MOVIES

LYNDA CARTER MOVIES

016 LAVYRLE SPENCER'S FAMILY BLESSINGS 1996 1999

United States of America [USA]

English: "LaVyrle Spencer's Family Blessings".

España [Spain]

Español: "Bendición Familiar" ["Family Blessing"].

Italia [Italy]

Italiano: "Ricominciare Ad Amare" ["Beginning To Love Again"].

Deustchland [Germany]

Deustch: "Wo der Traum die Nacht Verlaesst" ["Where's the Dream The Night Forsakes"]

Hungary

Magyarul: "Családi Béke" ["Family Blessings"].

Norge [Norway].

Norsk: "Familiens Velsignelse" ["Family Blessings"]

Brasil [Brazil]

Pôrtugues: "Um Amor Abençoado " ["A Blessed Love"].

"Family Blessings"

Premiere: September 6, 1996. On TV: CBS, Tuesday, February 2, 1999, 9:00 P.M.

Director: Nina Foch.

Writers: Robert Inman based on LaVyrle Spencer’s book.

CAST:
LYNDA CARTER [ Lee Reston ].
STEVEN ECKHOLDT [ Christopher Lallek ].
ARI MEYERS [ Janice Reston ].
BRENDAN FLETCHER [ Joey Reston ].
BONNIE BARTLETT [ Mavis Lallek ].
PAM GRIER [ Mrs. Quincy ].
NINA FOCH [ Peg Hillier ].
DAVID GARDNER [ Lloyd Reston ].
WALTER MILLS [ Orrin Miller ].
TASHA SIMMS [ Sylvia Eid ].
GERALD COULTER [ Barry Eid ].
KEVIN DUHANEY [ Judd Quincy ].
LEN CROWTHER [ Chief Townsend ].
KEN JAMES [ Ed Lallek ].
DARREN LUCAS [ Greg Reston ].
RANDY APOSTLE [ Minister ].
JANE MARSHALL [ Doris ].
BLAYNE DEMMANS [ Pete Ostrinski ].
BILLY MORTON [ Deliveryman ].
SUSAN MARTIN [ Mrs. Hubert ].
AMANDA BZDEL [ Sandy ].

Credits:

Producers: Arthur Axelman, David Doerksen, S. Lily Hui, Jerry Leider, Deborah Raffin, LaVyrle Spencer, Michael Viner / Music: Ken Heller / Cinematography: Bruce Worrall  / Film Editing: Daniel Cahn / Casting: Sid Kozak, Kassimir Neiger / Los Angeles Castng: Kassirer-Meyer Entertainment / Canadian casting: Sid Kozak, KPS Casting / First Assistant Director: Jim Long / Second Assistant Director: Catherine Middleton / Third Assistant Director: Kelly Rae Fullon / Director's Assistant: Nolan Pielak / First Assistant Camera: Carrie Sasaratt / "B" Camera Operator: Ken Karwczyk / "B" First Assistant Camera: Todd Irving / Costume Design: Mary

McFadden / Production Management: Mark Reid / Boom Operator: Bob Holbrook / Location Manager: Leanne Arnott / Steadicam Operator: Bob Crone / Best Boy Electric: Andrew Gordon / Still Photographer: Phil Hersee / Script Supervisor: Rhonda Hyde / Production Co-Ordinator: Sharon Ingram / Gaffer: Peter La Rocque / Key Grip: William Mills / Grip: Chris Murray / First Assistant Camera: Carrie Sasaratt / Grip: Ted Spiegler / Gaffer Electric: Stephan Wasserman / Best Boy Grip: Geoff Yates / Dolly Grip: David Zimmerman / Filming Location: Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada / Washington DC Crew: Camera Assistant: Alicia Schring / Grip: Teodore Spiegler / Electric: Joanne Fyanes / Sound Mixer: William Kaplan / Makeup Artist: Robert Yoho / Los Angeles Crew: Director of Photography: Mehran Salamati / Camera Assistant: Scott Hoffman / Sound Mixer: Gary Good / Makeup Artist: Charlotte Fridh / Set Costumer: Brenda Shenher / Art Director: Jim Phillips / Hair Stylists: Jullin Hadden, William Geasland / Makeup Artists: Cheree Van Oyk, Tim Mogg / Script Supervisor: Rhonda Hyde / Construction Coordinator: Ralph Skanes / Production Coordinator: Sharon Ingram / Assistant to Mr. Vilmer: Mindy Richmond / Assistant To Ms. Ralffin: Julie McCarron / Location Manager: Leannie Arnott / Property Master: Jay Robertson / Set Decorator: Norma Jean Sanders / Sound Mixer: Bud Alper / Boom Operator: Bob Holbrook / Transportation Coordinator: Sheila Richards / Assistant Editor & Additional Editing: Kristin M. Sands / Post Production Supervisor: Sharon Ferritto / Title Design: Stokes Kohne / Post Production Services: Laser Pacific Media Corporation / Negative Comforming Services: Magic Films and Video Works / Titles & Optics: CFI. The Imaging Group / Post Production Sound: Laser Pacific Digital Sound Services / Costumes by: Studio Mary McFadden & Fashion Avenue Knits / Jewelry: Erwin Pearl / A Dove Entertainment Prouction in co-production with The Edge Productions in association with Arthur Axelman. Produced with the participation of SaskFilm and the Saskatchewan Opportu-nities Coporation.

