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[08/17/09 - 12:58 PM]
ABC Family Fetches Starz Media's "The Dog Who Saved Christmas" for Network's 'Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas' Programming Event
Mario Lopez, Dean Cain, Elisa Donovan and Gary Valentine co-star in the project, bowing Sunday, November 29 at 8:00/7:00c.

[via press release from ABC Family]

ABC FAMILY FETCHES STARZ MEDIA'S "THE DOG WHO SAVED CHRISTMAS" FOR NETWORK'S 'COUNTDOWN TO 25 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS' PROGRAMMING EVENT

Mario Lopez Joins Dean Cain, Elisa Donovan and Gary Valentine In the Original Movie About a Problem Pooch Who Saves the Holiday

Burbank, CA (August 17, 2009) � ABC Family and Starz Media will be barking in the holidays together this season, with the network buying the U.S. cable TV rights to the new holiday movie, "The Dog Who Saved Christmas," as part of its November "Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas" programming event. A Starz Media presentation, the two-hour original movie makes its worldwide premiere on ABC Family on Sunday, November 29 at 8:00 PM ET/PT. Jeffrey Schenck, Zelma Kiwi and Barry Barnholtz are executive producers on the film, which was written by Michael Ciminera and Richard Gnolfo, from a story by Schenck, Ciminera and Gnolfo. Michael Feifer directed the movie.

"Dog" stars Dean Cain ("Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman," "Out of Time"), Gary Valentine ("The King of Queens"), with Mario Lopez ("Saved By the Bell," "Pacific Blue") featured as the voice of Zeus, the misguided guard dog who saves the Bannister family's Christmas when he thwarts a burglary attempt by two inept thieves. Elisa Donovan ("Clueless," "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch"), Sierra McCormick ("Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?"), Charlie Stewart ("The Suite Life of Zach & Cody," "Life with Bonnie"), Mindy Sterling (the "Austin Powers" trilogy) and Adrienne Barbeau ("Maude," "Carnivale") also star.

"Jeffrey and Barry put together a terrific cast and a very appealing story with 'The Dog Who Saved Christmas'," said Gene George, Starz Media EVP, Worldwide Distribution, who is overseeing all distribution for the title. "It attracted the interest of TV programmers around the world, and we were thrilled to ultimately bring it to ABC Family as part of its lineup this holiday season."

"We're very excited to be partnering with Starz Media on the 'The Dog Who Saved Christmas'," said Tom Zappala, Senior Vice President, Disney ABC Television Group. "It will be a perfect addition to our highly successful 'Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas' event."

Anchor Bay Entertainment, Starz Media's market-leading home entertainment division, will release the movie on DVD just nine days later, on December 8, 2009.

"We expect 'The Dog Who Saved Christmas' to be one of the hit titles of this holiday season, and for years to come," adds Anchor Bay Entertainment EVP, Worldwide Marketing, Gordon Prend.

About Starz Media

Starz Media, LLC, is a programming production and distribution company operating worldwide. It includes the Film Roman, Anchor Bay Entertainment and Manga Entertainment brands. Its units create animated and live-action programming -- including theatrical films -- and programming created under contract for other media companies. It distributes that programming, and programming acquired from outside producers, through home video retailers, theaters, broadcasters, ad supported and premium television channels, and Internet and wireless video distributors in the US and internationally. Starz Media (www.starzmedia.com) is a controlled subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation attributed to the Liberty Capital Group.

About Anchor Bay Entertainment

Anchor Bay Entertainment is the home entertainment division of Starz Media, LLC. It includes the Anchor Bay Films and Manga Entertainment brands. It distributes feature films, children's entertainment, fitness, TV series, documentaries, anime and other filmed entertainment on DVD and Blu-ray� formats. It is the exclusive distributor in the U.S. of the theatrical titles from Overture Films. Headquartered in Burbank, CA, Anchor Bay Entertainment has offices in Troy, MI, as well as Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. Starz Media (www.starzmedia.com) is a controlled subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation attributed to the Liberty Capital Group.

About ABC Family

Part of the Disney-ABC Television Group, ABC Family is distributed in over 97 million homes. ABC Family features programming reflecting today's families, entertaining and connecting with adults through relevant stories about today's relationships, all told with diversity, dysfunction, passion, humor and heart. ABC Family's programming is a mix of network defining original series and original movies, quality acquired series and blockbuster theatricals. ABC Family is also the destination for annual Holiday events with "13 Nights of Halloween" and "25 Days of Christmas!" ABC Family. A New Kind of Family.





