THE NATION'S LEADING PRODUCER OF MOVIES MADE-FOR-TELEVISION, HALLMARK CHANNEL, ANNOUNCES Q4 2012-Q3 2013 ORIGINAL MOVIE LINEUP

Network Presents 28 Original Films at Annual Upfront for Advertisers

America's leading producer of Movies-For-Television, Hallmark Channel, today announced 28 Hallmark Channel Original Movies will premiere on the network Q4 2012 - Q3 2013. The announcement was made by Michelle Vicary, EVP, Programming for Hallmark Channel.

"Original movies pegged to holidays have distinguished Hallmark Channel from every other network in the cable TV universe," Ms. Vicary said

"Hallmark Channel owns the COUNTDOWN franchise, during all major holidays, and especially at Christmas. The centerpiece of our original movie programming strategy continues to be stories that celebrate life's special moments," Ms. Vicary concluded.

Hallmark Channel Original Movies for Q4 2012-Q3 2013 include:

LOVE AT THE THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE

The annual Chicago Thanksgiving Day parade has to cut costs, or it's going to be cancelled this year. When the city brings in consultant Henry Baldwin to analyze the books, he goes to toe to toe with parade manager Emily Rogers who thinks Henry only cares about dollars and cents and doesn't understand how much the parade means to the city. As parade day draws closer, Emily finds herself falling for the enemy while doing her best to make sure this year's production is a huge success. Premiering November 4 @ 8 p.m. ET/PT, 7C.

THE WISHING TREE

Dennis Farnsworth, a talented, young professor who hasn't been able to put the past behind him, agrees to supervise a group of "orphan" students who have no place to go for the holidays. He brings the students together in a way they never thought imaginable through The Wishing Tree - a Christmas-themed tree decorated with handwritten wishes. The connection and sense of family they draw from one another help Dennis and his students move forward in life and believe again that wishes really do come true. Stars Jason Gedrick and premieres November 11 @ 8 p.m. ET/PT, 7C.

MATCHMAKER SANTA

Excited about meeting her upscale and slightly intimidating future mother-in-law, fresh faced Melanie makes the trek to her fiancé's home for Christmas. Despite the fact that Justin is a workaholic, Melanie is head over heels for him and sees a bright future for them. Melanie's best friend, thinks she's is better suited for Dean, Justin's longtime and dependable assistant. Because Justin is known to choose work over Melanie, Dean often times stands in to accompany Melanie on her "dates." With a little help from a man named Chris, Melanie and Dean end up stranded in a sleepy, little romantic town called Coventry Falls. Here, it is all about Christmas. Will Chris' magic be the key to Melanie and Dean's holiday happiness?

IT'S CHRISTMAS, CAROL!

Carol Huffman is one of Chicago's most successful book publishers and a ruthless businesswoman. During a Christmas Eve party, she is visited by the ghost of her former boss who takes her on a journey through her past, present, and future, showing her the unhappiness she has created by being such a mercenary. In this modern-day spin on A Christmas Carol, Carol wakes up on Christmas morning determined to make amends for her cold-hearted past. Starring Carrie Fisher, Emmanuelle Vaugier and Carson Kressley.

HITCHED FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Both Rob Marino and Julie Green are feeling pressure to be in a relationship this holiday season and, after finding each other through a dating website, agree to pose as each other's special someone. Things get complicated when Rob's Catholic family and Julie's Jewish family get involved to help these two make it to the altar. As they double their efforts to keep the charade going through New Year's Eve, Rob and Julie are more than a little surprised when they discover they're actually falling in love.

THE CHRISTMAS HEART

The tight-knit neighbors on Arthur Avenue have proudly been lighting Christmas luminaries for 40 years, but that long-standing tradition is cancelled this year when Matt Norman, a boy in the neighborhood, is hospitalized and desperately needs a heart transplant. A donor is found, and Life Flight quickly gets the heart airborne on Christmas Eve, fighting a winter storm with no time to lose. The neighborhood lights the luminaries in honor of Matt and his family, and their loving exhibition turns out to be the Christmas miracle that saves Matt's life. Starring Teri Polo and Tess Harper.

TOM, DICK & HARRIET

Creative director Tom Burns may be at the top of his game, but he's still considered a dinosaur for being over forty in the youthful, trendy business of advertising. In a moment of desperation, he hires young con-artist Dick Sweeney to be his stand-in at an ad agency while Tom does all of the hard work behind the scenes. The scheme works until Tom falls for Dick's co-worker Harriet Foster, forcing Tom and Dick to make a choice between love and getting a paycheck in this comedy about ageism in the work place. Starring Steven Weber.

