Tedde Moore, the actress who played Ralphie Parker’s teacher in A Christmas Story, died Wednesday, August 5. She was 79.
“On Wednesday August 5th under sunny skies overlooking Fairy Lake, Tedde passed away surrounded by family physically and spiritually
in her beloved Huntsville Muskoka,” a post on her official Facebook page said. “Her bravery in this choice was almost overwhelming, beyond beautiful and also difficult. Forever the teacher, she had a quote for every occasion and a special way of touching the lives and hearts of everyone she met. Her magic and love will be remembered by all she took under her generous and welcoming wings.”
A cause of death was not disclosed. In 2009, Moore was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
Moore starred opposite Peter Billingsley (Ralphie Parker) in the 1983 Christmas classic. As Miss Shields, she was the teacher who doled out a bad grade on Ralphie’s paper about his wanting a Red Ryder BB gun from Santa Claus and chastised Flick (portrayed by Scott Schwartz) after his tongue gets stuck on an icy flagpole after he succumbed to a triple dog dare. She was nominated for a Genie Award for her performance in the supporting actress category. Moore reprised her role in 1994’s My Summer Story. Both Bob Clark-directed films were based on Jean Shepherd’s 1966 book In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash.
It was not her only holiday role: She also played Mrs. Claus in the 2011 TV movie, Mistletoe Over Manhattan and one of her final roles was in the 2017 TV film Magical Christmas Ornaments. Outside of Christmas titles, she’s credited with appearances on television shows Friday the 13th: The Series, RoboCop: Prime Detectives, Odyssey 5, and This Is Wonderland. In 2011, she also portrayed Nanny Shaw in the miniseries The Kennedys.
Born on April 11, 1947, Moore attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, where she graduated in 1967 receiving the Principal’s Medal of Honor. A year later, she starred opposite Christopher Walken at Stratford Festival’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, playing Hermia to Walken’s Lysander.
Moore’s family was also in show business, her father was Mavor Moore and her grandmother, Dora Mavor Moore, starred in Canadian theater. Two of Moore’s children, with Canadian and film director Donald Shebib, followed her into acting. Daughter Suzanna was a child actor who became a teacher, while Noah was a child actor who became the music producer known as 40. He collaborated with Drake, producing several of hits including “Hold On, We’re Going Home,” “One Dance,” God’s Plan,” “Toosie Slide,” and “Take Care.” Noah was also diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. She had two other children, Zoë with actor Patrick Christopher Carter, and she was the foster mother of Chaunce Drury.
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