Peter Billingsley - wikipedia Peter Billingsley Peter Billingsley Billingsley at the 2014 ATX TV Festival for Sullivan and Son Peter Michaelsen or Peter Billingsley - Michaelsen ( disputed ) ( 1971 - 04 - 16 ) April 16, 1971 ( age 46 ) New York City, New York, U.S. Occupation Actor, producer, director Years active 1978 -- present Peter Billingsley ( born April 16, 1971 ), also known as Peter Michaelsen and Peter Billingsley - Michaelsen, is an American actor, director, and producer, best known for his role as Ralphie in the 1983 movie A Christmas Story and as `` Messy Marvin '' in the Hershey 's Chocolate Syrup commercials during the 1970s. He began his career as an infant in television commercials. Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 2.1 Other work 3 Filmography 3.1 Film 3.2 Television 4 Awards and nominations 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External links Early Life Peter was born in New York City. His father, Alwin Michaelsen, is a financial consultant and his mother, Gail, was once Alwin 's secretary. Gail is the niece of Stork Club owner Sherman Billingsley, and cousin of Glenn Billingsley who was married to actress Barbara Billingsley ( 1915 -- 2010 ). Gail was the one who initially took the children around to auditions. She once took the children to Browns Mills, New Jersey for a commercial commemorating US troops. All five of the children in the family had acting careers when they were young. The oldest of Billingsley 's siblings, Dina and Win, had the briefest acting careers working mostly in commercials with brief guest spots on television shows. Peter 's elder sister, Melissa, may be best known for her role as Maxx Davis on Me and Maxx. Peter 's older brother, Neil, began playing Danny Walton on the daytime soap opera Search for Tomorrow in 1975 and has had numerous roles in commercials and guest shots on TV series. Following his acting career, Neil works in finance in New York City. Billingsley received his early childhood education from a combination of tutors ( including child actor tutor Wesley Staples ), public schools and private institutions ( including the Professional Children 's School in New York City ), Phoenix Country Day School in Paradise Valley, AZ, and eventually passed his California High School Proficiency Exam at the age of fourteen. He seems to have also attended some public secondary schools following the GED including Arcadia High School, Phoenix, Arizona. In the late 1980s, he took a brief break from show business to attend Phoenix College. On January 28th, 1986, Billingsley was present at launch pad 39B ( at NASA 's Kennedy Space Center in Florida ) for the doomed launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger. He and classmates of the son of America 's first teacher - astronaut ( Christa McAuliffe ) cheered as the space shuttle Challenger lifted skyward. Their delight turned to horror as the shuttle exploded 73 seconds into flight. Billingsley was a spokesman for the young astronaut program. Career Billingsley 's first acting role was as a two - year - old in a Geritol commercial with Betty Buckley playing his mom. He went on to star in about 120 television ads throughout the 1970s and early 1980s. At 12 he was quoted as saying : `` After 100 ( commercials ), you lose count. '' He was likely best known for a series of commercials for Hershey 's chocolate syrup in which he portrayed the popular character Messy Marvin. One of Billingsley 's earliest film roles was in 1978 's If Ever I See You Again, written and directed by Joseph Brooks. His role in 1981 's Paternity opposite Burt Reynolds earned a nomination for `` Best Young Comedian -- Motion Picture or Television '' at The Young Artist Awards. In 1981, he appeared in Honky Tonk Freeway, and that October was a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. In 1982 Billingsley starred in several features, including Death Valley, Massarati and the Brain, and the made - for - TV movie Memories Never Die with Lindsay Wagner and his sister, Melissa Michaelsen. He had a featured guest role as Gideon Hale on Little House on the Prairie, began a three - year stint as a co-host on NBC 's popular Real People ( for which he earned another Young Artist Award nomination ), and he hosted a two - episode offshoot of the show called Real Kids. In 1983 Billingsley starred in A Christmas Story, based on