Turner Entertainment, gaining the rights to A Christmas Story.
2000: Stage Play Adaptation
A stage play adaptation of A Christmas Story, written by Philip Grecian, was created in 2000.
2002: High Viewership for the Marathon
An estimated 38.4 million people tuned into the A Christmas Story marathon at some point in 2002.
2004: "24 Hours of A Christmas Story" starts on TBS
TBS started airing "24 Hours of A Christmas Story" in 2004.
2005: Increased Viewership for Marathon
The 24-hour A Christmas Story marathon drew 45.4 million viewers in 2005.
February 25, 2006: Darren McGavin's Death
Darren McGavin, "The Old Man" in the original film, passed away on February 25, 2006.
2006: Record Viewership for Marathon
The A Christmas Story marathon saw a further increase in viewership in 2006, with 45.5 million viewers.
2006: Introduction of "Generic Face" Figurine
The "generic face" figurine that caused the lawsuit was introduced in 2006.
December 24, 2007: A Christmas Story Ranked #1 Christmas Film
On December 24, 2007, AOL ranked A Christmas Story as the #1 Christmas film of all time.
2007: Resumption of Original Marathon Tradition
In 2007, the original A Christmas Story marathon tradition continued. TNT also aired the film twice on Thanksgiving weekend.
2007: New All-Time Ratings Records Set for Marathon
The 2007 A Christmas Story marathon set new all-time ratings records.
2008: Release of "Road Trip for Ralphie" documentary
In 2008, the documentary "Road Trip for Ralphie" was released, showcasing a two-year journey visiting filming locations from "A Christmas Story".
2008: Continued High Viewership for Marathon
The 2008 A Christmas Story marathon had continued high viewership, totaling 54.4 million viewers.
2009: 250 Airings on Turner Networks
By 2009, A Christmas Story had been shown 250 times across the Turner family of networks.
2009: A Christmas Story Marathon Begins
In 2009, TBS began airing a 24-hour marathon of A Christmas Story on Christmas Eve, outperforming major networks.
2009: Continuation of 24-Hour Marathon on TBS
The 24-hour A Christmas Story marathon continued on TBS in 2009, marking the 13th year of the tradition.
2010: Marathon Ratings Increase
The 2010 marathon saw a 2% increase in viewership, solidifying TBS as the top cable network for the 24-hour Christmas period. Specific viewership numbers were recorded for the 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. airings.
August 2011: Zack Ward Sues Warner Bros. over Merchandising
In August 2011, Zack Ward, who played Scut Farkus, sued Warner Bros. over unauthorized merchandising of his character.
2011: Continued Marathon Success
In 2011, the A Christmas Story marathon continued to experience growth in ratings.
January 2012: Zack Ward Lawsuit Dropped
Zack Ward's lawsuit against Warner Bros. was dropped in January 2012 after it was revealed the figurine was generic and the statute of limitations had expired.
November 2012: Broadway Musical Debut
In November 2012, A Christmas Story: The Musical opened on Broadway to positive reviews and received Tony Award nominations. The show closed on December 30, 2012.
December 2012: Zack Ward's Second Lawsuit Against Warner Bros.
In December 2012, Zack Ward again sued Warner Bros. over the use of his image, this time based on merchandise he was shown at a fan event in 2010.
2012: Further Marathon Growth
The positive trend continued in 2012, with the marathon's ratings increasing again.
2012: Release of "A Christmas Story 2"
The straight-to-DVD sequel "A Christmas Story 2" was released in 2012.
2012: A Christmas Story Named Favorite Holiday Film
In 2012, a Marist Poll named A Christmas Story the favorite holiday film in the US.
2012: A Christmas Story 2
A direct-to-video sequel, A Christmas Story 2, ignoring My Summer Story, was released in 2012. It was filmed in New Westminster, British Columbia.
2012: "A Christmas Story" added to National Film Registry
"A Christmas Story" was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry in 2012.
December 17, 2017: Live Television Musical
A Christmas Story Live!, a three-hour television adaptation of the musical, aired on Fox on December 17, 2017, to mixed reviews.
2017: Zack Ward reflects on "Scut Farkus" role
In 2017, Zack Ward commented on his surprise at the lasting impact of his role as Scut Farkus, the schoolyard bully in "A Christmas Story".
2019: Marathon Dominates Cable
In 2019, A Christmas Story dominated cable viewership, with the majority of the top 25 most-watched Christmas Day programs being marathon airings.
2019: A Christmas Story Ranked Best Holiday Movie Ever
In 2019, A Christmas Story was ranked the Best Holiday Movie Ever in a poll by Tubitv and Onepoll.
2023: A Christmas Story Wins Golden Trailer Award
A Christmas Story won the Best Digital - Animation/Family and was nominated for Best Digital - Comedy at the 2023 Golden Trailer Awards.
2023: Melinda Dillon's Death
Melinda Dillon, who played Mrs. Parker in the original film, passed away in 2023, less than two months after the release of A Christmas Story Christmas.