© 1996 Dove Entertainment.

Awards: None.
"Family Blessings"
"Family Blessings"
"Family Blessings"
"Family Blessings"
"Family Blessings"

PREMISE:

Lee Reston is a beautiful 45-years widow whose life seems to be perfect. She's been blessed with three children and owns a successful florist shop. Nevertheless after her son Greg dies in an accident, everything would turn upside down. She is helped by Greg's roommate, Chris Lallek, and she would eventually fall in love with this young man, 15 years younger. They feel guilty about their relationship, especially when this love affair could mean the lost of Lee's family.

PRESS RELEASE

"Family Blessings" is based on the popular novel written by LaVyrle Spencer. It is a tender story of love and romance that blossoms in the midst of loss and grief, and how one woman learns to follow her heart.

"Family Blessings"

     Lee Reston [ played by LYnda Carter ] is a vivacious woman of 45 who is living a comfortable life in Minnesota. The owner of a successful florist shop and the devoted mother of three, Lee lives a full and tranquil life, although she has been a widow for nine years. Tragedy quickly replaces the tranquility of her life when her oldest son, Greg, is killed in a motorcycle accident. Greg, 25, had been a well-liked police officer in the community. His sudden death is a shock to everyone, especially Lee and the family, but also to his best friend and roommate, Chris Lallek [ played by Steven Eckholdt ]. Chris, a fellow police officer, had the unfortunate task of telling Lee the tragic news, and it instantly creates a bond between them. Chris quickly becomes like a new member of the family, befriending Lee and her children, Janice [ played by Ari Meyers ] and Joey.

     Soon the bond between Lee and Chris, a man 15 years her junior, becomes stronger for both of them. Eventually, they can no longer deny their feelings, though Lee is uncomfortable with how people, in particular her family, will react to their relationship. Chris is patient, though he yearns to declare his love for Lee by marrying her. Lee is torn by her guilt in falling in love with her son's best friend and refuses to let anyone find out about the affair.

     Lee continues to repress her desire for Chris, but his persistence eventually causes her to change her mind, and she realizes she must live her own life. When her family discovers the relationship, and reacts exactly how she feared they would, Lee must re-evaluate the forbidden relationship and her feelings. Lee wonders if her happiness is worth losing her family over, and all she wishes is that she could have her family's blessing...

"Family Blessings"

MINISTERS PARTICIPATE IN FAMILY BLESSINGS SCREENING

January 21, 1997 - Saskatchewan Opportunities Corporation.

Deputy Premier Dwain Lingenfelter, also minister responsible for the Saskatchewan Opportunities Corporation [ SOCO ], and Carol Teichrob, minister responsible for Sask Film, today said the premiere of the movie Family Blessings is another example of the province's support of the film industry.

     "Projects like Family Blessings have resulted in a dramatic increase in film production in the province," Lingenfelter said. "Production budgets for films produced in Saskatchewan increased five fold in the last five years, from $4.5 million in 1991 to an anticipated $27 million in 1996."

     "This film enhances Saskatchewan's reputation as an excellent location for film production," Teichrob said. "Family Blessings was shot and pre-production was completed in Saskatchewan creating 472 temporary jobs in the province. The experience gained by the people involved makes it easier to attract international film production to the province."

     SOCO provided a $50,000 loan to the film, which was co-produced by The Edge Productions of Saskatoon and Dove Audio of Los Angeles. SOCO supports investments that reflect the objectives of the province's strategy for economic development, Partnership for Growth, which targets growth for the film and video industry. SOCO's investment also supports the province's growing reputation for offering a healthy business environment for the industry.

     Both ministers will be participating in a private screening of Family Blessings this evening at the Hotel Saskatchewan in Regina. The film will soon be airing on CBS television.

STATS MEDIA TRIVIA

RUNNING TIME: 1:35:00 [95 minutes].
VHS: Not available on VHS.
DVD: Not available on DVD.
INFO: The film is based on the book of the same name by LaVyrle Spencer.
VIDEO: [1]  "WLV-70019.WMV". Promo spot.
[1]  "WLV-70020.WMV". Promo spot.
TRIVIA: [•] "Family Blessing" was entirely shot on location in Regina, Saskatchewan.
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