Darren McGavin

Darren McGavin (May 7, 1922 – February 25, 2006) was an American actor best known for his portrayal of the grumpy but loving father in the film A Christmas Story, and for the title role in the television horror series . He appeared as the title character in the 1950s television series Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer. From 1959–1961, McGavin starred in the NBC Western series Riverboat, first with Burt Reynolds and then with Noah Beery, Jr., and in later years, he had a recurring role in the sitcom Murphy Brown, as the title character's father, for which he received an Emmy Award.