Ralphie Parker and Brian Jones know what it's like to want something. For Ralphie, the object of desire was an official Red Ryder, carbine-action, 200-shot, range model air rifle. (Go ahead, say it, ''You'll shoot your eye out, kid.'')
For Jones, the gotta-have-it item was Ralphie's house — the one in ''A Christmas Story,'' the quirky film that's found a niche alongside holiday classics like ''It's a Wonderful Life'' and ''Miracle on 34th Street.''
Jones has restored the three-story, wood-frame house to its appearance in the movie and will open it for tours beginning Saturday. His hope is that it will become a tourist stop alongside the city's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and other destinations.
He's unsure whether he'll make enough money to cover his $500,000 investment, but as sure as a kid's tongue will stick to a frozen flag pole, he's committed to the project.
''I just want people to come and enjoy it as I have,'' said Jones, a 30-year-old former Navy lieutenant.
''A Christmas Story'' wasn't a big hit when released in 1983 but repeat TV airings and, in recent years, a 24-hour run on TBS starting Christmas Eve have made its story of boy's quest to get a BB gun for Christmas as infectious as the bespectacled Ralphie's eager grin.
To continue reading this story, please go to this page on HappyNews.com.
Good luck and make it a great day!
comments
0 Responses to "'Christmas Story' House Brought to Life"Post a Comment