Melinda Dillon’s ‘A Christmas Story’ co-star mourns her death, ‘fortunate’ to call her his ‘on-screen mother’

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Sequel to 'A Christmas Story' to premiere this week

Actor and producer Peter Billingsley joins 'Fox & Friends' to preview his upcoming film 'A Christmas Story Christmas' premiering Thursday.

"A Christmas Story" star Peter Billingsley is mourning the death of his co-star, Melinda Dillon.

"So very sad to hear of Melinda Dillon’s passing. Working with her on 'A Christmas Story' was such a privilege," the actor wrote on Instagram. 

"She was kind, supportive, cool, thoughtful, giving and committed. Her body of work demonstrated her incredible range and talent. I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to call her my on-screen mother. Rest in peace, Melinda."

Billingsley starred as Ralphie in the 1983 holiday classic, alongside Dillon, who played his mother.

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(L-R) Actors Scott Schwartz, Melinda Dillon, production designer Reuben Freed, costume designer Mary E. McLeod and actor Peter Billingsley attend the Academy Celebrates "A Christmas Story" 35TH Anniversary at the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, in Beverly Hills, California, on December 10, 2018. (VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images)

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Dillon passed away on January 9th at the age of 83.

She was a two-time Oscar nominee for best supporting actress for her roles in "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" and "Absence of Malice."

Her "Close Encounters" director Steven Spielberg reacted to Dillon’s death in a statement to Variety saying, "Melinda was generous of spirit and lent such kindness to the character she played in ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’… We will all miss her."

Richard Dreyfuss and Melinda Dillon on the set of "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." (Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images)

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Dillon started her career as an improvisational comedian and stage actress. She starred as Honey in the original 1962 Broadway production of Edward Albee's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf," earning a Tony Award nomination for best performance by a featured actress in a play.

She was later nominated for the New Star of the Year award at the Golden Globes for her role in Hal Ashby's 1976 film "Bound for Glory." 

Melinda Dillon in a scene from "A Christmas Story." (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM))

Though she’s best known for her role in "A Christmas Story," Dillon maintained a prolific career, with roles in "Slap Shot," "Harry and the Hendersons," "Captain America," "Nightbreaker," "The Prince of Tides" and "Magnolia."

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Her television credits include roles in "The Twilight Zone," "CHiPS," "Tracey Takes On…,"Judging Amy," "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit" and "Heartland."

Fox News Digital's Ashley Hume contributed to this report.