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.