JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED

HALLMARK CHANNEL ACQUIRES THE MOST EMMY(R) AWARD-WINNING TELEVISION SERIES OF ALL TIME, "FRASIER"

Program Holds Record for Most Consecutive Primetime Emmy Wins for Outstanding Comedy Series

Hallmark Channel has acquired all eleven seasons and all 264 episodes of "Frasier" from CBS Television Distribution. "Frasier," one of the most critically-acclaimed comedy series of all-time and one of television's most successful spin-off series ever will launch as early as Monday, April 4, airing Monday-Friday (9 p.m.-11 p.m. ET/PT, 10C).

"Frasier," a spin-off of "Cheers" set in Seattle, starring Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce, John Mahoney, Jane Leeves, Peri Gilpin and beloved Jack Russell Terrier "Eddie," holds the record for the most Emmy wins (37), including five consecutive Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Comedy Series from 1994 to 1998. "Cheers" and "Frasier" will now be reunited on one network, Hallmark Channel.

In "Frasier," Grammer plays radio psychologist Dr. Frasier Crane who moves to Seattle when a life-changing divorce causes him to leave Boston (the location of the fabled Cheers Bar). Frasier unexpectedly ends up caring for his crotchety father Martin (Mahoney), a former Seattle PD officer who after being shot in the line of duty can no longer care for himself. Frasier also has a teeming sibling rivalry with brother Niles (Hyde Pierce) who throughout the series will be infatuated with his father's caregiver Daphne (Leeves). Gilpin plays Frasier's quick-witted radio producer Roz.

"The acquisition of TV's most award-winning series "Frasier" continues Hallmark Channel's strategy of acquiring and scheduling iconic, high-quality series with some of TV's greatest ensemble casts as the perfect balance to the network's successful movie strategy," said Michelle Vicary, Executive Vice President, Programming, Hallmark Channels.

"Hallmark Channel is home to beloved classic series "Golden Girls," "Cheers" and now "Frasier," critically-acclaimed programs that appeal tremendously to the network's prime demographic targets, and we will schedule this sought after program appropriately to maximize its success on our network," Vicary concluded.

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.