With Over 50 Days and 500 Hours of Christmas Programming, 'Everything You Love About Christmas' is on UP
UP Presents Its Most Impressive Holiday Slate Yet, Full of All-New Original and Premiere Movies
New UP Original and Premiere Movies, Including
Naughty & Nice with Haylie Duff;
Paper Angels with Matthew Settle and Josie Bissett;
The Tree That Saved Christmas with Lacey Chabert; and
Marry Us For Christmas with Malinda Williams, Victoria Rowell and Karon Riley
ATLANTA, Sept. 22, 2014 /
Christian Newswire/ -- Beginning Sunday, November 2, "Everything You Love About Christmas" will be UP's (@UPtv, #ChristmasMovies) newest holiday season theme as the network kicks off its annual Christmas programming slate with over 50 festive days and over 500 hours of uplifting Christmas movies, Christmas music specials and marathons with some of television's most beloved family-favorite series. Filled with Christmas programming the whole family will love, "Everything You Love About Christmas" launches Sunday, November 2 and runs through Wednesday, December 31, 2014.
"At UP, we celebrate the things our viewers and their families love about Christmas, including families sharing time with each other, the spirit of giving, and the true meaning of this glorious season," said Charley Humbard, president & CEO, UP. "This year's schedule of original and premiere movies is our biggest yet."
Highlights include UP Original Movies and World Premiere Movies, including Naughty & Nice, Paper Angels, The Tree That Saved Christmas, Marry Us For Christmas, Nativity!, Nativity! 2: Danger in the Manger, 12 Dog Days Till Christmas, Christmas in Palm Springs and The Christmas Tree Miracle. In addition, back by popular demand are the UP Original Christmas Music Special K-LOVE Music City Christmas Special and 25TH Anniversary Special: A Very Special Christmas.
Emphasizing holiday movies, memories and magic, UP's Thanksgiving and Christmas season program highlights include the following. All times are EST. See local listings for encore broadcasts:
NAUGHTY & NICE – UP Premiere Movie
(formerly announced as Mistletoe Radio)
Premiere: Sunday, November 9 at 7 p.m. EST
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Los Angeles and commuters have Pepper Sterling (Tilky Jones), a cynical and funny radio comic, to keep them entertained. When Pepper's latest radio antics anger an important advertising executive, he gets shipped over to a sister station, KBRG in Idyllwild, Colorado, to serve out his suspension until the dust blows over. Sandy Love (Haylie Duff), following in her father's footsteps, loves radio and came home to Idyllwild to host her own talk show. She is unapologetically romantic and nostalgic, especially at Christmas. Thrown together as co-hosts on her show "Dr. Love in the Morning," she is immediately at odds with Pepper, who never met a sentiment he couldn't twist into a punchline and has no use for Christmas. When Samantha and Pepper's "war of words" catches the attention of the small town, their joint show becomes a hit and they start to see something in each other. Stars: Haylie Duff (Napoleon Dynamite), Tilky Jones ("Nashville"), Maureen McCormick ("The Brady Bunch") and Terrence "T.C." Carson ("Living Single").
PAPER ANGELS – UP Original Movie
Premiere: Sunday, November 16 at 7 p.m. EST
In Paper Angels, abused wife Lynn (Josie Bissett) leaves her alcoholic husband Darryl, with her two kids, Thomas and Sara, and moves to another town where she works as a waitress to make ends meet. In that same town, we meet Kevin (Matthew Settle), whose marketing & design company is on the brink of shutting down due to the economy. Plus, Kevin's wife Jenny is in a difficult pregnancy with twins. Thomas starts a new school and becomes the target of a bully who is threatened by how well Thomas plays basketball. Unable to join the high school team, Thomas goes to the community center where he meets Kevin and the two of them become unlikely friends through pickup basketball games. Little do they know the tremendous impact they will have on each other's families this Christmas through The Salvation Army's Angel Tree Program. Inspired by the hit country Christmas song featured in the movie, "Paper Angels," by country music star Jimmy Wayne and the same-titled book by Wayne with Travis Thrasher. Wayne also has written and performed two new songs for the film. Stars: Matthew Settle ("Gossip Girl") and Josie Bissett ("Melrose Place").
