CLEVELAND — It was such a fun morning here at WKYC as Ralphie himself -- actor Peter Billingsley of A Christmas Story -- was here in our studios for an interview with 3News' Dave Chudowsky as he visits Cleveland for the 40th anniversary celebration of the fan-favorite holiday movie.
“It was a small movie," Billingsley recalled while reflecting on the film. "We had a tremendous experience shooting here. I remember really fondly that we shot in January, and so downtown Cleveland kept the Christmas decorations up so we could take advantage of that.”
His favorite memory of making the movie? It was all about the iconic Santa slide.
“We were kids. You get a bunch of kids around a slide and ask them to be productive and work, we didn’t really want to. So we opted out of lunch. We would just run and slide down that thing. It was awesome. It was fast. It was such a great place.”
Watch our full interview with Billingsley in the video below:
Billingsley is joining more members of the cast in Cleveland this weekend for a meet-and-greet event with fans hosted by the Greater Cleveland Film Commission.
“I’ve had the good fortune to come back a couple of times," Billingsley previously told 3News in a recent interview over Zoom. "I have so many fond memories of shooting in Cleveland. I’ve always referred to Cleveland as a partner, really, in the movie. We were a smaller budget movie. Couldn’t afford a tremendous amount of extras. Put the calls out to the city and so many people showed up in so many scenes.”
He also said this Cleveland event marks the first reunion of the "kid cast" in 40 years.
“We’ve seen each other over the years, we’ve overlapped, we worked together on the sequel, obviously, but through production none of us were always there at the same time," he said. "I’m looking forward to being with everyone and just having a chance to reconnect with the city and fans of the film.”
EVENT DETAILS
The convention celebrating A Christmas Story -- which is known as "Behind the Camera: Ralphie Comes Home" -- features a variety of events from Nov. 10-12 at Cleveland Public Auditorium. Al Roker of NBC's TODAY will also be in town to serve as a moderator for a panel discussion.
In addition to Billingsley, here's a list of the other actors from A Christmas Story who will be in attendance at the Cleveland event:
- Zack Ward (Scut Farkus)
- Scott Schwartz (Flick)
- R.D. Robb (Schwartz)
- Yano Anaya (Grover Dill)
- Ian Petrella (Randy)
- Patty Johnson (Santa's elf at the slide)
- Drew Hocevar (Santa's elf at the slide)
Here's a timeline of events as outlined by the Greater Cleveland Film Commission...
Friday, Nov. 10:
- Cast Expo: 1:30 p.m. - 6 p.m. in Public Auditorium
- Behind the Camera Panel: 7 p.m. in the Music Hall
Saturday, Nov. 11:
- Cast Expo: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 12:
- Cast Expo: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Highlights of the event include:
- Special guest appearances: Principle cast members including Peter Billingsley from A Christmas Story will appear at the Cast Expo, sharing their personal stories and memories from the production of this holiday classic, taking photos, and signing autographs with fans.
- Behind-the-scenes stories: Fans will have the opportunity to attend an exclusive moderated panel event with the cast and gain insights into the making of the film, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and memorable moments from the set, giving attendees a unique glimpse into the filmmaking process.
- Exclusive merchandise: Commemorate the event with limited-edition merchandise available for purchase.
- Additional experiences: Cast Expo attendees can take advantage of a special Cleveland Film Location tour, courtesy of the Cleveland Funny Bus Comedy City Tour, find and recreate scenes from “A Christmas Story” locations using the free SetJetters app, and more.
Tickets are available HERE.
MOVIE MAGIC IN CLEVELAND
The house, which has become a bucket list tourist destination for film fans around the world, has been ranked by TripAdvisor as one of the top things to do in Cleveland. Overnight stays at the main house and neighboring Bumpus house are also available.
Fans are now waiting to learn who purchased the iconic movie house in Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood, which went up for sale last November. Now that a deal has been reached, we're expecting the buyer's identity to be revealed at some time this month.
While Ralphie’s house is the most-celebrated location used in the film, it’s not the only Cleveland spot seen in the movie.
The scene where Ralphie first lays eyes on the Red Ryder BB gun was filmed at the former Higbee building windows in Public Square. Remember the Santa slide scene? That was filmed inside the Higbee building, which is now home to the JACK Cleveland Casino. The Christmas parade featured in the film was also recorded in downtown Cleveland's Public Square.
Although the movie wasn’t a big box office success upon its initial release, A Christmas Story has become one of the most beloved holiday films of all time. It tells the heartwarming tale of 9-year-old Ralphie Parker and his desire to have Santa Claus bring him a Red Ryder BB gun. His Christmas wish takes plenty of twists and turns as the Parker family embarks on a hilarious holiday journey filled with countless lines fans frequently quote, while making leg lamps a must-have item in many households.