Peter Billingsley: Beyond 'A Christmas Story'

Peter Billingsley, widely recognized for his iconic role as Ralphie Parker in "A Christmas Story," has successfully transitioned from acting to a prominent producing career. After his childhood fame, Billingsley diversified his work, appearing in films like "The Dirt Bike Kid" and TV shows such as "Highway to Heaven" before shifting focus. His extensive work as a producer includes co-producing Jon Favreau's 2001 film "Made" and Favreau's 2003 hit "Elf." This collaboration extended to Favreau's directorial work and small acting roles for Billingsley, including a memorable appearance as Dr. William Ginter Riva in the 2008 Marvel Cinematic Universe film "Iron Man."

Billingsley's producing credits also encompass Vince Vaughn's comedies, such as "The Break-Up" in 2006, and he made his directorial debut with Vaughn's "Couples Retreat" in 2009. His involvement in the MCU continued as he reprised the role of William Ginter Riva in the 2019 film "Spider-Man: Far From Home," a character originally introduced in "Iron Man" as an employee of Tony Stark's rival. More recently, Billingsley returned to his most famous role, producing and co-writing the story for "A Christmas Story Christmas" in 2022, and also produced the 2025 Western film "Broke."