Odds are good you’ll watch (or at least encounter) a showing of A Christmas Story at some point today — but the radio personality behind the harrowing tale of Ralphie Parker is a little more obscure. The Atlantic talks about the life and death of Jean Shepherd, whose down-to-earth tales on radio inspired a host of comedians and storytellers who came after him including Garrison Keillor, Jerry Seinfeld, and Harry Shearer. Shepherd — whose stories were adapted into the iconic movie — never actually got to enjoy the full extent of its success: the film was something of a flop at its 1983 big-screen release, and he died in 1999 just as Red Ryder mania was getting into full swing.
‘A Christmas Story’ of Jean Shepherd, the man behind a holiday classic
Read Shepherd’s story on The Atlantic — and please, don’t shoot your eye out as you open gifts this morning.
Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.
