DAPHNE ZUNIGA ADDED TO CAST IN "DEAD LETTERS" (WORKING TITLE) A HALLMARK CHANNEL ORIGINAL MOVIE OF THE WEEK AND POTENTIAL NEW PRIMETIME SERIES FROM EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND CREATOR MARTHA WILLIAMSON
"Ugly Betty's" Eric Mabius and "The Kennedys" Kristin Booth Star;
World Premiere October 12
Hallmark Channel announces Daphne Zuniga ("Melrose Place," "One Tree Hill," "Spaceballs") has been added to the cast of "Dead Letters," a Hallmark Channel Original Movie of the Week that is targeted to become a primetime series. The two-hour comedic drama is set to premiere Saturday, October 12 at 9p.m. ET/PT, 8C, with Daphne Zuniga joining the cast as Andrea, Postal Office Supervisor. "Dead Letters" tells the inspiring story of a group of postal detectives whose mission is to deliver letters and packages from the past, which arrive miraculously when they are needed most. If greenlit, "Dead Letters" would air on Hallmark Channel in 2014.
Born in Northern California and raised in both California and Vermont, Zuniga studied a year at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, and performed theater in New England before attending UCLA. Zuniga began her film career with Rob Reiner's "The Sure Thing," opposite John Cusack. Her childhood dream came true when she was cast opposite Lucille Ball in Ball's final performance, "Stone Pillow." Zuniga then went on to star in feature films such as Mel Brooks' "Spaceballs," "Vision Quest" and "Gross Anatomy."
Zuniga became familiar to millions of television viewers when she starred as Jo Reynolds on the hit series, "Melrose Place." She also went on to star on CW's "One Tree Hill" and made various TV guest appearances on shows including "Nip Tuck," "Spin City" and "Law and Order." In 2010, Zuniga starred in and executive produced the Hallmark Channel Original Movie "A Family Thanksgiving," whom she also co-starred with Academy Award(R) Winner Faye Dunaway.
"Dead Letters" marks the beginning of Martha Williamson's highly anticipated return to television as the Executive Producer and Creator of the two hour movie targeted to become a primetime series. Best known as the Executive Producer and visionary behind the mega hit "Touched By An Angel," Martha Williamson made television history when her CBS series grew to a weekly audience of 25 million viewers during its initial nine year run, setting a new standard for an inspirational family drama. She went on to seal her place in history when she became the first woman to solely executive produce two one-hours simultaneously with "Promised Land," which aired for three years on CBS. Her work has been inducted into the Television and Radio Hall of Fame and honored with numerous awards, including the Edward R. Murray Responsibility in Television Award, the Templeton Prize Epiphany Award and nine Emmy nominations.
Starring Eric Mabius ("Ugly Betty," "Outcasts," "Cruel Intentions"), Kristin Booth ("The Kennedys," "The Newsroom," "Banner 4th of July"), Crystal Lowe, ("Smallville," "Final Destination 3"), Geoff Gustafson ("Primeval: New World," "Hot Tub Time Machine") and Daphne Zuniga ("Melrose Place," "One Tree Hill," "Spaceballs"), "Dead Letters" is a Special Delivery TeleProductions. Executive Producers are Martha Williamson, Joel S. Rice ("Banner 4th of July"), Michael Prupas ("The Kennedys") and Jesse Prupas ("Cyberbully"). Harvey Kahn ("Endgame") is the producer. Scott Smith ("Call Me Fitz," "This is Wonderland") directed from a script written by Martha Williamson. Muse Distribution International is handling worldwide distribution.
ABOUT HALLMARK CHANNEL
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 87 million subscribers. Hallmark Channel is the nation's leading destination for quality family programming with an ambitious slate of original TV movies and specials, as well as some of television's most beloved sitcoms and series, including The Golden Girls, The Waltons, Little House on the Prairie, and Frasier. The channel is also home to a range of lifestyle programming, anchored by Home & Family, a daily two-hour live show shot in a fully functional house located on the Universal Studios lot. Hallmark Channel's sibling network, Hallmark Movie Channel, available in HD and SD, focuses on family-friendly movies with a mix of original films, classic theatrical releases, and presentations from the acclaimed Hallmark Hall of Fame library.
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ABOUT MUSE DISTRIBUTION INTERNATIONAL
Muse Distribution International is the sales arm of Muse Entertainment Enterprises, delivering television programming and feature films to broadcasters, cable and pay networks and to theatrical, VOD, video and DVD distributors around the world. Muse Distribution has more than 300 hours of top quality entertainment for sale; including primetime event programming, true-life dramas, captivating movies and mini series, series for families and for children as well as thought-provoking documentaries. Muse Entertainment Enterprises is a leading film and television producer known internationally for its well-crafted and high-quality productions. Since its founding in 1998 by Michael Prupas who serves as the company's President and CEO, Muse Entertainment has produced, co-produced and provided production services on more than 170 TV movies and mini-series, television series and feature films and has won over 100 awards and received over 300 award nominations, including 21 Emmy Award nominations and 5 Emmy Awards! Muse Entertainment Enterprises USA, the company's Los Angeles operation, has reached deeply into the U.S. television market since starting up in 2008. It has realized several Muse productions including television series and movies-of-the-week, as well as numerous development deals with American pay, cable and free networks. The company's head office and its Quebec production centre are in Montreal. Muse also maintains development and production operations in Toronto and Los Angeles. For more information please visit www.muse.ca
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