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Peter Billingsley in Wild West Comedy Show: 30 Days & 30 Nights - Hollywood to the Heartland (2006)

Biography

Peter Billingsley

Overview

  • Born
    April 16, 1971 · New York City, New York, USA
  • Birth name
    Peter Billingsley-Michaelsen
  • Height
    5′ 6″ (1.68 m)

Biography

  • Peter Billingsley has been a member of the Hollywood community since he was a small child, achieving success and accolades, both behind the scenes and in front of the camera. The highly-successful child-actor-turned- producer received an Emmy Award nomination in 2005, as co-executive producer on the critically acclaimed Independent Film Channel show Dinner for Five (2001) with Jon Favreau. He also served as executive producer on the hit summer film, The Break-Up (2006), and recently wrapped production on Marvel Comics feature film, Iron Man (2008), directed by Jon Favreau.

    Billingsley also served as co-producer on the Artisan Entertainment classic, Made (2001), starring Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn, as well as Sony's recent science fiction release, Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005), directed by Favreau.

    Billingsley recently became a principal in "Wild West Picture Show Productions". The production company, founded by Vince Vaughn, currently has a first look production deal with Universal Studios.

    Growing up in the public eye, Billingsley began his acting career, at the age of three, in some of the 1970s' most memorable television commercials. After appearing on numerous television shows and films during his youth, the Emmy Award-nominated actor delivered a performance for the ages in the beloved holiday film, A Christmas Story (1983). Playing humorist Jean Shepherd's youthful alter-ego "Ralphie", Billingsley's repeated requests, in the film, for a genuine Red Ryder BB-gun quickly catapulted the actor to instant stardom and has since driven the film into pop-culture lore as the classic modern-day Christmas tale.

    Born in New York City, Billingsley currently resides in Los Angeles.
    - IMDb mini biography by: John Pisani

Family

  • Spouse
      Elizabeth "Buffy" Bains(2015 - present) (2 children)
  • Parents
      Gail Michaelsen
      Alwin Michaelsen

Trademarks

  • Perhaps best known for his role as the BB gun desiring Ralphie Parker in A Christmas Story (1983)
  • Bright blue eyes

Trivia

  • Peter Billingsley was actually on hand at launch-pad 39b at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida when the space shuttle Challenger exploded.
  • Back in the 1980s he was the national spokesman for President Ronald Reagan's Young Astronaut Council, which was an educational program aimed at kids.
  • By age 11 he had acted in over 120 TV commercials, two feature films, two made-for-TV movies and three TV shows.
  • His second most famous role as a child actor (next to "Ralphie" in A Christmas Story (1983)) was probably that of "Messy Marvin" in the Hershey's Chocolate Syrup commercials.
  • Became best friends with Vince Vaughn, after they shared the screen on The Fourth Man (1990).

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