You know the face. Honestly, even if you don't recognize the name RD Robb immediately, you definitely know the kid who stood in the snowy schoolyard, peer-pressuring his friend into sticking his tongue on a frozen flagpole.
That was Schwartz.
While most of the world associates RD Robb exclusively with the 1983 cult classic A Christmas Story, his career didn't just freeze in time on that Indiana playground. People tend to think he vanished. They assume he was just another child star who took the money and ran. But if you actually look at the list of tv shows with RD Robb, a much weirder, more interesting picture emerges. He didn't just act; he became a producer, a director, and a behind-the-scenes power player who once found himself at the center of a massive legal battle involving Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire.
The Early Days: More Than Just a Triple Dog Dare
Before he was a fixture of holiday marathons, Robb was grinding in the industry like any other working kid in the 80s. His television debut wasn't actually a "show" in the traditional sense, but a voice role. In 1985, he voiced Miguel in the He-Man & She-Ra: A Christmas Special.
It’s a bizarre artifact of 80s pop culture, but it counts.
He also popped up in Highway to Heaven. In an episode titled "The Devil and Jonathan Smith," he played a character literally credited as "Little Devil." It was a bit on the nose, considering his character in A Christmas Story was the quintessential instigator. These weren't leading roles. They were the typical "kid of the week" spots that defined the era's television landscape.
The 90s Shift: ER, Sitcoms, and The Brady Bunch
By the mid-1990s, Robb had hit that awkward "former child star" phase where many actors flame out. He didn't. Instead, he started appearing in some of the biggest shows on the air.
If you blink, you’ll miss him in ER. In the 1995 episode "The Secret Sharer," he played Mike. It was a gritty departure from the whimsical 1940s nostalgia of his youth. Around the same time, he landed a guest spot on The Mommies and appeared in the ABC Afterschool Specials—specifically an episode called "Boys Will Be Boys."
The Unhappily Ever After Connection
One of his more notable 90s television appearances was in the sitcom Unhappily Ever After. He played Bernie in the episode "Rock and Roll." This era of his career was defined by these character-actor moments. He was working, sure, but he was also clearly looking for something bigger.
💡 You might also like: Why You Should Watch Bob Marley Documentary: The Truth Behind the Legend
He also made it into the 1995 The Brady Bunch Movie as Charlie Anderson. While technically a film, its DNA was pure television nostalgia, bridging the gap between his childhood fame and his adult ambitions.
The DiCaprio Controversy and the Pivot to Producing
Here is where the story gets "kinda" wild. Most people searching for tv shows with RD Robb are looking for acting credits, but his most significant contribution to the industry happened behind the camera.
Robb directed a film called Don’s Plum in the mid-90s. It featured a pre-Titanic Leonardo DiCaprio and a pre-Spider-Man Tobey Maguire. The movie was basically just a bunch of young actors improvising in a diner. It was raw, it was vulgar, and—according to DiCaprio and Maguire—it was never supposed to be a commercial feature film.
The resulting legal battle essentially blacklisted the film in the U.S. and Canada.
This pivot changed his trajectory. He didn't stop working; he just moved into the producer's chair. If you’ve seen the Freeform series Siren, you’ve seen his work. He served as an executive producer on that show. It’s a far cry from the "Triple Dog Dare," but it shows the longevity of someone who understands how the gears of Hollywood actually turn.
👉 See also: Death of a Centerfold Cast: What Really Happened Behind the 1981 Dorothy Stratten Biopic
The Modern Reprise: The Goldbergs and The Return of Schwartz
For a long time, the acting credits dried up. Then came The Goldbergs.
In 2017, the show—which thrives on 80s nostalgia—brought Robb in for an episode called "So Swayze It's Crazy." He played Paul Sirochman, a headshot photographer. It was a meta-nod to his history in the industry. It felt like a homecoming.
Then, the big one happened in 2022.
A Christmas Story Christmas brought the original gang back together. Seeing an adult RD Robb reprise the role of Schwartz wasn't just a nostalgia trip; it was a rare moment of a child actor coming full circle. He wasn't the "Little Devil" anymore. He was a veteran of the industry who had survived the 90s indie film wars and the 2000s television grind.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Aspiring Actors
If you're tracking RD Robb's career or looking to understand how "kid actors" survive the transition to adulthood, there are a few things to take away:
- Diversify or Die: Robb didn't just wait for the phone to ring for acting gigs. He learned how to produce and direct. If you're in a creative field, having a secondary skill (like Robb's transition to executive producing Siren) is the only way to ensure a 40-year career.
- Embrace the Legacy: For years, many actors run away from their "famous kid" roles. Robb eventually embraced it, which led to the successful 2022 sequel and his guest spot on The Goldbergs.
- The Industry is Small: His work with Peter Billingsley (Ralphie) has spanned decades. Keeping those bridges intact is more valuable than any single "breakout" role.
RD Robb’s television career is a masterclass in the "slow burn." He didn't become a leading man in a prestige drama, but he stayed in the room. In Hollywood, staying in the room is often harder than getting into it in the first place.