RUNAWAY PRINCESS

A Royal Princess runs away from her obligations and duties for a few days and ends up falling in love.

AFTER ALL THESE YEARS

Based on the book by best-selling author Susan Isaacs, "After All These Years" stars Wendie Malick ("Hot in Cleveland," "Just Shoot Me") as Audrey Brandon, a teacher, loving wife, and mother of two. After celebrating her 25th wedding anniversary, Audrey is stunned when her husband tells her he wants a divorce and is in love with another woman. In the midst of picking up the pieces from her shattered life, Audrey awakens one night to discover her husband's dead body on the kitchen floor! Things go from bad to worse when she becomes the number one suspect in the ensuing murder investigation. With no one else to turn to, Audrey becomes her own private investigator determined to solve the crime and clear her own name.

THE CONFESSION

The second of three books in Beverly Lewis' prolific Heritage of Lancaster County. In "The Confession," Amish farm girl Katie Lapp leaves her parents' home to reconnect with her birth mother Laura Mayfield-Bennett who is dying of cancer. The two women do not know each other since Laura gave Katie up for adoption upon birth. Katie is given a job working at Bennett's mansion. Laura's husband, Dylan, has a scheme to have another young woman pretend to be Katie so that Laura will sign over all her property unknowingly to Dylan. As Katie watches from afar, the two women have a connection that leads them to discover the truth about each other. Starring Sherry Stringfield and Katie LeClerc.

MEDDLING MOM

An overly concerned mother nearly ruins her two daughters chances at love and marriage through her constant interference in the choices the girls make. The girls pair up to teach mom a lesson about tending to everyone else's social life except her own. Stars Sonia Braga, Tony Plana, Mercedes Renard, Ana Ayora, Saundra Santiago, Rose Abdoo, George Contreras, Rafael Amaya, Rob Mayes and John Nielsen. Slated for Mother's Day 2013.

PLAYING FATHER

Now in recovery, trumpet virtuoso, Roy Allen wants a second chance at life. He lands a job teaching band at a local middle school, but gets so much more when he becomes a mentor to a young music prodigy. Slated for Father's Day 2013.

THE NEARLYWEDS

Three close friends who married years ago are beginning to wonder what life as single might be like when they discover the priest who married each of the couples has died without filing the proper paperwork! Which couples will stay married and which ones will declare they were "nearly wed?"

MY GEORGE

Annie Butler finds huge success in her best-selling novel, but when her editor finds out that the very man she gushes about in the non-fiction story, does not actually exist, she flips out and gives Annie a week to find him before she hires an actor to play the part.

SANTA SWITCH

A man whose Christmas' as a child were always filled with disappointment grows up thinking he could do a much better job than Santa - so Santa lets him take over! He uses his newly found powers to try to win back his family. In the vein of Bruce Almighty, but with a Christmas twist.

Currently in Development:

THE GOOD WITCH 5

Catherine Bell returns for the fourth sequel in the movie franchise viewers have consistently made #1, "The Good Witch," premiering October 28 @ 8 p.m. ET/PT, 7C.

THE MEMORY BOOK

A female photographer who no longer believes in the possibility of True Love discovers a swap-meet scrapbook documenting the seemingly-perfect courtship of a couple forty years earlier. Hoping to find the pair and return it, she enlists the help of a one-time boyfriend to track them down through clues in the photos, cards, ticket stubs, and love letters in the book. In the process, she not only reunites the long-ago couple who had since drifted apart, but finds an ideal romance of her own when she gives herself over to the magic of love.

BE MY VALENTINE

Dan Farnell is firefighter and protective father still grieving over the loss of his beloved wife four years earlier. When his twelve-year old son Tyler develops a crush on a pretty girl at school, Tyler goes to his father for help in the romance department. With Valentine's Day on the horizon, Dan helps his son discover the best ways to win over a woman's heart and along the way discovers he might also get a second chance at love.

Also, in development, "My Boyfriend's Dog," "The Christmas Ornament," "Halloween Cinderfella" and "Let It Snow," among many others.

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 5,500 cable systems and communities as well as direct-to-home satellite services across the country. Hallmark Channel is the nation's leading destination for quality family programming with an ambitious slate of original TV movies and specials, as well as some of television's most beloved sitcoms and series, including The Golden Girls, Frasier, Little House on the Prairie, and The Waltons. The channel is also home to The Martha Stewart Show and other lifestyle content. Hallmark Channel's sibling network is Hallmark Movie Channel, also available in HD and SD, which focuses on 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.