A FIREMAN AFRAID OF COMMITMENT ADOPTS A STRAY CAT AT CHRISTMAS AND LEARNS TO OPEN HIS HEART TO LOVE BRANDON ROUTH, KIMBERLEY SUSTAD AND GREGORY HARRISON STAR IN 'THE NINE LIVES OF CHRISTMAS,' A HALLMARK CHANNEL ORIGINAL MOVIE WORLD PREMIERE HOLIDAY 2014

Part of Hallmark Channel's COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS, The #1 Most Treasured Holiday Destination by Television Viewers; Based on Sheila Roberts Bestselling Novel The Nine Lives of Christmas

When a handsome fireman adopts a stray cat at Christmastime, he changes his confirmed bachelor ways and finally opens his heart to the love of a beautiful veterinary student in "The Nine Lives of Christmas," a Hallmark Channel Original Movie World Premiere Holiday 2014. Brandon Routh ("Superman Returns") and Kimberley Sustad ("A Bride For Christmas") star with Stephanie Bennett ("Signed, Sealed, Delivered"), Chelsea Hobbs ("Make It or Break It") and Gregory Harrison ("One Tree Hill") in this heartwarming, holiday drama. "The Nine Lives of Christmas" is part of Hallmark Channel's annual COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS, the #1 most treasured holiday destination by television viewers.

"'The Nine Lives of Christmas' is a perfect fit for Hallmark Channel as it not only brings our viewers a special holiday story but also embraces pet adoption, the foundation of the network's corporate initiative, Pet Project," said Michelle Vicary, Executive Vice President of Programming, Crown Media Family Networks. "As millions have fallen in love with Sheila Roberts' novel The Nine Lives of Christmas, we couldn't be happier to partner with her to bring to life her beloved holiday book into a film that will resonate with our viewers."

Fireman Zachary Stone (Routh) is a confirmed bachelor who doesn't believe in love or commitment. When a stray, tabby cat named Ambrose shows up at his door, Zachary takes him in and slowly starts to see that a little companionship might not be so bad after all. Zachary's commitment to solitude is further challenged when he meets Marilee (Sustad), an animal lover and veterinary student who teaches Zachary how to care for his new feline roommate. Chemistry immediately develops between the two, but Marilee has vowed not to date until she graduates and Zachary is not ready to jeopardize his independence, though he senses Marilee is special.

With Christmas rapidly approaching, Marilee's sister Jaclyn (Bennett) convinces her to add romance to her nose-to-the-grindstone life of work and school, while fire chief Sam (Harrison) encourages Zachary to understand the importance of love, marriage and having someone special with whom to share the holidays. When Zachary's model girlfriend Blair (Hobbs) pressures him to get rid of Ambrose and has Marilee fired from her job at a pet supply store that her father owns, Zachary sees the light, realizing he is in love with Marilee and that life is better if shared with someone special.

"The Nine Lives of Christmas" is a Nine Lives Films, Inc. Production. Jim Head and Ted Bauman are the executive producers. Ted Bauman is also the producer. Mark Jean directed from a script by Nancey Silvers based on the book by Sheila Roberts.

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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