Jean Shepherd 's In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash, which built its audience slowly over the years and is now broadcast for twenty - four hours from Christmas Eve until Christmas Day on TBS. The film earned Billingsley another Young Artist Award nomination, and is arguably the one role he is most associated with. He has been quoted as saying that people still approach him on the street, only to say `` you 'll shoot your eye out, kid ! '' In 1984 Billingsley starred in an adaptation of The Hoboken Chicken Emergency with Dick Van Patten and Gabe Kaplan, a special Thanksgiving episode of the PBS series WonderWorks. He appeared on a `` Super Teen '' special edition of Family Feud, and on Celebrity Hot Potato. As the late 1980s approached, Billingsley 's acting career slowed. He made guest appearances on Who 's The Boss ?, Punky Brewster, The Wonder Years, and Highway To Heaven, and appeared in The Dirt Bike Kid ( for which he won a Young Artist Award ), and Carly 's Web, Russkies, and Beverly Hills Brats. The early 1990s saw Billingsley tackling older roles such as a would - be jock who gets hooked on steroids in the CBS Schoolbreak Special The Fourth Man. On that project he formed a close friendship with Vince Vaughn. His next Schoolbreak Special appearance was in The Writing on the Wall ( 1994 ), starring Hal Linden as a rabbi who teaches three boys about the horrors of intolerance after they are caught defacing his home, temple, and car with swastikas and anti-Semitic graffiti. Billingsley was nominated for an Emmy Award for this role. Other work The most rewarding of his later film acting assignments was Arcade ( 1993 ), in which he starred as a teenaged `` virtual reality '' addict ; he worked as the post-production supervisor ( credited as Peter Michaelsen ). He made some career decisions and began working behind the scenes more. Known as Peter Michaelsen, he was assistant editor on Knights, a film which featured Kris Kristofferson. In 1994 Peter starred in, wrote, and directed ( credited as Peter Billingsley ) the short film The Sacred Fire, and credited as Peter Michaelsen in the executive producer function. This film won an Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films ' Golden Scroll Award. His career behind the scenes continued, including work on The Discovery Channel 's A.R.K., The Adventures of Animal Rescue Kids, Patriot Son, The X Show, Made, and Elf, in which he has a cameo appearance. In 2001 he was nominated for an Emmy Award as co-executive producer for the show Dinner for Five. In 2005 he helped produce the movie Zathura. He was an executive producer for the Universal Pictures production The Break - Up in which he had a small acting role ( as Andrew ), appearing alongside frequent collaborator Jon Favreau. Billingsley served as executive producer on director Favreau 's Iron Man feature film ; he also acted in the film, playing a scientist who works for Obadiah Stane. Billingsley, Favreau and Vaughn appeared in Four Christmases ( 2008 ). Couples Retreat ( 2009 ) starring Favreau and Vaughn was Billingsley 's first major film as director and this was followed by his second directorial effort Term Life, which also starred Vaughn. Billingsley 's acting career continues as well, with small roles in Sherman Oaks, Family Reunion : A Relative Nightmare, Elf, L.A. Heat, and No Deposit, No Return, which was voted Best Feature Film at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival in 2000. He took an acting part in an experimental film for the new Maxivision 48 projection system developed by Dean Goodhill. Billingsley released a CD titled Christmas Stories... Christmas Songs on Run For Cover Records in 1999 with longtime friend Brian Evans. He signed on as Executive Producer of a musical adaptation of A Christmas Story that opened in Seattle in December 2010. He is ``... honored to be a part of this project and look forward to bringing the play to more stages... Just think about the idea of a leg - lamp kickline. '' Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes Ref 1978 If Ever I See You Again Child American romantic drama film directed and produced by Joe Brooks. A paperback novelization of the screenplay was released by Bantam Books in May 1978 as a promotional tie - in. As a further promotional gimmick, Columbia teamed with Pertec Computer to `` reunite lost lovers whenever a toll - free number is called '' by having a computer match up the details of callers. 