NOT THE ROMANTIC INTERLUDE ONE EXPECTS

HALLMARK CHANNEL KICKS OFF "COUNTDOWN TO VALENTINE'S DAY" WITH "A VALENTINE'S DATE," A STAR-STUDDED HALLMARK CHANNEL ORIGINAL MOVIE WORLD PREMIERE FEBRUARY 4

Elisa Donovan ("In Gayle We Trust"), Brad Rowe ("General Hospital"), Tom Skerritt ("Brothers & Sisters"), John Schneider ("Desperate Housewives," "Hot in Cleveland"), Tracey Gold ("Growing Pains") and Fred Willard ("Modern Family," "Accidentally in Love") star in "A Valentine's Date," a Hallmark Channel Original Movie World Premiere, Friday, February 4 (9 p.m. ET/PT, 8c). "A Valentine's Date" is the lead-off Original Movie in Hallmark Channel's 'Countdown to Valentine's Day' campaign, which kicks off February 1 and runs through Valentine's Day. Other Hallmark Channel Original Movie World Premieres for the 2011 'Countdown to Valentine's Day' include: "Smooch," starring Kellie Martin, Kiernan Shipka and Simon Kassianides, Saturday, February 5 (9 p.m. ET/PT, 8c) and "Accidentally in Love," starring Jennie Garth, Ethan Erickson, Marilu Henner and Fred Willard, written by Garth's husband Peter Facinelli ("Nurse Jackie," "Twilight"), Saturday, February 12 (9 p.m. ET/PT, 8C).

February 14 is a day of hearts and flowers and sweet sentiments, unless you are Laura Conners and Dylan Hackett, former sweethearts and spouses on the verge of divorce. Laura, a busy bank executive has moved her daughter Kelsey to New York to restart their lives after separating from her husband and childhood sweetheart Dylan, who still resides in Texas. Laura's been so immersed in her job, she has conveniently forgotten to sign the divorce papers buried at the bottom of her purse. Since Laura and Kelsey moved to New York six years ago, Dylan has seen his daughter on a mere handful of occasions. He's had enough. Dylan sues Laura for custody, forcing her to return to Texas.At the hearing, the pair begin bickering, forcing a Texas State Family Court Judge to order a cooling off period to give Dylan and Laura a chance to think about what's most important - Kelsey. The judge re-sets the custody hearing for February 14. Now Laura, Dylan and Kelsey have a Valentine's date to remember what made them a loving family, so that everyone's heart can be happy once more.

"A Valentine's Date" is executive produced by Barry Barnholtz, Zelma Kiwi and Jeffrey Schenck, produced by Michael Feifer and co-produced by Peter Sullivan. The movie is based on original material by Jeffrey Schenck and Peter Sullivan. "A Valentine's Date" is directed by Michael Feifer from a screenplay by Michael Feifer and Peter Sullivan. Music by Andres Boulton.

Hallmark Channel, owned and operated by Crown Media Holdings, Inc., is a 24-hour basic cable network that provides a diverse slate of high-quality entertainment programming available in high definition (HD) and standard definition (SD) to a national audience of almost 88million subscribers. The top tier program service is distributed through more than 5,450 cable systems and communities as well as direct-to-home satellite services across the country. Hallmark Channel is the nation's leading network in providing quality family programming with an ambitious slate of original TV movies, general entertainment and home and lifestyle content. Hallmark Channel's sibling network is Hallmark Movie Channel, also available in HD and SD, which focuses on the family-friendly movies with a mix of classic theatrical films, presentations from the acclaimed Hallmark Hall of Fame library, original Hallmark Channel movies and special events.