CHRISTMAS IN PALM SPRINGS – UP Premiere Movie
Premiere: Sunday, November 23 at 7 p.m. EST
Parents separated and heading for divorce living on opposite sides of the country are brought together in Palm Springs by their kids, who are doing everything to get them back together before Christmas with a little help from a guardian angel. Stars: Patrick Muldoon (Starship Troopers), Dina Meyer (Starship Troopers), Ian Ziering (Sharknado) and Bill Cobbs (Night at the Museum).
A CHRISTMAS TREE MIRACLE – UP Premiere Movie
Premieres: Wednesday, November 26 at 9 p.m. EST
For the George family – accustomed to the luxuries of a privileged suburban life – Christmas has become a season of taking rather than giving. With dad preoccupied with work, mom on edge, and self-involved teens Nick and Natalie fixated on their ever-growing wish lists, the youngest, six-year-old Nina, is the only one with any true Christmas spirit. When their dad loses his job just before the holidays, the family ignores the severity of the situation and continues to live above their means. When the consequences catch up with them, they are left with nothing and nowhere to turn. Taken in by an eccentric Christmas tree farmer, the family learns that miracles can come true…if you believe! Stars: Kevin Sizemore ("Resurrection"), Terry Kiser (Weekend at Bernie's) and Jill Whelan ("The Love Boat").
THANKSGIVING WEEKEND – Four Exclusive World Premieres – Friday, November 28-Sunday, November 30:
12 DOG DAYS TILL CHRISTMAS – UP Premiere Movie
Premiere: Friday, November 28 at 7 p.m. EST
When a foster teenager, who can't seem to stay out of trouble, is assigned to work at a no-kill animal shelter for his community service, he finds a sense of responsibility and real connection to the true spirit of Christmas for the first time in his life. The shelter's owner finds that she can no longer afford to fund the shelter and the clock begins to tick to get all the dogs placed in loving homes before Christmas. Stars: Reginald VelJohnson ("Family Matters"), Vincent Giovagnoli ("Passport to Explore"), Lexi Giovagnoli ("Passport to Explore") and Lunden D'Leon (UP's Somebody's Child).
NATIVITY! – UP Premiere Movie
Premiere: Saturday, November 29, 7 p.m. EST
This Christmas, primary school teacher Paul Maddens (Martin Freeman) is charged with producing the school's nativity play. Competing against the posh rival school for the honor of best reviewed show in town, the stakes are raised when Paul idly boasts that his ex-girlfriend Jennifer (Ashley Jensen), a Hollywood producer, is coming to see his show with a view to turning it into a film. The only trouble is they haven't spoken in years. With eccentric assistant Mr. Poppy (Marc Wootton) fueling his "little white lie," Maddens suddenly finds himself a local celebrity and at the center of quarreling parents and over-excited children desperate in their bid for fame and fortune. Maddens' only hope is to get back in touch with Jennifer and lure her to town so that everybody's Christmas wishes come true. Stars: Martin Freeman (The Hobbit), Marc Wootton (Arthur Christmas) Ashley Jensen ("Ugly Betty") and Jason Watkins (The Golden Compass).
NATIVITY! 2: DANGER IN THE MANGER – UP Premiere Movie
Premiere: Saturday, November 29, 9 p.m. EST
This Christmas, the unforgettable pupils of St. Bernadette's have set their hearts on competing in the national choir contest, "A Song For Christmas." But with the headmistress not in favor of the plan, new class teacher Mr. Peterson (David Tennant) has his hands full trying to curb the enthusiasm of the kids, not to mention Mr. Poppy (Marc Wootton). Stars: David Tennant ("Doctor Who") and Marc Wootton (Arthur Christmas).