1981 Honky Tonk Freeway Little Billy A comedy film directed by John Schlesinger. The film was financed in part by accountant Roy Tucker 's tax avoidance schemes funded by the Rossminster banking group. Paternity Tad American comedy film directed by David Steinberg. 1982 Death Valley Billy Horror film directed by Dick Richards. A Christmas Story Ralphie Parker American Christmas comedy film Based on the short stories and semi-fictional anecdotes of author and raconteur Jean Shepherd, based on his book In God We Trust : All Others Pay Cash, with some elements derived from Wanda Hickey 's Night of Golden Memories. Directed by Bob Clark. 1985 The Dirt Bike Kid Jack Simmons Directed by Hoite Caston. Russkies Adam American drama film directed by Rick Rosenthal. Beverly Hills Brats Scooter American comedy film directed by Jim Sotos with Ruby Keeler ( in her final film ) and Whoopi Goldberg in a uncredited. 1993 Arcade Nick A B - movie science fiction / horror film directed by Albert Pyun. 1994 The Sacred Fire Kyle Baker Short film. Also producer, director, and writer. 2000 No Deposit, No Return Directed by Derek Partridge. 2003 Elf Ming Ming Uncredited American Christmas comedy film directed by Jon Favreau. 2005 Zathura : A Space Adventure American science fiction fantasy adventure film directed by Jon Favreau Loosely based on the illustrated book Zathura by Chris Van Allsburg, author of Jumanji. Co-producer 2006 The Break - Up Andrew American romantic comedy film directed by Peyton Reed Executive producer Wild West Comedy Show Himself Co-producer Comedy documentary film directed by Ari Sandel. 2008 Iron Man William Ginter Riva American superhero film featuring the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Executive producer Four Christmases Ticket Agent Also known as Four Holidays in Australia and New Zealand. Also known as Anywhere But Home in the Netherlands, Norway, United Arab Emirates and in South Africa. A Christmas - themed romantic comedy film directed by Seth Gordon. Executive producer 2009 Couples Retreat American romantic comedy film. Directed by Billingsley 2013 A Case of You Scott American romantic comedy film that was featured at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival. Directed by Kat Coiro 2015 Prescription Thugs Executive producer 2016 Term Life A crime - thriller film based on the graphic novel of the same name. Directed by Billingsley Television Year Title Role Notes Ref 1982 Little House on the Prairie Gideon Hale Episode : `` No Beast So Fierce '' ( S 8 : Ep 12 ) Massarati and the Brain Christopher ' The Brain ' Massarati Made - for TV Movie Directed by Harvey Hart. Memories Never Die Shawn Tilford Made - for TV Movie Directed by Sandor Stern. 1984 The Hoboken Chicken Emergency Arthur Bobowicz Made - for TV Movie Directed by Peter Baldwin. 1985 Who 's the Boss ? Bobby Walsh Episode : `` Double Date '' ( S 1 : Ep 18 ) The O'Briens Son Made - for TV Movie Directed by Arthur L. Annecharico. Highway to Heaven Ridley Episodes : `` The Monster, Part 1 '' ( S 2 : Ep 10 ) `` The Monster, Part 2 '' ( S 2 : Ep 11 ) Punky Brewster Richmond Matzie Episode : `` Christmas Shoplifting '' ( S 2 : Ep 13 ) 1986 Tall Tales & Legends Kevin Episode : `` Pecos Bill '' ( S 1 : Ep 2 ) Punky Brewster Richmond Matzie Episode : `` Girls Will Be Boys '' ( S 2 : Ep 15 ) The Last Frontier Marty Adamson Made - for TV Movie Directed by Simon Wincer. Carly 's Web Robert Krantz Jr. Made - for TV Movie Directed by Kevin Inch. CBS Schoolbreak Special Joey Martelli Episode : `` The Fourth Man '' ( S 8 : Ep 1 ) 1993 The Wonder Years Micky Spiegel Episodes : `` Summer, part 1 '' ( S 6 : Ep 21 ) `` Independence Day, part 2 '' ( S 6 : Ep 22 ) 1994 CBS Schoolbreak Special Tony Episode : `` The Writing on the Wall '' ( S 12 : Ep 1 ) 1995 Family Reunion : A Relative Nightmare Mark McKenna Jr. Made - for TV Movie Directed by Neal Israel. Sherman Oaks Billy Baker Contract role 1995 -- 97 1999 L.A. Heat Lance Allan Episode : `` Obsession '' ( S 2 : Ep 9 ) The X Show Senior field producer 2000 Who 's Watching Who ? Starring Made - for TV Movie Directed by Tony Nassour. The New Adventures of A.R.K. Writer Episode : `` An Elephant Remembers '' 2001 -- 2004 Dinner for Five Executive producer 20 episodes 2002 -- present Made Co-producer 2003 Trigger Happy