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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)





[12/02/25 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of November 24 - "Stranger Things" Escapes the Upside Down to Take No. 1 in This Week's Top 10
The series returned last week with Volume 1 of its fifth and final season, touting the biggest premiere week ever for an English language show in the history of Netflix, amassing 59.6 million views and securing No. 1 on the English TV list.

[12/02/25 - 11:02 AM]
"Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2026" Announces Explosive Performance Lineup
Superstar performers include 50 Cent, Charlie Puth, Chappell Roan, Demi Lovato, Maren Morris, Mariah Carey, OneRepublic, Pitbull, Post Malone, and more!

[12/02/25 - 10:19 AM]
Hallmark Channel Renews Long-Running Hit Series "When Calls the Heart" for Season 14
Additionally, original cast member Lori Loughlin is set to reprise her role of Abigail Stanton and will appear in six of the 12 episodes.

[12/02/25 - 10:03 AM]
TNT Sports & Shaquille O'Neal's New "Dunkman" Limited Series Takes Flight Thursday, Dec. 4, Showcasing 40 of the Top Dunkers from Around the World
The six-episode competition will star O'Neal as commissioner and judge alongside a rotating panel of former dunk contest champions Vince Carter, Dwight Howard, Nate Robinson and Mac McClung, and Naismith Hall of Famer Chris Webber.

[12/02/25 - 10:01 AM]
Netflix Is Developing Erotic Series "Hancock Park" with Rege-Jean Page
The Emmy nominee will star as a different kind of royalty: a member of Los Angeles high society whose family is struggling to hold onto their status.

[12/02/25 - 09:08 AM]
Stream Formula E Races Live on The Roku Channel
Join The Roku Channel for the excitement of the 2025-2026 season, kicking off this Saturday, December 6, in São Paulo, Brazil.

[12/02/25 - 09:06 AM]
"RuPaul's Drag Race" Ruveals the New Queens of Season 18, Premiering Friday, January 2 at 8:00 PM ET/PT on MTV
In the premiere episode, the new cast of queens will show their charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent in the first challenge of the season: "Reclaim! Renew! Rejoice!"

[12/02/25 - 09:01 AM]
The Sixth Season of the Emmy Award-Winning "My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman" Premieres December 16
The sixth season features conversations with actor, director, and producer Michael B. Jordan, creator sensation and entrepreneur MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson), and Emmy and Screen Actors Guild award-winning actor, producer and director Jason Bateman.

[12/02/25 - 09:00 AM]
CBS and the Recording Academy Present "A Grammy Celebration of Latin Music," A Star-Studded Special Airing Sunday, Dec. 28 on CBS and Paramount+
"NCIS" star, producer and entrepreneur Wilmer Valderrama and singer-songwriter, actress and producer Roselyn Sánchez will co-host the evening, highlighting Latin music's lasting impact and widespread influence in the United States.

[12/02/25 - 08:16 AM]
TLC's Hit Series "1000-lb Sisters" Returns on January 6 with a Brand-New Season
Sisters Amy and Tammy are stepping into transformative chapters of their lives, and nothing is off-limits.

[12/02/25 - 08:01 AM]
"Stranger Things: The Finale" Fan Screening Locations Confirmed For December 31 & January 1: Get Your Seat Now!
Fans can visit www.st5finale.com for the full list of locations and for information on how to RSVP.

[12/02/25 - 08:00 AM]
FOX Entertainment Global Secures Strong International Sales for Studio Ramsay Global Hits "Next Level Chef" and "Gordon Ramsay's Secret Service"
"Next Level Chef," produced and created by Studio Ramsay Global, has now sold in 138 territories, including ITV (UK), Bell Media (Canada), Disney/Hulu (U.S.), Foxtel (Australia), among others.

[12/02/25 - 07:31 AM]
Nicholas Hoult and Daisy Edgar-Jones Tangle in "Mosquito" for Disney+, A Wry Relationship Comedy from Writer Tony McNamara
The British powerhouse leads play Kate and Ed, a recently married couple whose secrets begin to reveal as daily life chips away at the personas they present... all started by an intrusive mosquito.

[12/02/25 - 07:23 AM]
The Ink Factory Sets Le Carre Series "Legacy of Spies" for BBC and MGM+
The cast is anchored by Matthew Macfadyen as George Smiley, Charlie Hunnam as Alec Leamas, Daniel Brühl as Jens Fielder and Devrim Lingnau Islamoglu as Doris Quinz.

[12/02/25 - 07:17 AM]
Video: "Ripple" - Official Trailer (New Series)
Watch all episodes of "Ripple" on December 3 on Netflix.