fiction.wikisort.org - Movie

Jean Shepherd's Parker Family Saga franchise[1] (also known simply as the Parker Family Saga, alternatively known as the Ralph Parker franchise, or sometimes colloquially referred to as the A Christmas Story franchise),[2][3] is a collection of American family-comedies based upon the stories of author Jean Shepherd. The stories originated on Shepherd's radio programs and in his books before being adapted into a stage play, two theatrical films, four made-for-TV films, one straight-to-home video film, one unaired pilot episode for a planned television series, one musical adaptation, one live television adaptation of that musical[4] and one made-for-streaming-movie. [5][6][7]

Parker Family Saga
Official film series home video release artwork
Based on	In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash by Jean Shepherd
Release date	1966–present
Country	United States
Language	English

All of the productions in the saga/franchise center around Ralphie Parker, a youth growing up in the 1930s and 1940s in suburban Indiana, and his friends and family. Ralphie Parker was loosely based upon Shepherd's childhood; Shepherd also served as first-person narrator for all productions involving the character until he died. Shepherd publicly claimed that all of his work was entirely fictional; he is known to have used the names of his own friends and family in his books.[8]

Origin

The franchise is based on the 1966 American comedic novel In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash, authored by Jean Shepherd. The book details fictionalized stories from the his childhood. Work began on the novel, after initially writing and releasing short stories in Playboy magazine and broadcasting other stories on radio productions. Released in October 1966, and published by Doubleday and Broadway Books, the release earned a spot on The New York Times' Best Seller list.[9][10] In God We Trust was received positively from critics, for its humor and relatable stories.[11][12]

The week of Shepherd's death, the novel became Amazon's 142nd best selling novel.[13] The book served as the premise for the franchise, with Shepherd's work incorporated into a series of films, television productions, and stage plays.[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]

Film

Films in the Parker Family Saga

Title	U.S. release date	Director(s)	Screenwriter(s)	Story by	Producer(s)
The Phantom of the Open Hearth	December 23, 1976 (1976-12-23)	Fred Barzyk & David Loxton	Jean Shepherd		Fred Barzyk and David Loxton
The Great American Fourth of July and Other Disasters	March 16, 1982 (1982-03-16)	Dick Bartlett			Olivia Tappan
A Christmas Story	November 18, 1983 (1983-11-18)	Bob Clark	Jean Shepherd, Leigh Brown & Bob Clark		René Dupont and Bob Clark
The Star-Crossed Romance of Josephine Cosnowski	February 11, 1985 (1985-02-11)	Fred Barzyk	Jean Shepherd		Olvia Tappan
Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss	August 6, 1988 (1988-08-06)	Dick Bartlett
It Runs in the Family: My Summer Story	September 23, 1994 (1994-09-23)	Bob Clark	Jean Shepherd & Leigh Brown and Bob Clark		René Dupont
A Christmas Story 2	October 30, 2012 (2012-10-30)	Brian Levant	Nat Mauldin		Brian Levant and Phillip B. Goldfine
A Christmas Story Christmas	November 17, 2022 (2022-11-17)[7]	Clay Kaytis	Nick Schenk and Clay Kaytis	Nick Schenk and Peter Billingsley	Peter Billingsley and Vince Vaughn

The Phantom of the Open Hearth (1976)

Released as a made-for-television film, the movie was met with mixed critical reception. Despite this, the film is credited with providing studio interest in the eventual creation of A Christmas Story years later.

A fully grown middle-aged Ralph Parker introduces the film, before the events of the movie flashback to the past. Set during the late-1940s to early-1950s America, high school-aged Ralph prepares for the upcoming junior prom. Every day at school he tries to overcome his shyness and ask his crush, a popular classmate named Daphne Bigelow, to the event. At home, Ralph finds himself at odds with his father and his over-involved mother. His parents are busy with their own interests: Mr. Parker once again orders a tasteless lamp from a contest he won in an advertisement, while Mrs. Parker often attends "dish night" at the local movie theater to acquire a collection of dinner dishes. Though Ralph decides to ask his geeky neighbor Wanda Hickey to the dance, he continues to wish he could win the affections of Daphne. Later with his friends and their dates, Ralph drinks alcohol excessively. The group finds themselves sick and vomiting in the bathroom stall, during the eventful night of junior prom.[23][24][25][26][27][28]

The Great American Fourth of July and Other Disasters (1982)

Released as a made-for-television film, debuting on American Playhouse, season one, episode ten; the movie was met with moderately positive critical reception. In the years since, the film has been labeled as a 4th of July holiday movie essential.[29]