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· ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A FIFTH GRADER? (NICKELODEON)
· CARNIVALE (HBO)
· DOG WHO SAVED CHRISTMAS, THE (ABC FAMILY)
· KING OF QUEENS, THE (CBS)
· LIFE WITH BONNIE (ABC)
· PACIFIC BLUE (USA)
· SABRINA, THE TEENAGE WITCH (WB)





[09/17/25 - 03:15 PM]
Nexstar ABC Affiliates to Preempt "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" Indefinitely Beginning Tonight
The company's owned and partner television stations affiliated with the ABC Television Network will preempt "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" for the foreseeable future beginning with tonight's show.

[09/17/25 - 03:14 PM]
Buccaneers at Texans Delivers 17.4 Million Viewers, ESPN's Most-Watched "MNF" Week 2 Game Since 2008
Additionally, the Buccaneers-Texans is ESPN's most-watched individual game on weeks with multiple "MNF" games, whether a true doubleheader or two games with staggered start times.

[09/17/25 - 02:14 PM]
Apple TV+ Lands "The Off Weeks," New Drama Starring and Executive Produced by Ben Stiller and Jessica Chastain
When divorce throws writing professor Gus Adler's life into chaos, he struggles to hold things together during "on weeks" when he has custody of his kids.

[09/17/25 - 12:21 PM]
Prime Video Announces Franchise Expansion with Greenlight of "The Summer I Turned Pretty" Movie
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[09/17/25 - 12:01 PM]
Most Valuable Promotions Moves Blockbuster Jake Paul vs. Tank Davis Event to Miami, Florida's Kaseya Center on Friday, November 14, Live Globally Only on Netflix
The blockbuster event, Jake vs. Tank, pits boxing's most-watched disruptor against one of the sport's most feared punchers in a collision that has been four years in the making.

[09/17/25 - 12:01 PM]
Next on Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN - October 2025
Upcoming premieres include: "Fate" (October 8), "Murdaugh: Death in the Family" (October 15), and "LEGO Frozen: Operations Puffins" (October 24).

[09/17/25 - 12:01 PM]
"Camp Rock 3" Officially Greenlit for Disney+ and Disney Channel
Joe, Nick and Kevin Jonas will return to their iconic roles.

[09/17/25 - 12:00 PM]
"The Price Is Right" and "Let's Make a Deal" Kick Off New Seasons Beginning Monday, Sept. 22 with Special Episodes
The former returns for its landmark 54th season and will introduce a new pricing game in partnership with BetMGM, "The Lion's Share."

[09/17/25 - 10:26 AM]
USA Network Serves Up "Everything on the Menu with Braun Strowman," Premiering Friday, October 24 at 10:00 P.M. ET/PT
The travel series follows WWE legend Braun Strowman as he swaps body slams for bite-sized adventures at some of America's favorite local eateries.

[09/17/25 - 10:23 AM]
"Unaccustomed Earth" Adds Justin Bartha, Jayant Kripalani, Parveen Kaur, Swayam Bhatia and Palomi Ghosh to Cast
They join the previously announced Freida Pinto, Siddharth, Sarayu Blue, Indraneil Sengupta, Adi Roy, and Iyla Sundarsingh Mckaig.

[09/17/25 - 10:13 AM]
Video: Official Trailer - "Abbott Elementary" Returns October 1 on ABC and Stream on Hulu
Watch the season premiere Wednesday, October 1 at 8:30/7:30c on ABC and stream on Hulu.

[09/17/25 - 10:01 AM]
Award-Winning Artist and Horror Aficionado Janelle Monae Returns as "HalloQueen" for AMC Networks' "FearFest" Programming Event Celebrating Horror and Genre
The long-running, annual horror and genre programming event featuring over 650 hours of iconic horror films franchises, new series, specials and more, across linear and streaming.

[09/17/25 - 10:00 AM]
Mario Lopez Set to Host the 52nd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in Exclusive Collaboration with "Access Hollywood"
The event will be streamed live at watch.theemmys.tv and via The Emmys app on Friday, October 17.

[09/17/25 - 09:56 AM]
"South Park" to Continue on Wednesday, September 24th at 10PM ET/PT on Comedy Central
Regarding tonight's previously scheduled episode: "Apparently when you do everything at the last minute sometimes you don't get it done," said Trey Parker and Matt Stone.

[09/17/25 - 09:07 AM]
The CW Gives Classic TV Fans the Chance to Step Back in Time with "TV We Love"
The nostalgic series celebrates eight of America's most iconic television shows and the indelible mark they left on popular culture.