'Christmas Story' Director Dies in Crash Apr 5, 5:07 AM (ET) By JEREMIAH MARQUEZ LOS ANGELES (AP) - Bob Clark, whose film "A Christmas Story" became a seasonal fixture for its bittersweet cataloguing of holiday dreams and disappointments, was killed with his son in a car crash. He was 67. Clark and Ariel Hanrath-Clark, 22, were traveling on the Pacific Coast Highway in the Pacific Palisades when they were killed Wednesday, said Lyne Leavy, Clark's personal assistant. Their car was struck head-on by an SUV that a drunken driver steered into the wrong lane, police said. "It's a tragic day for all of us who knew and loved Bob Clark," said Scott Schwartz, who played the flagpole-licking character Flick in "A Christmas Story" and kept in touch with Clark over the years. "Bob was a fun-lovin', jelly-roll kinda guy who will be sorely missed." The driver of the other vehicle, Hector Velazquez-Nava, 24, of Los Angeles was arrested and booked for investigation of driving under the influence of alcohol and gross vehicular manslaughter. He was being held on $100,000 bail. "The initial investigation has concluded that Nava was driving without a license northbound in the southbound lanes while under the influence of an alcoholic beverage," said Lt. Paul Vernon, a police spokesman. An LAPD officer said early Thursday she didn't know if Nava had an attorney. Clark had a prolific movie and TV directing career. He specialized in horror movies and thrillers early on, directing such 1970s movies as "Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things,""Murder by Decree,""Breaking Point" and "Black Christmas," which was remade last year. His breakout success came with 1981's sex farce "Porky's," a coming-of-age romp that he followed two years later with "Porky's II: The Next Day." In 1983, he directed, co-produced and co-wrote "A Christmas Story," an adaptation of Jean Shepard's childhood memoir of a boy in the 1940s. The film starred Peter Billingsly as Ralphie Parker, a young boy determined to get a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. The film was a modest theatrical success, but critics loved it. It eventually joined "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Miracle on 34th Street" as one of the Christmas films audiences watch year after year. In 1994, Clark directed a forgettable sequel, "It Runs in the Family," featuring Charles Grodin, Mary Steenburgen and Kieran Culkin in a continuation of Shepard's memoirs. In recent years, Clark made family comedies that were savaged by critics, including "Karate Dog,""Baby Geniuses" and its sequel, "Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2." Among Clark's other movies were Sylvester Stallone and Dolly Parton's "Rhinestone," Timothy Hutton's "Turk 182!", and Gene Hackman and Dan Aykroyd's "Loose Cannons."
That's sad. RIP. Not to sound insensitive or anything, but did I read this right or not...his son's name was Ariel??!! Like Ariel in the Little Mermaid??
That's true except that Ariel really doesn't fall into that category compared to Pat, Tracy, Stacy, Kelly, etc.
I don't remember Porky's being shown for 24 straight hours every year on TNT. A Christmas Story transcends Christmas movies, and is widely considered to be a modern cinematic masterpiece. Although it was funny, Porky's is not much different from the myriad of 80's T&A comedies.
Very sad... RIP. Here are some pictures from the 20-year reunion of the movie cast in 2003 http://www.ocshowbiz.com/misc/ACSPix/XmasPix.shtml
RIP. I really hate drunk drivers, I've lost too many friends from those @ssh*les. What's the typical punishment for DWI/DUI? I hope it's something along the lines of getting their license taken away.. maybe even forever. I have never drank before, so for those of you who drink on a regular.. is your judgment that clouded when you're drunk that you think it's ok to drive drunk? I had a friend that called me this weekend while she was driving home drunk. I don't think I have ever been so upset at her before. She could've called me before and I would have picked her up or something like I have done before. Sorry.. just ranting.
This guy was already driving without a license. I hope he gets no less than 20 years. Really sad loss. Evan
RIP. Interesting career that the same guy who made Christmas Story would make Karate Dog later. Could he not get more high profile work, was he more interested in just getting paychecks or did he just like doing schlock?
RIP. especially sad that it took out a 22 year old kid as well. christmas story is just such a classic. and i had no idea he also did porky's. a weird coupling. until you mentioned this my first thought was little mermaid as well but then i realized the former israeli prime minister was ariel sharon and i never thought of him as having the same name as the mermaid any time i heard his name.
