The Marvel Character You Had No Idea Was Played By A Christmas Story's Ralphie

Actor Peter Billinglsey is perhaps best known to the public at large for playing the fresh-faced moppet Ralphie Parker in Bob Clark's 1983 anti-nostalgia picture "A Christmas Story." Clark's film was a hit when it was first released, serving as a cynical takedown of halcyon, Norman Rockwell-esque Christmas traditions. The characters were all petty and mean and greedy, revealing that the warm, glorious Christmases of the past weren't as sweet or easy as nostalgia night have one believe. Weirdly, "A Christmas Story" turned into the opposite of its thesis, shown on TV every Christmas season, sometimes over and over again in a day-long marathon. 

Billingsley was able to turn his work in "A Christmas Story" into something of a career, turning up in occasional movies and TV for at least another decade. In 1985, he starred in an enchanted vehicle fantasy film called "The Dirt Bike Kid" and turned up in episodes of "Highway to Heaven" and "Punky Brewster." In 1984, he starred in a TV movie called "The Hoboken Chicken Emergency," based on a novel by Daniel Pinkwater, the author behind "Lizard Music," Benny Safdie's next collaboration with Dwayne Johnson. By 1994, though, when Billingsley was in his early 20s, starring in the sci-fi/horror film "Arcade," he began to drift away from acting. Instead, as /Film once covered before, Peter Billingsley began to work as a producer. 

In 2001, Billingsley served as a co-producer on an indie film called "Made," starring, written by, and directed by Jon Favreau. Billingsley would collaborate with Favreau multiple times, for which Favreau would cast him in small roles in his films. In 2008, Billingsley even had a cameo in Favreau's superhero film "Iron Man." This means he is officially part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

It should be noted that Peter Billingsley and Jon Favreau have had a long and lucrative career working together. After "Made," Billingsley co-produced Favreau's 2003 Christmas comedy "Elf." Perhaps because of his association with "A Christmas Story," Favreau felt the need to cast Billingsley as an elf named Ming Ming. From 2001 to 2004, he also produced Favreau's hit talk series "Dinner For Five," which netted him an Emmy nomination. Then, in 2005, Billingsley also produced Favreau's kid-friendly sci-fi film "Zathura," so he and Favreau clearly worked well together. He also seemed to work well with Favreau's "Made" co-star Vince Vaughn, as Billingsley also oversaw the production of his 2006 comedy "The Break-Up." Billingsley also made his feature directorial debut in 2009 with the Vince Vaughn comedy "Couples Retreat," which Favreau co-wrote. 

And indeed, in 2008, when Favreau made his supra-hit "Iron Man," Billinglsey was there again, serving as an executive producer. Perhaps as thanks, or maybe just for a bit of fun, Favreau also cast Billingsley in a small role in "Iron Man," playing a random scientist named William Ginter Riva. The Riva character was an employee of the film's corporate villain, Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges), and only had a scene wherein he was chewed out by the boss. Billingsley has a full head of hair, but shaved his head for the role. 

The plot of "Iron Man," recall, was about how Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) was once a greedy, tech-hungry weapons manufacturer, but he had a change of heart after a traumatic experience being kidnapped by a warlord. It's not addressed in "Iron Man," but Tony's change of heart had a negative impact on the lives of his engineer employees. Remember that now.

The little-seen engineer William Riva returned in a later film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Indeed, Tony Stark's brazen neglect of his own employees would finally be addressed in the 2019 follow-up "Spider-Man: Far from Home." In that film, Peter Billingsley reprised his role, this time working for a mysterious, revenge-minded villain who went by the name Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal). By that point in MCU history, Tony Stark had died, but his legacy of neglecting employees was still present. Mysterio, a.k.a. Quentin Beck, aimed to steal Tony Stark's technology back for the people who created it. William Riva was present. Billingsley, however, didn't produce "Far from Home." 

Billingsley worked with Vince Vaughn again, directing his 2016 thriller "Term Life," before returning to the role of Ralphie Parker in the 2022 sequel "A Christmas Story Christmas," which he produced and wrote the story for. His greatest gig might have been serving as an executive producer on the 2012 sitcom "Sullivan & Son," which he wrote 33 episodes of, directing six. His most recent job was co-producing the 2025 Western "Broke," starring Wyatt Russell and Dennis Quaid. Vince Vaughn was a producer on that one as well. 

Weirdly, Jon Favreau and Billingsley haven't worked together on any of Favreau's high-profile "Star Wars" projects. Favreau is responsible for "The Mandalorian" as well as the upcoming feature film "The Mandalorian and Grogu," which looks to be the funniest "Star Wars" movie yet. Favreau's old producing partner wasn't present. But that could just be a twist of fate. Billingsley also didn't oversee Favreau's bomb "Cowboys and Aliens" or his indie film "Chef."