A YOUNG BUSINESSWOMAN INHERITS A BILLION-DOLLAR COMPANY AND FALLS FOR A MYSTERIOUS 'PRINCE' SHE MEETS AT A HALLOWEEN BALL

AUTUMN REESER, CHRISTOPHER RUSSELL AND RICHARD BURGI STAR IN 'MIDNIGHT MASQUERADE,' A HALLMARK CHANNEL ORIGINAL MOVIE WORLD PREMIERE OCTOBER 18

Helen Colliander, Damon Runyan, Danny Smith and Chris Gillett Co-Star

A beautiful, young businesswoman inherits her father's billion-dollar candy company and searches to find romance in the mysterious, handsome "prince" she danced with at a Halloween costume ball in "Midnight Masquerade," a Hallmark Channel Original Movie World Premiere Saturday, October, 18 (9p.m. ET/PT, 8C). Autumn Reeser ("The O.C.," "Hawaii Five-O"), Christopher Russell ("Beauty and the Beast") and Richard Burgi ("Desperate Housewives") star with Helen Colliander ("Being Human"), Damon Runyan ("Nikita"), Danny Smith ("E.M.S.") and Chris Gillett ("Warehouse 13") in this Halloween holiday romance.

"To entertain and enchant viewers this Halloween, Hallmark Channel delivers a beautiful, romantic film that sets 'Midnight Masquerade' apart from other holiday movies," said Michelle Vicary, Executive Vice President, Programming for Crown Media Family Networks.

Young businesswoman Elyse Samford's (Reeser) life takes a turn when she inherits Samford Candy, a multi-billion dollar corporation, from her retired father (Burgi). A trademark infringement lawsuit against a rival company brings Elyse to Higgins Attorneys and Sons, where Rob Carelli (Russell), a young, too-nice-for-his-own-good lawyer, is bullied by his boss, firm founder Carter Higgins (Gillett), and his two arrogant sons (Runyan and Smith). Despite his workplace woes, Rob becomes instantly smitten with Elyse.

With Halloween just around the corner, Elyse invites the Higgins law firm staff to an opulent masked Halloween costume ball. Rob obeys an order to remain in the office working that night, but has a change of heart when his spunky, 12-year old niece, Ruby (Colliander), convinces him to attend the ball wearing a prince costume. After a magnificent waltz and magical exchange with the handsome "prince," Elyse yearns to locate this mysterious man and hopefully find the romance her life has been missing. Meanwhile, Rob learns that Carter Higgins has hatched a plan to swindle away Elyse's fortune and must decide if he's brave enough to stand up to his intimidating boss and protect the woman he loves.

"Midnight Masquerade" is a Domino Productions, Inc. Production. Howard Braunstein, Deborah Marks and Jonathan Baruch are the executive producers. Steve Solomos is the producer. Graeme Campbell directed from a script by Patricia Resnick.

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 86 million subscribers. Hallmark Channel is the nation's leading destination for quality family programming with an ambitious slate of TV movies; original scripted series, including Cedar Cove, When Calls the Heart, and Signed, Sealed, Delivered; specials such as Kitten Bowl; 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 Daytime Emmy-nominated lifestyle program, 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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