or


[10/20/05 - 12:00 AM]
Carol Burnett and Tracey Ullman Headline a Stellar Cast in the World Premiere of ABC's Original Made-For-Television Movie, "Once Upon a Mattress," Set to Air Sunday, December 18 as a Presentation of the "Wonderful World of Disney"

[via press release from ABC]

CAROL BURNETT AND TRACEY ULLMAN HEADLINE A STELLAR CAST IN THE WORLD PREMIERE OF ABC�S ORIGINAL MADE-FOR-TELEVISION MOVIE, �ONCE UPON A MATTRESS,� SET TO AIR SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18 AS A PRESENTATION OF THE �WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISNEY�

Denis O�Hare, Zooey Deschanel, Michael Boatman, Edward Hibbert, Matthew Morrison and Tom Smothers Are Also Featured in the Delightful Musical

Tony Award-Winner Kathleen Marshall Will Choreograph And Make Her Debut as Screen Director

The legendary Carol Burnett and Tracey Ullman � two �queens of comedy� and both six-time Emmy Award winners -- top a spectacular cast, also featuring Tony Award winner Denis O�Hare (Broadway�s �Take Me Out�), �Elf� star Zooey Deschanel, �Spin City� and �Arli$$� star Michael Boatman, �Frasier�s� Edward Hibbert, Broadway heartthrob and Tony nominee Matthew Morrison (�The Light in the Piazza,� �Hairspray,� �Sex and the City�) and the irrepressible Tom Smothers, in the �Wonderful World of Disney� presentation of the delightful musical, �Once Upon a Mattress,� a world premiere, two-hour made-for-television movie, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18 (7:00-9:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

In this whimsical, fractured telling of the classic fairytale, �The Princess and the Pea,� O�Hare (Broadway�s �Sweet Charity,� �Assassins�) plays Prince Dauntless, the handsome hero desperate to find a wife, who comes in the unlikely person of the lovable � and definitely not shy -- Princess Winnifred, as portrayed by Ms. Ullman (�The Corpse Bride,� �The Tracey Ullman Show,� �Tracey Takes On�.,� �Tracey Ullman in the Trailer Tales�). Ms. Deschanel (�The Hitchhiker�s Guide to the Galaxy,� �Almost Famous,� �The Good Girl�) plays Lady Larken, one of the beautiful ladies of the court frantic to marry Sir Harry, a powerful and influential knight portrayed by Morrison (Broadway�s � A Naked Girl on the Appian Way,� �Footloose� and �Rocky Horror Show�). Boatman takes the part of King Sextimus� sidekick, the Jester, whose father was a performer as well. Hibbert plays the Wizard, the Queen�s confidant, and Smothers portrays King Sextimus, the benevolent but unfortunately mute ruler to Ms. Burnett�s conniving and loquacious Queen Aggravain.

Kathleen Marshall, who won the 2004 Tony Award for �Best Choreography� for her production of �Wonderful Town,� choreographed the film and makes her debut as a director for the screen with �Mattress.� Ms. Marshall was nominated for an Emmy Award for her choreography for ABC�s 2003 �The Wonderful World of Disney� production of �Meredith Willson�s The Music Man.�

The renowned Bob Mackie, a seven-time Emmy Award winner and three-time Academy Award nominee, designed Ms. Burnett�s dazzling costumes and head pieces.

The captivating tale takes place in a small kingdom long ago, as Prince Dauntless (O�Hare) is searching for a bride. Dozens of women have been tested and rejected as unsuitable by his mother, Queen Aggravain (Ms. Burnett), the dominating force in the land, who insists that her son must marry a �true princess.� The lords and ladies of the court are distressed since the marriage law states that �no one may wed until Dauntless shares his marriage bed.�

Lady Larken (Ms. Deschanel) and Sir Harry (Morrison) are among the most upset, as Larken reveals that she is �expecting� and urges Harry to embark on a search beyond the kingdom for a princess for Dauntless. Reluctantly the Queen gives her permission, and Harry returns three week later with Princess Winnifred, who arrives soaking wet, having just swum the moat in her eagerness to meet Dauntless. The Queen is totally appalled and conspires with the Wizard (Hibbert) to cook up a test for �sensitivity� to get rid of Winnifred. What about a tiny pea under 20 mattresses? And, to insure her success, Aggravain will give her a soothing sleeping potion and throw a fantastic ball where the latest dance rage, The Spanish Panic, should totally exhaust the moat-swimming princess.

Meanwhile, Winnifred and Dauntless get to know one another and she promises him that, once she passes the Queen�s test, she will try to undo the curse that has befallen the King, by which he is condemned to remain mute until �the mouse devours the hawk.�

At the ball the Queen�s plans go awry: Winnifred isn�t the least bit tired and, while she and Dauntless try to figure out what the test will be, he becomes more enamored of her. She even lets him call her by her nickname, �Fred.� Could it be he has found his one true love?

As the Queen continues to scheme, the Jester (Boatman) and Minstrel attempt to learn what kind of test the Wizard will have. Finally Winnifred tumbles into bed -- but will she sleep and get her happily ever after?

Ms. Burnett made the role of Princess Winnifred famous in 1959 when the play premiered off-Broadway. She took the role to a smash run on Broadway, making her debut on �The Great White Way� in �Once Upon a Mattress.� She later starred as Winnifred in 1964 and 1972 in two television productions of the musical. The part became one of the renowned actress� signature roles.

