'A Christmas Story' Star Peter Billingsley Takes Viewers Behind the Scenes of Favorite Holiday Classics

Billingsley was only 12 years old when he starred as Ralphie in the 1983 film.

Peter Billingsley shot to fame at 12 years old as Ralphie, the quirky, BB gun-obsessed kid from the beloved holiday movie, A Christmas Story.

Today, he is looking back on his iconic role and revisiting other holiday films as the host of a special edition of ABC's 20/20 called Lights, Camera, Christmas: Inside Holiday Movie Classics. 

“I, as it turned out, was the very first person the director ever saw for the role,” he told Inside Edition of his Christmas Story audition. “For a long time, I didn't know what people saw in this movie, because you were so close to it. But now you step back and get a little perspective. It's like, 'Yeah, this is a really, really good film.'"

As the host of Lights, Camera, Christmas, Billingsley is revisiting several other beloved Christmas movies.

"It’s nice to explore movies that really just bring people joy," he added. 

Billingsley takes viewers behind the scenes of other holiday film favorites, like National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation; Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer and others. 

Billingsley also sits down with Tim Allen of The Santa Clause franchise, who recounts wearing a fat suit to become Kris Kringle.

Allen said he could not be in the suit for more than six hours because of how uncomfortable it was and it didn’t allow for his skin to breath, resulting in sores around his body. 

Billingsley also revealed what he believes are the ingredients for a Christmas classic.

"The real commonality is family and it sort of the relatable things that families go through,” he said. 

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