Set during the late-1940s to early-1950s America, high school-aged Ralph Parker prepares himself for the perceived date of his lifetime, with his friend's attractive cousin named Pamela. While he plans the event with precision, his mother and father each respectively prepare to celebrate the nation's Independence Day. Mrs. Parker passes a chain letter around the neighborhood, while inheriting a large sum of wash rags. Mr. Parker decides to display his patriotism by lighting off Roman Candle fireworks from his pockets that night during the neighborhood event. Though Ralph believes he's prepared for the date, he ultimately embarrasses himself. Meanwhile, the parents come to terms with the neighbors' perceptions of their family.[23][30][31][32][33][34]

A Christmas Story (1983)

Released theatrically, to mixed-to mild critical reception and mild box office returns, A Christmas Story has become a Christmas classic.

Set during early-1940s America, a young elementary school aged Ralph "Ralphie" Parker spends much of his time avoiding the persistent bullying at school and dreaming of his ideal Christmas gift, a Red Ryder Range Model air rifle. Seeking to preserve the integrity of his glasses, he continues to evade the school bullies while dealing with childhood events. While Ralphie finds himself frequently in confrontation with his irritable father and comforted by his doting mother, he seeks to convince his parents that he can responsibly handle the gun should Santa Claus bring it to him.[35]

The Star-Crossed Romance of Josephine Cosnowski (1985)

Released as a made-for-television film, debuting on American Playhouse, season four, episode nine; the movie was met with positive critical reception, with praise directed at the script, returning cast, and its Thanksgiving setting.[23]

A fully grown, middle-aged Ralph Parker introduces the film as the character is going to a movie in theaters directed by a Polish director, which reminds him of a memory from his past. Set during the late-1940s to early-1950s America, high school aged Ralph Parker prepares for Thanksgiving celebrations with his family. His father, Mr. Parker decides that he wants to buy a new family vehicle and starts the processes of purchasing a yellow colored Buick, while his younger brother Randy practices for his role as a turkey in school Thanksgiving Day play. As the holiday approaches, a Polish family moves in. With the excitement of new next-door neighbors, Ralph discovers that the daughter is the girl of his dreams. He begins his first serious relationship. The pair soon discover that their courtship may prove more difficult to manage than necessary.[36][37][38][39][40]

Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss (1988)

Released as a made-for-television film, as a collaboration between American Playhouse and Walt Disney Television; the movie was met with mixed-to-positive critical reception.[23]

Set during 1950s America, high school-aged Ralph Parker applies for his first summer break job with his friends. After various applications, the group gets hired to work at Scott's Used Furniture Palace. With plans to save their money, they endure tiring conditions of delivering heavy appliances such as refrigerators up flights of stairs. The work quickly becomes Ralph's source of pain, stress, and nightmares. In the meantime, as the Parkers prepare for their planned vacation, they soon discover that their family dog named Fuzzhead is missing. Though Mr. Parker is unfazed, Mrs. Parker threatens her husband with cancelling their trip if they cannot find the animal. When the pair post poorly drawn posters with a large reward for the return of their pet, countless neighbors appear with various dogs with hopes of earning the prize money. Later, the couple find Fuzzhead riding in the back of Rolls-Royce and pursue the driver until they are able to regain possession of Fuzzhead. Meanwhile, after Ralph is fired from his job, he tells his parents that he quit so that he can join them on their family roadtrip.

Together, the family prepares for the ultimate getaway to Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss. Over-packed, the family encounters comedic events along the way. Fully expecting their destination to be a place of relaxation, the family may find more misadventures upon arrival.[41][42][43][44]

It Runs in the Family: My Summer Story (1994)

Released as a limited theatrical film, the movie was met with mixed-to-positive critical reception. Praise was directed to its tone, the plot's pace, use of humor similar to A Christmas Story, and character development.[45][46] Conversely, criticism was placed on the film's cast.[47][48]

Set during the summer of 1941, the year following the events of A Christmas Story, Ralph "Ralphie" Parker struggles in his pursuits to avoid the new bully named Scut Farkus. Every day at school, Ralphie attempts to beat Farkus in a game of spinning tops. Despite his repeated attempts at having the last top standing in the chalk circle boundaries, Ralphie continues to be defeated. Meanwhile, Mrs. Parker finds herself at odds with the owner of their local theater over a number of questionable giveaways. When the owner starts a "Dish Night" event, she becomes obsessed with receiving the entire collection of celebrity dishware being handed out. She however begins to call into question the owner's ethics, and gets the town's housewives on her side in the process. Mr. Parker finds himself teaching Ralphie how to fish, much to Randy's jealousy, all while feeling in competition with his country neighbors, the Bumpus family. Frustrated with their persistent boisterous music, their bloodhound dog, and their recently installed outhouse which he is certain is a municipal violation, Mr. Parker seeks to rid their town of the Bumpuses.[23]

