KILLED BY THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS, A SUPERCILIOUS THEATRE DIRECTOR EXCHANGES ARROGANCE FOR HUMILITY AND RECEIVES TRUE LOVE IN RETURN IN "THE CHRISTMAS PAGEANT," STARRING EMMY(R) AND GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINEE MELISSA GILBERT, A HALLMARK CHANNEL ORIGINAL MOVIE WORLD PREMIERE, DECEMBER 11

Ed Herrmann, Robert Mailhouse and Lennon Wynn Co-star; Hallmark Channel's COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS: More True Holiday-Themed Programming Than any Other Network; Hallmark Channel Official Cable TV Partner with Marine Toys for Tots

"The Christmas Pageant" is Rated: C for Caring, T for Tree-Trimming and J for Joy*

Emmy(R) and Golden Globe nominee Melissa Gilbert ("Little House on the Prairie") gets top billing starring as a recently-fired-again, domineering Broadway director whose only job option is getting a community Christmas play up and going in "The Christmas Pageant," a Hallmark Channel Original Movie World Premiere, Sunday, December 11 (8p.m. ET/PT, 7C). Co-starring with Gilbert are Robert Mailhouse ("Love is a Four Letter Word," "Easy to Assemble"), Ed Herrmann ("Gilmore Girls") and Lennon Wynn ("Flash Forward"). Hallmark Channel's COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS features more true holiday-themed programming than any other network. Hallmark Channel is proud to be the official TV partner with Marine Toys for Tots working with the foundation to fulfill their mission that every child deserves a toy during the holidays.

Vera Parks (Gilbert), an overly intense and demanding Broadway director gets fired from yet another job, leaving her no choice but to take a gig directing a small town Christmas pageant in upstate New York. Stunned at how basic the production is, Vera attempts to back out, but is convinced by some of the locals to give their town a chance.

To her surprise, the warmth and charm of the small town grows on Vera and she even enjoys the experience of directing the pageant. When Vera discovers her former fiancé Jack (Mailhouse) recommended her for the job, she is outraged. But over time Vera appreciates the gesture, as she grows close to both Jack and his young daughter (Wynn). Will love stay in the wings this time around? Or is this Vera's eleven o'clock number after all?

"The Christmas Pageant" is a Larry Levinson Production. Larry Levinson is the executive producer. Randy Pope is co-executive producer. Jim Wilberger is the producer. Dave S. Cass, Sr. directed from a script by Mark Valenti.

* Hallmark Channel's COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS created a new television tradition for 2011: the Christmas TV ratings system. The Christmas ratings include: S for Santa, T for Tree-Trimming, J for Joy, F for Family Meal, G for Family Gathering, P for Presents and C for Caring. Have a very Hallmark Christmas!

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 87 million subscribers. The top tier program service is distributed through approximately 5,492 cable systems and communities as well as direct-to-home satellite services across the country. Hallmark Channel is the nation's leading network in quality family programming with an ambitious slate of original TV movies, lifestyle and general entertainment content, and is the home of "The Martha Stewart Show", which anchors the channel's daytime original programming block. 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.