THIS CHRISTMAS, MORE SANTA�LESS SCROOGE!

KEVIN SORBO STARS IN 'THE SANTA SUIT,' A HALLMARK CHANNEL ORIGINAL MOVIE WORLD PREMIERE, DECEMBER 2

Hallmark Channel, the biggest holiday destination in television, presents a Hallmark Channel Original Movie World Premiere, "The Santa Suit," starring Kevin Sorbo ("Andromeda," "Hercules"), Thursday, December 2 (8p.m. ET/PT, 7C). In "The Santa Suit," Sorbo plays greedy elitist and Hunter Toys CEO Derek Hunter who looks down on the whole of humanity until he is suddenly transformed from Fortune 500 phenom to Santa Claus to learn that when people are stripped of worldly splendor, and have nothing except their humanity to define them, they tend to make more heartfelt and purposeful choices.

Drake Hunter belongs on the cover of GQ. In his Savile Row suits and Caine Oxford shoes, the Hunter Toys' topper is the cover boy for corporate success. But Hunter has an odd disdain for Christmas, its symbols and sentiments, and everything else, except the green he pockets in profits. Hunter has come up with a deliciously deceitful marketing plan this Christmas. He has dispatched mall Santas throughout the city to whisper into the ears of boys and girls, "It isn't a great toy, unless it's from Hunter's!" There's only one problem: Santa is watching, and he isn't amused.

In an instant, Santa Claus transforms Drake into his own image - full, round face and belly, long, flowing beard. Now Drake has a problem: He's mistaken for a vagrant "Kriss" and forced into a homeless shelter. With no family or friends to miss him, Drake/Kriss strikes up a relationship with Nancy (Jodie Dowdall, "Termination Point"), a social worker, and must take a job as a mall Santa himself to maintain his living arrangement at the shelter. Drake also befriends Gemma (Briana D'Aguanno, "Flashpoint"), a young girl from an impoverished family who has become a latchkey kid because her mother has to make ends meet by pulling double shifts at�Hunter Toys.

Humbled and broken, Drake realizes the joy his toys will bring to children everywhere and the hope and security his company can be to parents who work there. Firm in his belief that Drake will be a transformational figure in the lives of others from now on, Santa returns the man to his original identity. Drake is teeming with energy and enthusiasm. Christmas is coming and there are many dreams to fulfill!

"The Santa Suit" is a C/P Xmas Productions Inc. Lewis Chesler, David Perlmutter and Rob Vaughn are the executive producers, and Marek Posival is the producer. Rob Vaughn directed from a script by Kevin Commins.

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 90 million subscribers. The top tier program service is distributed through more than 5,450 cable systems and communities as well as direct-to-home satellite services across the country. Hallmark Channel is the nation's leading network in providing quality family programming with an ambitious slate of original TV movies, general entertainment and home and lifestyle content. Hallmark Channel's sibling network is Hallmark Movie Channel, also available in HD and SD, which focuses on the family-friendly movies with a mix of classic theatrical films, presentations from the acclaimed Hallmark Hall of Fame library, original Hallmark Channel movies and special events.