A Christmas Story 2 (2012)

Released as a straight-to-DVD film and as direct sequel to the original film (while ignoring My Summer Story from 1994), the film was met with a mostly-negative reception. While the movie was given praise for attempts to portray 1940s-era America, criticisms were directed at reliance on slapstick humor and its inferior derivation of the 1983 film.[49][50][51][52][53]

Set during 1946 American Christmastime, teenaged 15-year-old Ralph "Ralphie" Parker repeatedly tells his parents that all he wants for Christmas is a 1939 Mercury Eight convertible, which he secretly hopes will help him win the courtship of the classmate he has been crushing on named Drucilla Gootrad. When he attempts to test drive the vehicle at a local used car dealership, he unintentionally causes the car to back off of a display ramp, tapping into a lightpost, and tearing the convertible roof due to a plastic reindeer falling through it. Afraid that his father is going to find out, Ralph attains a job at Higbee's with his best friends to earn the necessary funds to pay the owner for the damages. The group quickly gets reassigned to various departments within the store, before getting into a fight amongst each other and with the store Santa Claus; culminating in getting fired from their positions. Ralphie pleads for his job and convinces the store to rehire him. As Christmas arrives, he discovers that he is one dollar short but attains the needed banknote from one of his friends. On his way to pay the dealership owner for the damages sustained to the Mercury, decides to donate a sum of the money to a less fortunate family. Convinced that he is going to jail, Ralphie is surprised by a series perceived Christmas miracles: the owner lets him go without any legal action, he receives the car he wanted from his parents after all, and additionally gets a girlfriend in the form of the girl he has been infatuated with.[52][54]

A Christmas Story Christmas (2022)

Another sequel to A Christmas Story was revealed to be in production. Clay Kaytis will serve as director, with a script written by Nick Schenk (who will also serve as executive producer).[55] Peter Billingsley will reprise his role as Ralph "Ralphie" Parker, while the plot will be set during the 1970s with the now-grown character returning to his childhood home with his family for Christmas, following the recent death of his father (aka The Old Man). The cast will feature the character's childhood friends, while Julie Hagerty was cast as Mrs. Parker, his mother, in a role originated by Melinda Dillon (who retired from acting in 2007) in the original film.[5][56][57][58][6] The casting was revealed in February 2022; Ian Petrella, Scott Schwartz, R. D. Robb, and Zack Ward were cast to reprise their roles as: Randy Parker, Flick, Schwartz, and Scut Farkus, respectively.[59] That same month, Erinn Hayes, River Drosche, and Julianna Layne joined the cast as Ralphie's wife and his kids.[60] Creatives state that the tone will be same real-life style of the original. Billingsley will produce the film with Vince Vaughn. The project will be a joint-venture production between Legendary Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, Wild West Picture Show Productions, and HBO Max Original Films. Principal photography commenced at the end of February, in the Republic of Bulgaria and Hungary.[5][56][57][58][6] The film will be dedicated to the memory of Darren McGavin (who played Ralphie's Old Man in the original film), who died on February 25, 2006 at the age of 83.[61] The first teaser trailer, with the release date was released in October 2022.[62]

The film is scheduled to be released in the United States via streaming on November 17, 2022 on HBO Max by Warner Bros. Discovery Global Streaming & Interactive Entertainment.[5][56][57][58][6]

Television

Unaired television pilot

The Phantom of the Open Hearth was reshot, reimagined and planned to serve as the pilot episode for an ongoing television series with an intended release in 1978. Though the finished product never aired, production was completed. The production was directed by John Rich, with a script by Jean Shepherd, cinematography by Roland 'Ozzie' Smith, and editing from Dick Bartlett. Filmed with a production title the same as the 1976 film, the cast included John Shepherd, Richard Venture, Barbara Bolton, and Jean Shepherd as young Ralph "Ralphie" Parker, Mr. Parker, Mrs. Parker, and Ralph Parker/the Narrator, respectively. The series' inaugural episode notedly included the original introduction of the now-famous line: "Oh, fudge (but I didn't say 'fudge')!" which was later introduced in A Christmas Story.[63][64][65][66]

A Christmas Story: Live! (2017)

