"I can't put my arms down!"

How cool is this? That picture of pure goofy joy was snapped in the house where they filmed A Christmas Story. The beloved locale is just a few minutes from downtown Cleveland, in a working-class neighborhood called Tremont. A few years ago, a San Diego fan named Brian Jones bought the place for $150,000 off eBay. He spent another $250,000 restoring it. Only the movie's exteriors were filmed here, including Black Bart's shed in the backyard. However, the inside of the house is an utterly charming recreation, all the way down to a crooked star atop the Christmas tree and Ralphie's teeth marks in the Lifebuoy. Jones coughed up hundreds of thousands more to purchase property across the street for a museum and gift shop. Someday he might even buy the Bumpus house and turn it into a B&B...

Jones keeps a small apartment in the attic, where they also store wardrobe from the classic '83 flick...including Randy's snowsuit. And would you look at that: I have my grubby mitts all over it! Sweet! I also pawed Melinda "Mom" Dillon's purplish Christmas morning robe. However, the Old Man's cardigans were sealed away, so I just bowed before them and whispered a reverent "Notafingah!" Fair warning: The attic is off-limits to visitors, but they do have a museum across the street that's sublime with artifacts: Randy's zeppelin, Miss Shields' chalkboard, Scut Farkus' coonskin cap. You can even cradle a Red Ryder beauty.

I'm gonna write a whopper of a travelogue for the holidays, so you'll get that plus a full photo gallery and audio clips of the tour. You'll also hear about the upcoming 25th anniversary Christmas Story convention in Cleveland (Thanksgiving weekend, diehard fans are called "Ralphies"). And I'll even introduce you to Raul Gomez, a 13-year-old neighbor who's never been in the house. Instead, this 21st century Ralphie Parker just likes to gaze at the Leg Lamp in the front window, which is kept illuminated 24-7-365.   

Photo by Scott "It's a Clinker!" Keeler

Comments

[jo]

You, Mister Sean Daly, have one ~sweet~ job. And your hair looks `awesome` in that picture!

[Marissa]

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuudge! Only I didn't say fudge. I said the mother of all curse words ... when I clicked on the photo above to find it's nearly half the size of my monitor. Proving, once again, that a dose of Daly goes a long way!
I'm so freakin' envious of you, Sean. Really. Truly. Seriously.

[Al]

Honestly, how is Sean not running for President?

I could see him dealing with Iran right now..."Dude, you gotta check out the Gaslight Anthem.....then just chill out with....."

With the tagline of:

President Daly: His music collection is bigger and better than yours...

[erin]

Sean, Sean, Sean....what a life you lead. Glad you're having fun on the "North Coast." Looking forward to reading/hearing about the rest of your trip.