TV Field producer - final year 2008 Dinner for Five Guest Executive producer 2012 Art of Conflict Producer 2012 -- 2014 Sullivan & Son Executive producer - All episodes Writer : 33 episodes Director : 6 episodes 2013 Pursuit of the Truth Himself as a Judge, 1 episode Producer 10 episodes 2015 F Is for Family Co-executive producer An animated sitcom web television series on Netflix. Awards and nominations Year Association Work Result ref Young Artist Award Best Leading Young Actor in a Feature Film A Christmas Story Nominated 1985 Young Artist Award Best Leading Young Actor in a Feature Film The Dirt Bike Kid Won References ^ Jump up to : Peter Billingsley on IMDb Jump up ^ ( 1 ), starpas.azcc.gov ; accessed April 2, 2014. Jump up ^ Me and Maxx TV Show -- Me and Maxx Television Show, TV.com ; accessed May 10, 2014. Jump up ^ http://www.nbcnews.com/slideshow/space-shuttle-challenger-disaster-devastated-nation-30-years-ago-n505606 Jump up ^ AdvertisementAve.com -- Messy Marvin Jump up ^ Hershey 's Syrup commercial : `` Messy Marvin '' video -- CNET TV ^ Jump up to : Peter Billingsley -- Awards Jump up ^ Scott, A.O. ( February 7, 2005 ). `` We 're Sorry ''. The New York Times. Retrieved May 22, 2010. Jump up ^ SuperShow 8000 Celebrity Archive : Celebrity Hot Potato ; accessed April 2, 2014. Jump up ^ Peter Billingsley on IMDb Jump up ^ Peter Billingsley on IMDb Jump up ^ Peter Billingsley 's Guide To Beating The Child Star Odds ; accessed April 2, 2014. Jump up ^ Little Eagle Productions Inc. Specials I, afterschoolspecials.net ; accessed April 2, 2014. Jump up ^ McKittrick, Christopher ( 25 April 2016 ). `` '' Jon Favreau, Vince Vaughn & Peter Billingsley : Friends & Frequent Collaborators `` ''. ThougtCo.com. Retrieved 8 May 2017. Jump up ^ `` Gwyneth Paltrow Joins Iron Man Movie '', movies.about.com ; accessed April 2, 2014. Jump up ^ New York Film and Video Festival Jump up ^ Profile, theoccasional.com ; accessed April 2, 2014. Jump up ^ Brian Evans : Christmas Stories Christmas Songs -- Listen, Review and Buy, artistdirect.com ; accessed April 2, 2014. Jump up ^ Profile, hollywoodreporter.com ; accessed April 2, 2014. Jump up ^ Stewart, Kerry ( May 1978 ). If Ever I See You Again ( paperback ed. ). New York City : Bantam Books. ISBN 978 - 0553121872. Jump up ^ `` If Ever I See You Again ''. BoxOffice. New York City. May 29, 1978. Jump up ^ Knoblauch, Mary ( June 12, 1978 ). `` News for You : Sometimes, It Just Does n't Compute ''. Chicago Tribune. p. B2. access - date = requires url = ( help ) Jump up ^ `` AFI Catalog of Feature Films : If Ever I See You Again ''. afi.com. American Film Institute. Archived from the original on September 16, 2015. Retrieved December 25, 2015. Jump up ^ Walker, Alexander ( September 2005 ) ( 1985 ). National Heroes : British Cinema in the 70 's and 80 's. Orion. ISBN 0 - 7528 - 5707 - X. Jump up ^ `` Greatest Box - Office Bombs, Disasters and Film Flops ''. Filmsite.org. Retrieved December 25, 2015. Jump up ^ Tutt, Nigel ( 1985 ). Tax Raiders : The Rossminster Affair. London : Financial Training Publications. ISBN 0 - 906322 - 76 - 6. Jump up ^ `` Trivia - A Christmas Story House ''. Turner Entertainment Co. Retrieved December 25, 2015. Jump up ^ TheFW Staff. `` 10 Things You Did n't Know About ' A Christmas Story ' ''. thefw.com. Retrieved December 25, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Movie Facts & Trivia : A Christmas Story ''. achristmasstoryhouse.com. Retrieved December 25, 2015. Jump up ^ Canby, Vincent ( November 6, 1987 ). `` MOVIE REVIEW Russkies ( 1987 ) FILM : ' RUSSKIES, ' A COMEDY ADVENTURE ''. The New York Times. Missing or empty url = ( help ) ; access - date = requires url = ( help ) Jump up ^ Holden, Stephen ( March 3, 1993 ). `` '' Ruby Keeler, tap dancing actress, is dead at 82 `` ''. New York Times. Retrieved December 25, 2015. Jump up ^ Snipes, Stephanie ( November 7, 2003 ). `` How to create an ' Elf ' ''. CNN.com. CNN. Retrieved December 25, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Iron Man Production Notes ''. SciFi Japan. April 30, 2008. Archived from the original on March 28, 2013. Retrieved December 25, 2015. Jump up ^ King, Susan ( November 2, 2008 ). `` Their wishes finally came true ''. LA Times. Retrieved December 25, 2015. Jump up ^ `` A Case of You ''. Tribeca Film Festival. Retrieved December 25, 2015. Jump up ^ `` WWE Studios to Co-Produce Vince Vaughn Thriller ' Term Life ' ( EXCLUSIVE ) ''. Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved December 25, 2015. Jump up ^ `` F is for Family : Original, Animated Series From Bill Burr Coming Exclusively to Netflix ''. PR Newswire. October 23, 2014. Retrieved December 25, 2015. Jump up ^ Crouse, Richard ( 2005 ). Reel Winners ( illustrated ed. ). Dundurn Press Ltd. pp. 42 -- 43. ISBN 1 - 55002 - 574 - 0. ^ Jump up to : Riggs, Thomas ( 2007 ). Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television. Gale / Cengage Learning. ISBN 0 - 7876 - 9047 - 3. Jump up ^ `` 6th Youth In Film Awards ''. YoungArtistAwards.org. Retrieved December 25, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Young Artist Awards - President 's Message ''. YoungArtistAwards.org. Retrieved December 25, 2015. Jump up ^ `` HFPA Golden Globes - Young Artist Foundation ''. GoldenGlobes.org. Archived from the original on March 17, 2011. Retrieved December 25, 2015. Jump up ^ Crouse, Richard ( 2005 ). Reel Winners ( illustrated ed. ). Dundurn Press Ltd. pp. 42 -- 43. ISBN 1 - 55002 - 574 - 0. Jump up ^ `` 8th Annual Youth In Film Awards ''. YoungArtistAwards.org. Archived from the original on March 4, 2011. Retrieved December 25, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Young Artist Awards - President 's Message ''. YoungArtistAwards.org. Retrieved December 25, 2015. Jump up ^ `` HFPA Golden Globes - Young Artist Foundation ''. GoldenGlobes.org. Archived from the original on March 17, 2011. Retrieved December 25, 2015. Further reading Dye, David. Child and Youth Actors : Filmography of Their Entire Careers, 1914 - 1985. Jefferson, NC : McFarland & Co., 1988, p. 18. Holmstrom, John. The Moving Picture Boy : An International Encyclopaedia from 1895 to 1995. Norwich, Michael Russell, 1996, p. 386. External links Biography portal New York portal New York City portal Film portal Television portal Peter Billingsley on IMDb Peter Billingsley at AllMovie Young Artist Award for Best Leading Young Actor in a Feature Film 1979 -- 1990 Dennis Christopher ( 1979 ) Justin Henry ( 1980 ) Ricky Schroder ( 1981 ) Henry Thomas ( 1982 ) C. Thomas Howell ( 1983 ) Anthony Michael Hall ( 1984 ) Sean Astin ( 1985 ) Peter Billingsley ( 1986 ) River Phoenix ( 1987 ) Fred Savage ( 1987 ) Patrick Dempsey ( 1987 ) Corey Feldman ( 1987 ) Christian Bale ( 1988 ) Corey Feldman ( 1988 ) Corey Haim ( 1988 ) Lukas Haas ( 1988 ) Sean Astin ( 1989 ) Macaulay Culkin ( 1990 ) 1991 -- 2010 Ethan Embry ( 1991 ) Elijah Wood ( 1993 ) Edward Furlong ( 1994 ) Jason James Richter ( 1994 ) Mason Gamble ( 1994 ) Brad Renfro ( 1995 ) Wil Horneff ( 1996 ) Lucas Black ( 1997 ) Blake Heron ( 1998 ) Kevin Zegers ( 1998 ) Miko Hughes ( 1999 ) Haley Joel Osment ( 2000 ) Rob Brown ( 2001 ) Anton Yelchin ( 2002 ) Tyler Hoechlin ( 2003 ) Jeremy Sumpter ( 2004 ) Jamie Bell ( 2005 ) Josh Hutcherson ( 2006 ) Logan Lerman ( 2007 ) Josh Hutcherson ( 2008 ) Nate Hartley ( 2009 ) Max Records ( 2010 ) 2011 -- present Jaden Smith ( 2011 ) Dakota Goyo ( 2012 ) Tom Holland ( 2013 ) Miles Elliot ( 2014 ) Reese Hartwig ( 2015 ) Michael Grant ( 2016 ) Julian Feder ( 2017 ) VIAF : 37125343 LCCN : no98099067 ISNI : 0000 0001 1948 6299 GND : 142408360 BNF : cb14156064m ( data ) MusicBrainz : 064870d2 - 0454 - 47d4 - b42f - bbf312c07e13 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Peter_Billingsley&oldid=820866868 '' Categories : 1971 births TheBlaze American film directors American film producers American male child actors American male film actors American male television actors American television directors American television personalities American television producers Living people Male actors from New York City Phoenix College alumni Hidden categories : Pages using citations with accessdate and no URL Pages using web citations with no URL Use mdy dates from October 2013 Articles with hCards All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from April 2014 Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with ISNI identifiers Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with BNF identifiers Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Français Português 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 17 January 2018, at 02 : 18. 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Question: what actor played ralphie in a christmas story
Answer: Peter Billingsley