Produced as a live television special, the release was met with negative-to-mixed at best critical reception in favor of the original film. Critiques were directed at the tone, the running time, the Broadway musical numbers and the perceived usage of "cutesyness".[67]

In May 2017, a live telecast adaptation of the musical play, was announced to be in development. Scott Ellis and Alex Rudzinski were hired as co-directors, with a telescript co-written by Robert Cary and Jonathan Tolins. Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who wrote the original Broadway, collaborated to write additional lyrics and music for additional songs in the three-hour long special. Tolins and Cary co-wrote the accompanying novelization. The project was a joint-venture production between Fox Television, and Warner Horizon Unscripted & Alternative Television. Marc Platt served as producer. A nationwide open casting call was made in order to find a child actor to cast in the role of Ralph "Ralphie" Parker.[68][69][70][71][72]

Stage

Play

Prior to the release of A Christmas Story, Bob Clark and Jean Shepherd wrote the first draft for the script. This first draft had a working title that was the same as Shepherd's original play, In God We Trust. The film script was based on the play, which in turn was also based on the similarly named novel.[73]

Musical

The musical theater adaptation of A Christmas Story, released in December 2009 at Kansas City Repertory Theatre in Missouri, as a pre-Broadway engagement with music and lyrics by Scott Davenport Richards. Directed by Eric Rosen, with a playscript, libretto, and novelization by Joseph Robinette; the play released with a warm reception from critics. Following the initial release however, Richards departed the production.[74] Benj Pasek and Justin Paul were hired to rewrite the score and lyrics for the relaunch of the musical which debuted in December 2010.[75] The musical adaptation was produced by Gerald Goehring, Michael F. Mitri, Robert G. Bartner, and Michael A. Jenkins as a Bartner/Jenkins Entertainment stage production.[74] The reimagined musical was met with critical acclaim, and was a financial success on Broadway.[76][77]

Main cast and characters

Main cast and characters in the Parker Family Saga

Character	Film								Television
	The Phantom of the Open Hearth	The Great American Fourth of July and Other Disasters	A Christmas Story	The Star-Crossed Romance of Josephine Cosnowski	Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss	It Runs in the Family: My Summer Story	A Christmas Story 2	A Christmas Story Christmas	A Christmas Story: Live!
Principal cast
Ralph "Ralphie" Parker	David Elliot Jean ShepherdO	Matt Dillon Jean ShepherdVO[lower-alpha 1]	Peter Billingsley Jean ShepherdVO	Pete Kowanko Jean ShepherdO	Jerry O'Connell Jean ShepherdVO	Kieran Culkin Jean ShepherdVO	Braeden Lemasters Nat MauldinVO	Peter Billingsley	Andy Walken Matthew BroderickO
Randy Parker	Adam Goodman	Jay Ine	Ian Petrella	Jay Ine	Jason Clarke Adams	Christian Culkin	Valin Shinyei	Ian Petrella	Tyler Wladis
Mr. Parker "The Old Man"	James Broderick		Darren McGavin	George Coe	James Sikking	Charles Grodin	Daniel Stern		Chris Diamantopoulos
Mrs. Parker	Barbara Bolton		Melinda Dillon	Barbara Bolton	Dorothy Lyman	Mary Steenburgen	Stacey Travis	Julie Hagerty	Maya Rudolph
Sandy Parker								Erinn Hayes
Mark Parker								River Drosche
Julie Parker								Julianna Layne
Supporting cast
Flick	William Lampley		Scott Schwartz	William Lampley	Cameron Johann	Geoffrey Wigdor	David W. Thompson	Scott Schwartz	JJ Batteast
Schwartz	Bryan Utman	Jeffery Yonis	R. D. Robb	Jeff Yonis	Ross Eldridge	David Zahorsky	David Buehrle	R. D. Robb	Sammy Ramirez
Scut Farkus			Zack Ward			Chris Owen		Zack Ward	Sacha Carlson
Carl Parker	Ed Huberman
Daphne Bigelow	Tobi Pilavin
Wanda Hickey	Roberta Wallach
Ludlow Kissel		Babe Sargent
Pamela		Lisa Jacobsen
Grover Dill			Yano Anaya			T.J. McInturff			Elie Samouhi
Miss Shields			Tedde Moore			Tedde Moore			Jane Krakowski
Josephine "Josie" Cosnowski				Katherine Kamhi
Stosh "Bubba" Cosnowski				Armen Garo
Alex "Killer" Cosnowski				James T. Lahiff
Mrs. Cosnowski				Joan Tolentino
Mr. Cosnowski				William B. Lynch
Father Casmir				Frank Toste C.S.C.
Ollie Hopnoodle					Desmond Dhooge
Leopold Doppler						Glenn Shadix
Mr. Winchell						Roy Brocksmith
Drucilla Gootrad							Tiera Skovbye
Hank Catenhauser							Gerard Plunkett
Higbee's Assistant Manager							Shawn Macdonald
Higbee's Santa Claus							Garry Chalk
Homeless father							Bob Frazer
Homeless little boy							Aiden Longworth