THE TREE THAT SAVED CHRISTMAS – UP Original Movie
(formerly announced as Christmas Tree Farm)
Premiere: Sunday, November 30 at 7 p.m. EST
Imaginative, hard-working Molly Logan (Lacey Chabert) grew up on her family's generations-old Christmas tree farm in rural Vermont and would often write stories about individual trees as they shipped out, her favorite being a "Charlie Brown" tree struggling to grow. One day, after hearing the roar of buzz saws used to clear the woods of sickly saplings, nine-year-old Molly ran to save her favorite – even after her father Gordon and his crew had made a gash in its trunk. She knew that someday this little tree would have a tale to tell. Now 29, Molly is pursuing her writing career in Manhattan. Unfortunately as Pendant Publishing CEO Walter Dunlap's assistant, Molly has no life and little chance to write. She's devastated to learn from her architect brother Ryan that the bank is foreclosing on her parents' heritage tree farm. This will be her family's last Christmas there. However, a frustrated Molly can't make it home thanks to obligations to her boss and his young daughters. Much to her shock, Molly discovers that the Christmas tree she ordered for the Dunlap home is that same one she saved years ago. Certain that it is the same tree from her youth – and a sign – Molly drags the pine back to her Vermont home and embarks upon a plan to save the family farm – with some surprising, inventive help from her brother and former boyfriend/banker Lucas. Stars: Lacey Chabert ("Party of Five").
MARRY US FOR CHRISTMAS – UP Original Movie
Premiere: Sunday, December 7 at 7 p.m. EST
In the sequel to last year's popular UP Original Movie Marry Me For Christmas, it's a year after Marci (Malinda Williams) and Blair (Karon Riley) declared their love for each other and decided to tie the knot. But as the big day approaches, Marci is so consumed with work that she hasn't had time to plan her wedding. To make matters worse, she may have to team up with former assistant/fake fiancé Adam to win a project she's been vying for – a little tidbit she hasn't shared with Blair. But Blair, as it turns out, has a secret of his own. Thanks to years of doing pro bono work for financially-strapped clients, he quickly is running out of cash and might have to accept an offer to work for his longtime nemesis, Marci's manipulative cousin Preston. Meanwhile, Marci's mother Stephanie (Victoria Rowell) is making some rather bold moves of her own with her sexy salsa teacher, Antonio, who's more than a little smitten with her — and about 20 years her junior. Will there be a wedding for Christmas? Better yet - whose wedding will it be? Stars: Malinda Williams ("Soul Food"), Victoria Rowell ("The Young and the Restless") and Karon Riley (35 and Ticking).
Other featured programming includes popular UP Original and Premiere Movies, including Christmas Angel, The Heart of Christmas, Guess Who's Coming To Christmas, Christmas For A Dollar, Marry Me For Christmas and Silver Bells.
CHRISTMAS MUSIC
Starting on Monday, November 3 and running through Friday, December 26, all of UP's music blocks will feature all genres of Christmas music.
YULE LOG
Beginning December 24 at 7:00 p.m. EST, UP will present its annual Yule Log, featuring 24 toasty hours of Christmas music with limited commercial interruption and some surprises in store.
TOP SECRET SANTA
This year, Top Secret Santa – in all his red track suit splendor – will suit up again! Top Secret Santa and his helpers will roll-out to surprise and delight unsuspecting people throughout the holidays, as well as encourage others to Uplift Someone else to make the holiday bright. This campaign is part of UP's pro-social initiative "Uplift Someone," which reminds and inspires people to do simple acts of kindness. Additional details will be announced.
ABOUT UP
UP is the television network dedicated to uplifting viewers every day with original and acquired movies, reality and dramatic series, comedies and music specials. One of the most trusted family-friendly networks on cable, UP can be seen in 67 million homes on cable systems and satellite providers across the United States in both standard and high definition. Along with its mission to entertain, uplift and inspire viewers, UP's pro-social initiative "Uplift Someone" reminds and inspires people to do simple acts of kindness. Based in Atlanta, UP is a division of UP Entertainment, LLC, which also offers gMovies, the first faith-friendly streaming movie service and provides sales and operations services to the ASPiRE network.
MEDIA CONTACTS
Chelsye J. Burrows
770.692.4559
David Gardner
770.692.9939
Mark Braff
201.612.0707
