October 7, 2003

VALERIE BERTINELLI, PETER FALK, DAVID CUBITT AND WILLIAM RUSS STAR IN "FINDING JOHN CHRISTMAS," TO BE BROADCAST SUNDAY, NOV. 30 ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK

FINDING JOHN CHRISTMAS, a new television movie starring Valerie Bertinelli ("Touched By An Angel"), two-time Emmy Award-winner Peter Falk ("A Town Without Christmas"), David Cubitt ("Robbery Homicide Division") and William Russ ("Mister Sterling"), will be broadcast as the "CBS Sunday Night Movie" Sunday, Nov. 30 (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. The heartwarming holiday drama is the story of a woman who searches for her brother, a former fireman hero, who has come back home after mysteriously disappearing many years before.

Former fireman Hank McAllister (Russ) just wants to slip into town and leave quietly, but that becomes impossible when a picture of him wrapping a tattered American flag around a shivering dog is splashed on the cover of the local newspaper as the "face of Christmas." The paper offers a reward for his identity and whereabouts, labeling him "John Christmas." Everyone wants to find this mysterious man, particularly Kathleen (Bertinelli), an emergency room nurse who is fighting to keep her hospital open in the wake of budget cuts. She believes this anonymous man is her brother, who disappeared 25 years earlier. Noah (Cubitt), the newspaper photographer whose photo started it all, has his own reasons for finding him. Together, Kathleen and Noah search for answers from the elusive "John Christmas."

Unbeknownst to them, three strangers are being driven towards each other by something more powerful than their own curiosity. Along the way, Hank, Kathleen and Noah unite with help from an angel named Max (Falk, reprising his role from the CBS movie "A Town Without Christmas"), in this story of love, reunion and redemption.

Valerie Bertinelli most recently starred as Gloria in the CBS drama "Touched By An Angel." In addition, Bertinelli won a Golden Globe Award as Best Supporting Actress in 1981 and 1982 for her role as Barbara Cooper in the long-running CBS series "One Day at a Time." Bertinelli's television credits also include the series "Sydney," also on the CBS Television Network, and "Café Americain." Among her television movie credits are "Murder of Innocence," "In a Child's Name" and "Personally Yours," all on the Network, "Silent Witness," "Shattered Vows," "Two Mothers for Zachary" and "Ordinary Heroes." She also starred in the mini-series "Night Sins" and "I'll Take Manhattan," both on the Network.

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Peter Falk is best-known for his Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning role as Lieutenant Columbo in the television series "Columbo," from which successful television films starring him continue to be spun. In addition to the Columbo films, Falk's television movie credits include "A Town Without Christmas," "A Storm in Summer," "Pronto" and "The Sunshine Boys." Among his feature film credits are "Corky Romano," "Roommates," "Princess Bride" and "The Player."

David Cubitt's television credits include starring roles in the series "Robbery Homicide Division" and "Turks," on CBS, as well as "American Embassy," "Lonesome Dove," "Traders" and "E.N.G." He also had recurring roles in "That's Life" and "Michael Hayes," both on the Network. His television movie credits include "Major Crime" and "A Killer Among Us," on the Network. Cubitt received a Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Dramatic Series for his portrayal of Larkin in the series "Traders." His feature-film credits include "Ali," "The Perfect Son," "Alive," "I Shot a Man in Reno," "K-2," "Run" and "Swan."

William Russ is probably best known for his roll as Alan Matthews on the sitcom "Boy Meets World." He most recently starred in the drama "Mister Sterling." His other appearances include guest starring roles on "Robbery Homicide Division," "Touched By An Angel," both on the Network, and "Ally McBeal."

FINDING JOHN CHRISTMAS, a Daniel H. Blatt Production, is produced by the same creative team that produced "A Town Without Christmas," the most-watched television movie in the 2001-2002 television season. Daniel H. Blatt is the executive producer; Michael Mahoney and Ken Gross, the producers. Andy Wolk directed the drama from a script by Michael J. Murray.

RATING: To Be Announced

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Press Contacts: Phoebe Glassner         212/975-3148    pglassner@cbs.com
                        Susan J. Marks  323/575-2118            susan.marks@tvc.cbs.com