#benjamin c. dugdale

[hallmark-movie-fanatics]

Hallmark Actor Spotlight - Jill Wagner (Part 5)

Mystery 101: Dead Talk (2019) 

Directed by Winnifred Jong 

Written by John Christian Plummer and Jim Biederman 

Staring Jill Wagner, Kristoffer Polaha, Robin Thomas, Preston Vanderslice, Sarah Dugdale, Amanda Wong, Tegan Moss, Matthew James Dowden, Garrett Black, Mark Krysko, Donna Benedicto, Benjamin Wilkinson, Katherine Lough Haggquist, Lochlyn Munro, Isaiah Lehtinen, and Edwin Perez 

Premiered September 22, 2019 on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries 

Synopsis: 

Amy (Wagner) heads to the big city to give an address as part of a TEDTalk-style lectureseries run by Amy’s ex from grad school, Tim Bishop (Matthew James Dowden). When one of her fellow speakers, a genius inventor, is killed in a freak accident, Amy suspects foul play. But the local cops shut her out of the investigation so she calls upon Travis (Polaha) to help, and he is quick to suspect Tim (but Travis may have other reasons for not liking the man). After Amy and Travis discover the dead man was an informant in a corporate espionage case, Amy knows why the cops stonewalled her. She and Travis sniff out a motley collection of potential killers, including a corporate CEO, a trust fund kid, and the dead man’s wife. Amy will prove that you can take the crime-solver out of the small town, but that’s not going to stop her from solving crimes. 

Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses (2019) 

Directed by D.J. Viola 

Written by Liz Sczudlo, based on the novel by Jenny Hale

Starring Jill Wagner. Matthew Davis, Wyatt Hunt, Rachel Hendrix, Brandon Quinn Swierenga, Darby Hinton, Donna Mills, Marquita Goings, Charles Green, Bruce C. Taylor, Dorothy M. Steel, and Kenneth Israel

Premiered October 26, 2019 on the Hallmark Channel, part of Countdown to Christmas 

Synopsis: 

Single mother Abbey Fuller (Jill Wagner) may have shuttered her interior design firm for the security of a 9-5 job at a retirement village in Richmond, Virginia, but she still enjoys transforming an ordinary room into something special. She is in her element with the start of the Christmas season, pulling out all the decorative stops both at the retirement village and at the cozy home she shares with her ebullient five-year-old son, Max (Wyatt Hunt).

Abbey’s talents have hardly gone unnoticed. She has a devoted fan in her friend, Caroline Sinclair (Donna Mills), the down-to-earth widow of a prominent businessman. Eager to see Abbey resume her career, Caroline urges her to meet with her son, Nick (Matthew Davis), about taking on a major project: redecorating the family estate. While Abbey worries about how any job might interfere with her time with Wyatt, she can’t help but be excited by the prospect ofbeautifying a stately residence of impeccable architecture.

Abbey certainly understands why an interior designer is needed when she gets a tour of the gaudily furnished mansion. But the aesthetics are only part of the challenge. Abbey has less than four weeks to execute a complete makeover of the first floor, where Nick will host a Christmas Eve gala as CEO of Sinclair Enterprises. Adding to Abbey’s worries is the remoteness of her handsome client, who is intensely focused on launching the company’s new Southerndivision. With Nick largely unavailable, Abbey has to answer to his frosty second-in-command, Kate Newhall (Rachel Hendrix), who is openly dubious about her ability to handle the job.

Mustering her resolve, Abbey plunges into the task at hand, trusting her instincts to carry her in the right direction. With the help of her former assistant, Desiree (Marquita Goings), she begins to get a handle on transforming the Sinclair Estate. She has a tougher time getting a handle on her growing feelings for Nick, who is proving to be more helpful and interested in her work than anticipated. But even as their rapport deepens, neither one dares tell the truthabout what they want for Christmas... 

Christmas in Evergreen: Tidings of Joy (2019) 

Directed by Sean McNamara 

Written by Zac Hug 

Starring Maggie Lawson, Paul Greene, Rukiya Bernard, Holly Robinson Peete, Barbara Niven, Jill Wagner, Ashley Williams, Colin Lawrence, Marlon Kazadi, Antonio Cayonne, Patty McCormack, Keith Martin Gordey, Malcolm Stewart, Chris Cope, Michelle Martin, Laura Soltis, and Daryl Shuttleworth

Premiered November 29, 2019 on the Hallmark Channel, [art of Countdown to Christmas 

Synopsis: 

On the train headed to a Christmas retreat, novelist and freelance writer Katie (Maggie Lawson) meets Evergreen native Ben (Paul Greene), who tries to convince her that Evergreen is more than a tourist destination. When Katie’s magazine-editor mother assigns her an article about Evergreen, she researches this firsthand. Katie joins the historical club meeting with Ben, Hannah (Rukiya Bernard), Carol (Barbara Niven), Joe (Malcolm Stewart), Ezra (Chris Cope) and David (Marlon Kazadi), and they talk about the town’s hidden time capsule. Later, everyone bidsfarewell to Allie (Ashley Williams) as she leaves on a trip to Paris.

Hannah is devastated when she breaks the town’s snow globe and takes it to Elliott (Antonio Cayonne) to be fixed. There is a spark between them, but they are too shy to confess their feelings. Elliott discovers a key carved inside the snow globe, which eventually leads David to find the real one under the town’s sleigh. Katie grows closer to Ben and learns that he was a journalist before moving back to Evergreen to help his grandmother.

With Carol’s help, David finds the time capsule: a larger than life Advent calendar! Having kept the location secret for years, Nick (Keith Martin Gordey) and Nan (Patty McCormack) delight in sharing the story of how the time capsule came to be. Michelle (Holly Robinson Peete) leads the daily reveal by pulling names out of a hat. Later, Ben finds a draft of Katie’s newspaper article on the library printer and its cynical view of the town leads to their first argument. Katie and Ben quickly make peace while ice skating, each apologizing for being hard on the other. Michelle reunites with her boyfriend Thomas (Colin Lawrence), who has returned from logging, and is happier than ever in their relationship.

Despite Lisa (Jill Wagner) sharing how happy she is with her decision to move to Evergreen, Katie prepares to leave. She decides to stay one extra day when Ben asks and opens the next Advent gift: her choice of a Christmas activity for the whole town to do together. After making a snowman with the town, Hannah and Elliott find Hannah’s mother’s long-lost wedding ring. Hannah finally confesses her feelings for one Elliott, who feels the same way.

Katie leaves Evergreen, and begrudgingly turns in her article. Surprisingly, her mother encourages her to instead use her experience as inspiration for her next novel. Katie spends a wonderful time in the city sharing Christmas traditions with her mom. Back in Evergreen, Nan encourages Ben to apply for the job in the city, and even submits his resume for him.

As distance separates Katie and Ben, they must decide if their connection was just a holiday romance or a love everlasting. As they hope for a holiday miracle, Evergreen’s magic may have one more Christmas surprise in store for another special couple. 

[covertrook]

The bathroom in the gas station smells just like it should, and an older blimpy sort of man uses the changing table to sort through a small ratchet set, tethered reading glasses hanging perilously low on his swollen rose nose.

Benjamin C Dugdale