Peter Billingsley on AllMovie

Many know actor, director, and producer Peter Billingsley for the role he played when he was just nine years old, portraying young Ralphie in the classic 1982 holiday film A Christmas Story, but Billingsley's career actually dates back even further. He began appearing in TV commercials from the age of two, and by the time he auditioned for A Christmas Story, he'd already become popular with audiences all over America, providing the "children's angle" on the popular TV series Real People.

He continued to act in projects throughout the '80s, appearing on TV shows like Who's the Boss? and in films like Russkies, as well as in a handful of after-school specials, but Billingsley was never able to duplicate the fame he garnered as Ralphie. In the late '90s, the film vet stepped behind the camera and began exploring a new avenue in his career, producing and executive producing a variety of projects like the Discovery Channel's A.R.K., and movies like Elf, The Break-Up, and Iron Man.