A remarkably seasoned actor of stage, screen and television, Darren McGavin has notched in excess of 200 performances; however, he is most fondly remembered by cult TV fans as heroic newspaper reporter Carl Kolchak in the classic but short-lived horror TV series Kolchak: The Night Stalker (1974).

How old was Darren McGavin when he made a Christmas story?

Then: Darren McGavin as The Old Man Parker

On Broadway, McGavin originated roles in My Three Angels and The Rainmaker. The actor was 61 years old when he starred as little Ralphie's grumpy pop!

Why wasn't Darren McGavin credited in The Natural?

In the recent retrospective documentary on the Special Edition DVD of this movie, Robert Prosky (the Judge) claimed McGavin was cast late in the picture, and would have received a lesser billing than the other stars. Thus McGavin chose to go uncredited.

Did Darren McGavin like a Christmas story?

It wasn't just the present Ralphie most wanted. It was, as Ralphie tells us, the greatest gift he had ever or would ever receive. McGavin was justifiably proud of his work in "A Christmas Story," which did a modest box office when it opened a week before Thanksgiving in 1983.

What happened to Darren McGavin, the actor?

McGavin died on February 25, 2006, of cardiovascular disease in a Los Angeles hospital, aged 83.

Darren McGavin Top 10 Movies | Best 10 Movie of Darren McGavin

What did Burt Reynolds say about Darren McGavin?

"I was a green kid as far as working in films was concerned," said Reynolds regarding his role as the young riverboat pilot, Ben Frazer. "Instead of helping me, McGavin looked on me with contempt. He did everything but destroy me on camera."

Did Darren McGavin play in Gunsmoke?

In addition, he was regularly guest-starring in dozens of TV shows, including Gunsmoke (1955), Dr.

Who played the weird kid in A Christmas Story?

David Svoboda: Kid with Goggles.

Who was the kid who played flick in A Christmas Story?

Scott Schwartz was born in Sacramento, CA however he grew up in Sommerville & Brigewater, NJ. Attended Professional Children's School in NY, 83/84 & 84/85. Started in the biz March, 1977 Marion Adler of the Carson/Adler agency was his agent for 10 years. Landed the role in The Toy after 10 auditions & 2 screen tests.

How old is the dad in A Christmas Story?

A Christmas Story—1983

Parker, were played by Darren McGavin and Melinda Dillon. McGavin plays "The Old Man" in the movie and was 61 years old at the time while his wife was almost two decades younger as Dillon was 43 at the time.

How old was Robert Redford when he filmed The Natural?

Robert Redford was 46 during filming, but he played Roy Hobbs at 19 and 35. In Reel Life: When Roy makes it to the majors, he's 35 years old. In Real Life: Redford was 46 when the film was made, and even plays Roy as a 19-year-old in the movie.

Why did Darren McGavin change his name?

At birth, Darren McGavin was William Richardson. He took up acting after being a Hollywood set painter. Around 1946, he moved to New York to further his career. McGavin never wrote memoirs, and no full biography has appeared, so why he chose “Darren McGavin” as his stage name is a mystery.

Why did Darren McGavin leave Kolchak?

The series was cancelled because Darren McGavin asked to be released from his contract. Not only did he become disappointed with the series' scripts, but he ended up exhausted from the rigorous daily shooting schedule (beginning at 3:00 pm until just before sunrise) and his uncredited producing duties.

Did Darren McGavin do his own stunts?

McGavin held a black belt in traditional Japanese karate and the series are notable for him doing many of his own stunts and for the "enthusiasm" he put into some of the fight scenes, sometimes forgetting to pull his punches and "ad-libbing" moves, much as Robert Conrad did years later in The Wild Wild West.

Who got their tongue stuck in A Christmas Story?

The scene calls back to the original “A Christmas Story,” in which Schwartz triple dog dared Flick to stick his tongue to a frozen flagpole outside of school, causing his tongue to get stuck.

Is the mom the same in Christmas Story 2?

A Christmas Story Christmas recast the character of Mother Parker, played by the late Melinda Dillon in the original, with Julie Hagerty. Melinda Dillon retired from acting in 2007 and was unable to reprise her role in the sequel.

Who is the blonde boy in A Christmas Story?

Peter Billingsley (Ralphie Parker)

If you think the kid who played Ralphie was a one-hit wonder, think again! In fact, Peter Billingsley also appears in another family-friendly cult-classic Christmas movie.

Who was the bully kid in A Christmas Story?

Gen-X kids know Scut Farkus, the mean kid who picks on Ralphie in A Christmas Story. I spoke to the actor who played him, Zack Ward, to discuss his own experiences being bullied as a boy, and how that movie has impacted his life and career.

Is Flick the same actor in A Christmas Story Christmas?

Scott Schwartz (born May 12, 1968) is an American actor best known for his roles in the films The Toy (1982), A Christmas Story (1983) and its 2022 sequel A Christmas Story Christmas, and Kidco (1984).

Who played the red headed kid in Christmas story?

Zack Ward(I)

After a year of the small stuff, he got his first big audition for the '80s classic. About 300 kids showed up for the part (originally he was the sidekick, Grover), and he kept getting called back until it was him and one other redhead. He won the role.

How old is Ralphie?

Ralphie might have been nine years old in A Christmas Story, but Peter Billingsley was not quite as young when making the 1983 Christmas classic. The actor was 12 years old when the original movie was released in theaters.

Who played the little bully in A Christmas Story?

"A Christmas Story" actor Zack Ward told Insider that he was separated from his peers while filming. Ward played neighborhood bully Scut Farkus in the 1983 holiday classic.

Did Gunsmoke actors get along?

The Gunsmoke cast was just as close off-screen as they were on, to the point that when one of them got into an argument, the others immediately took their side, forming a united front.

How many movies did Darren McGavin make?

He had worked in more than 200 films and series. Some of his famous movies are Queen for a Day, Bullet for a Badman, Captain America. He was known for his work in TV series like Kolchak: The Night Stalker, Riverboat and Murphy Brown.

Who played Ralphie's dad?

Darren McGavin

He died in 2006 at the age of 83. Speaking to People, Billingsley called the movie sequel "love letter" to his on-screen dad. “It very much is, in many ways, a love letter to the Old Man character and to Darren himself,” he said. “Darren was the best.