Additional crew and production details

Crew and production overview of the Parker Family Saga films

Title	Crew/Detail
	Composer(s)	Cinematographer	Editor(s)	Production companies	Distributing company	Running time
The Phantom of the Open Hearth	Paul Taubman and Joseph Raposo	Peter Hoving	Dick Bartlett	Visions, The Television Laboratory at WBNET/13, The WBGH New Television Workshop[78]	Public Broadcasting System	94 mins
The Great American Fourth of July and Other Disasters	David Amram and Marcus Miller		Dick Bartlett & Jeanne Jordan	American Playhouse, The Disney Channel, South Carolina Educational Television[79]		75 mins
A Christmas Story	Carl Zittrer & Paul Zaza	Reginald H. Morris	Stan Cole	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios	MGM/UA Entertainment Co.	94 mins
The Star-Crossed Romance of Josephine Cosnowski	David Amram	Peter Hoving	Dick Bartlett	American Playhouse, The WGBH New Television Workshop, Creative Television Associates Inc., WGBH Educational Foundation[80]	Public Broadcasting System	56 mins
Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss	Steve Olenick	D'Arcy Marsh	Dick Bartlett & Bill Anderson	Polly Inc., WGBH Boston, American Playhouse, WGBH Educational Foundation[81]	Disney Channel, Disney–ABC Domestic Television, Walt Disney Home Media	89 mins
It Runs in the Family: My Summer Story	Paul Zaza	Stephen M. Katz	Stan Cole	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer	85 mins
A Christmas Story 2	David Newman	Jan Kiesser	Roger Bondelli	Hollywood Media Bridge, Telvan Productions	Warner Premiere	86 mins
A Christmas Story Christmas	Jeff Morrow	Matthew Clark	David Heinz	Warner Bros. Pictures, Legendary Pictures, Wild West Pictures Show Productions, HBO Max Original Films	HBO Max	TBA

Reception

Box office and financial performance of the Park Family Saga films

Film	Box office gross			Box office ranking		Home video sales gross	Worldwide total gross income	Budget	Worldwide total net income
	North America	Other territories	Worldwide	All-time North America	All-time worldwide	North America
The Phantom of the Open Hearth	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	Information not publicly available	Information not publicly available
The Great American Fourth of July and Other Disasters	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	Information not publicly available	Information not publicly available
A Christmas Story[82]	$20,640,209	—	$20,640,209	#3,596	#4,994	$75,499,043	$96,139,252	$3,250,000	$92,889,252
The Star-Crossed Romance of Josephine Cosnowski	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	Information not publicly available	Information not publicly available
Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	Information not publicly available	Information not publicly available
It Runs in the Family: My Summer Story[83][84]	$70,936	—	$70,936	Information not publicly available	—	Information not publicly available	≥$70,936	$15,000,000	≥-$14,929,064
A Christmas Story 2[85]	—	—	—	—	—	$3,851,496	≥$3,851,496	Information not publicly available	<$3,851,496
A Christmas Story Christmas	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA
Totals	$20,711,145	$0	$20,711,145	x̄ #1,798[lower-alpha 2]	x̄ #2,497[lower-alpha 3]	$79,350,539[lower-alpha 4]	≥$100,061,684[lower-alpha 5]	>$18,250,000[lower-alpha 6]	~≤$81,811,684[lower-alpha 7]

Critical and public response to the Parker Family Saga films

Film	Rotten Tomatoes	Metacritic
The Phantom of the Open Hearth	—	—
The Great American Fourth of July and Other Disasters	—	—
A Christmas Story	89% (57 reviews) [86]	77/100 (16 reviews) [87]
The Star-Crossed Romance of Josephine Capowski	—	—
Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss	TBD[88]	—
It Runs in the Family: My Summer Story	TBD[89]	—
A Christmas Story 2	TBD[90]	—
A Christmas Story: Live!	43% (14 reviews)[91]	—
A Christmas Story Christmas	TBD	TBD

Notes

References

Bibliographical references

---