<P> In the DVD commentary, director Bob Clark mentions that Jack Nicholson was considered for the role of the Old Man; Clark expresses gratitude that he ended up with Darren McGavin instead, who later appeared in several other Clark films . He cast Melinda Dillon on the basis of her similar role in Close Encounters of the Third Kind . Peter Billingsley was already a minor star from appearing in many commercials and co-hosting the TV series Real People; Clark initially wanted him for the role of Ralphie, but decided he was "too obvious" a choice and auditioned many other young actors before realizing that Billingsley was the right choice after all . Ian Petrella was cast immediately before filming began . Tedde Moore had previously appeared in Clark's film Murder by Decree and was the only onscreen character from A Christmas Story who was played by the same actor in the sequel, My Summer Story . Jeff Gillen was an old friend of Clark's who had been in one of his earliest films . </P> <P> The screenplay for A Christmas Story is based on material from author Jean Shepherd's collection of short stories, In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash . Three of the semi-autobiographical short stories on which the film is based were originally published in Playboy magazine between 1964 and 1966 . Shepherd later read "Duel in the Snow, or Red Ryder nails the Cleveland Street Kid" and told the otherwise unpublished story "Flick's Tongue" on his WOR Radio talk show, as can be heard in one of the DVD extras . Bob Clark states on the DVD commentary that he became interested in Shepherd's work when he heard "Flick's Tongue" on the radio in 1968 . Additional source material for the film, according to Clark, came from unpublished anecdotes that Shepherd told live audiences "on the college circuit ." </P> <P> The film is set in Hohman, Indiana, a fictionalized version of Shepherd's hometown of Hammond, named for Hohman Avenue, which runs through downtown Hammond . Local references in the film include Warren G. Harding Elementary School and Cleveland Street (where Shepherd spent his childhood). Other local references include mention of a person "swallowing a yo - yo" in nearby Griffith, the Old Man being one of the fiercest "furnace fighters in northern Indiana" and that his obscenities were "hanging in space over Lake Michigan," a mention of the Indianapolis 500, and the line to Santa Claus "stretching all the way to Terre Haute, Indiana ." The Old Man is also revealed to be a fan of the Bears (whom he jokingly calls the "Chicago Chipmunks") and White Sox, consistent with living in northwest Indiana . </P> <P> Director Bob Clark reportedly sent scouts to twenty cities before selecting Cleveland for exterior filming . Cleveland was chosen because of Higbee's Department Store in downtown Cleveland . (Since Higbee's was exclusive to northeast Ohio, the department store referenced in Shepherd's book and the film is most likely Goldblatt's, located in downtown Hammond (with the Cam - Lan Chinese Restaurant three doors down on Sibley Ave).) Until they connected with Higbee's, location scouts had been unsuccessful in finding a department store that was willing to be part of the film . Higbee's vice president Bruce Campbell agreed to take part in the project on the condition he be allowed to edit the script for cursing . Ultimately, Higbee's was the stage for three scenes in the film: </P>

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