Tedde Moore, ‘A Christmas Story’ Star, Dies at 79

Moore had been living with multiple sclerosis since being diagnosed in 2009, two years after her son received the same diagnosis.

Rachel Acenas

Published: 8/10/2026, 2:29:11 PM EDT

Tedde Moore, ‘A Christmas Story’ Star, Dies at 79 — Noah "40" James Shebib, Tedde Moore, Donald Shebib, and Suzanna Shebib attend the "Nightalk" Premiere during the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival at Scotiabank Theatre in Toronto, Ontario, on Sept. 16, 2022. (Darren Eagles/Getty Images)

Tedde Moore, the actress best known for her role in the 1983 holiday hit film "A Christmas Story," has died at the age of 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,” according to a post shared on Moore's Facebook page Thursday, Aug. 6. “Her bravery in this choice was almost overwhelming, beyond beautiful and also difficult.”

Moore had been living with multiple sclerosis since being diagnosed in 2009, two years after her son received the same diagnosis.

In a 2012 CNN interview, the actress spoke about the challenges of understanding the disease from the outside, recalling how difficult it was to watch her once-active son struggle physically. She encouraged him not to let MS define what he could accomplish.

“You can be a person with M.S. who doesn't fulfill his dreams or you can be a person with M.S. that fulfills his dreams,” she said.

In A Christmas Story, Moore portrayed Miss Shields, the teacher who becomes part of Ralphie’s memorable childhood adventures as he desperately tries to convince his parents and everyone around him that he should receive a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. Though her appearance was relatively brief, Moore's character became one of the film's memorable supporting roles.

“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 family said. “Her magic and love will be remembered by all she took under her generous and welcoming wings.”

Moore's performance in the film earned her a nomination for a Genie Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Throughout the decades, she has remained closely associated with A Christmas Story, and the film developed a devoted following and became a regular part of Christmas movie traditions.

Moore returned as Miss Shields in the 1994 sequel "My Summer Story."

Her career extended well beyond A Christmas Story. She worked extensively in Canadian theater, television, and film, appearing in productions including "Friday the 13th: The Series," "RoboCop: Prime Directives," "Odyssey 5," "The Kennedys," and "Mistletoe Over Manhattan."

Moore studied at London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1967 and went on to perform at the Stratford Festival, among other major Canadian productions. She starred in a Canadian stage production of "A Midsummer Night’s Dream" opposite Christopher Walken.

She also grew up in a family that was also in showbiz, including her father, actor Mavor Moore, and her grandmother, Dora Mavor Moore, a pioneer of professional theater in Canada.