Marc E. Platt (�Legally Blonde,� �Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde,� Broadway smash, �Wicked�), Ms. Burnett and Marty Tudor, (�Carol Burnett Show: Let�s Bump Up the Lights,� �Getting Personal.�) are the executive producers. Janet Brownell (�Eloise at the Plaza,� �Gilda Radner: It�s Always Something�) wrote the teleplay, based on the original book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller and Martin Barer. Music is by Mary Rogers, with lyrics by Marshall Barer. �Once Upon a Mattress� is a production of Mattress Productions, Ltd. in association with Touchstone Television.

A TV parental guideline will be assigned closer to airdate.





  [october 2005]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
      


· ARLI$$ (HBO)
· ELOISE AT THE PLAZA (ABC)
· FRASIER (NBC)
· GILDA RADNER: IT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING (ABC)
· MEREDITH WILSON'S THE MUSIC MAN (ABC)
· ONCE UPON A MATTRESS (ABC)
· SEX AND THE CITY (HBO)
· SPIN CITY (ABC)
· WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISNEY, THE (ABC)





[07/14/25 - 09:00 AM]
Video: Hulu Reveals Official Trailer for "The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball"
Additionally, it's been announced that the series will make its franchise-first debut at San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday, July 26.

[07/14/25 - 09:00 AM]
Video: Prime Video Debuts Trailer and Key Art For Spy Thriller "Butterfly," Starring and Executive Produced by Daniel Dae Kim
As previously announced, all six episodes will debut on Wednesday, August 13.

[07/14/25 - 08:15 AM]
Sean Hannity to Host "Wanted: Dead or Alive" on FOX Nation
Set to premiere on Wednesday, July 16, new episodes will be released weekly and tackle the stories of the infamous John Dillinger, Bonnie and Clyde, Baby Face Nelson, and Ma Barker.

[07/14/25 - 08:00 AM]
Gabby Windey Sets Sail as Host of Hulu's New Unscripted Series "Love Overboard"
Step aboard the ultimate luxury yacht, where sexy singles are ready to mix and mingle... and find love.

[07/14/25 - 08:00 AM]
HBO Original "Harry Potter" Television Series Begins Production
The series will debut in 2027 on HBO and HBO Max where it's available, including in upcoming launch markets Germany, Italy, and the UK.

[07/14/25 - 08:00 AM]
Video: Prime Video Releases First-Look Images and Teaser Trailer for Upcoming Psychological Thriller "The Girlfriend"
All six-episodes will be available September 10 exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories around the world.

[07/14/25 - 07:41 AM]
Welcome to Atlanta: FOX Sports Assembles All-Star Cast for MLB's 95th Midsummer Classic
Live from Truist Park, FOX MLB's lead duo of Emmy Award-winning play-by-play announcer Joe Davis and first-ballot Hall of Famer John Smoltz (eight-time All-Star with the Atlanta Braves) reunite in the booth for their fourth All-Star Game together.

[07/14/25 - 07:15 AM]
Prime Video Announces Six Additional Cast for New Original Series "Bloodaxe"
Karlis Arnolds Avots, Rod Hallett, Alina Tomnikov, Sisse Marie, Rune Temte, and Jesper Christensen join the cast of the historical drama.

[07/14/25 - 07:14 AM]
Icon Award, Presenters, Attendees, and Musical Performances Announced for "The 2025 ESPYS Presented by Capital One," Airing Live Wednesday, July 16 at 8pm ET/ 7pm CT on ABC and Streaming on ESPN+
During this year's event, ESPN will honor former WNBA player Diana Taurasi and former USWNT player Alex Morgan with the Icon Award in recognition of their incredible careers and significant impact on the world of sports.

[07/14/25 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "Hostage" - Official Teaser - Netflix
When the British prime minister's husband is kidnapped and the French president starts receiving threats, both leaders must face an impossible choice.

[07/14/25 - 06:28 AM]
"Shark Tank" Returns This Fall with More Guest Sharks Than Ever Before!
Allison Ellsworth, Chip and Joanna Gaines, Alexis Ohanian, Michael Strahan, and Fawn Weaver are among those on tap.

[07/14/25 - 06:20 AM]
ABC News and Disney+ Announce New Daily Show "What You Need to Know," Premiering Monday, July 21, Exclusively on Disney+
"What You Need to Know" is the fast, fresh way to stay ahead of the conversation as viewers start their day.

[07/14/25 - 06:01 AM]
Video: "Perfect Match" - Season 3 Official Trailer - Netflix
Singles from the Netflix Reality Universe and beyond scheme and strategize their way to a lasting love connection in this spicy dating competition.

[07/14/25 - 01:31 AM]
Netflix Begins Filming "The Map of Longing" with Alicia Falco, Pablo Alvarez, and Georgina Amoros
The series is an adaptation of the novel by Spanish writer Alice Kellen, published by Editorial Planeta.

[07/13/25 - 05:38 PM]
Peacock's "Love Island USA" Crowns Winners of Season 7 & Reunion News
The reunion special will premiere on Monday, August 25 at 6pm PT/9pm ET; while "Love Island Games" returns Tuesday, September 16.