Category: Great American Family

  • Trevor Donovan, Gladys Knight to star in new adaptation of Little Women

    Trevor Donovan, Gladys Knight to star in new adaptation of Little Women

    A new version of Little Women is coming to TV. Gladys Knight, Trevor Donovan, Jen Lilley, and Jillian Murray are among the stars who will appear in a modern-day adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s beloved classic.
     
    “‘A Little Women’s Christmas’ is a new Christmas classic in the making, with an incredible ensemble cast and an adaptation of an original story that is one of the best I have read,” said Bill Abbott of Great American Family, the network producing the movie.
     

    New adaptation

     
    Alcott’s semi-autobiographical novels, published in 1868 and 1869, followed the lives of four sisters growing up in “genteel poverty” in Massachusetts. Great American Family’s version is set in modern-day Tennessee at Christmastime. The characters have the same names as the sisters featured in Alcott’s novel — Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy — and face similar challenges as they navigate friendships, love, and finding strength through their family.
     

    Little Women

     
    Great American Family’s adaptation is one of many to grace the screens over the years. The story was first made into a silent film in 1917 starring Daisy Burrell, Mary Lincoln, Ruby Miller, and Muriel Myers. A 1933 film adaptation starred Katherine Hepburn. In 1949, Elizabeth Taylor and Janet Leigh starred in a remake.
     
    Director Gillian Armstrong directed version in 1994 that starred Winona Ryder, Kirsten Dunst, Claire Danes, Susan Sarandon, and Christian Bale. The most recent adaptation was Greta Gerwig’s 2019 version.
     
    Bill Abbott said one of the reasons the network chose to adapt the story was because it focused on women and family.
     
     “Louisa May Alcott was intentional about focusing on the culture of young women, their hopes, ambitions, and dreams, and it remains one of the most widely read and beloved stories ever written,” he said.
     
    Trevor Donovan

    The cast

     
    In A Little Women’s Christmas, Jen Lilley stars as eldest sister Meg March. Jillian Murray stars as Josephine “Jo” March. Beth is played by Laura Osnes, and Amy is played by Julia Reilly.
     
    Trevor Donovan plays Fritz, who was Jo’s love interest in the novel. Jesse Hutch is John, Meg’s love interest. The network has not yet said what role Gladys Knight will play, though a spokesperson revealed that she will debut a new Christmas song in the film titled “Joy.”
     

    Great American Family

     
    The network known as Great American Family was launched in September 2021 by former Hallmark CEO Bill Abbott. In a deal Bloomberg estimated at $90 million, Abbott and his investors purchased two cable networks and began producing content for both.
     
    In an appearance on the Up Next with John Contratti podcast, Abbott said he hoped to produce quality family-friendly entertainment.
     
    “There’s so much need for family content in the market and in this space,” he said. “You know, it’s pretty scary, quite frankly, the amount of content that’s out there…the vast majority of content that’s salacious and just is not appropriate for any member of the family.”
     
    Great American Family has not released a premiere date for A Little Women Christmas. We will update this story as more information becomes available.
     
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  • New EMT drama set to premiere on Great American Family

    New EMT drama set to premiere on Great American Family

    A new EMT drama called County Rescue is set to premiere on Great American Family. The show, which stars Julia Reilly, will be the first scripted series to debut on the network since it was founded in 2021 by former Hallmark CEO Bill Abbott.

    In a statement to Deadline, Abbott talked about how the show was part of a strategy to introduce more original content on the network. He said that cozy mysteries would be next.

    “We are continuing to build on the phenomenal growth of our media brand and are excited to now fully capitalize on the synergies now available with Sony and Great American Pure Flix,” Abbott said. “Our portfolio of content is a trusted source of family-friendly and faith-based entertainment, and our 2023 results greatly exceeded our expectations. “We are looking forward to having a positive impact on viewers and the entertainment business by creating quality content that can be enjoyed by the entire family.”

    New EMT drama

    In County Rescue, Stranger Things actress Julia Reilly stars as an EMT in training vying for one of three open spots on the team. The show also stars Stacey Patino, Percy Bell, Tim Perez-Ross, Riley Hough, Keller Fornes, Angel Luis, Kristin Wollett, and Brett Varvel.

    The 5-episode first season will premiere on PureFlix — the streaming platform owned by Great American Media — on February 16. It will have its debut on Great American Family — the company’s cable network — on February 17.

    Great American Family

    Great American Family is one of two cable networks run by Bill Abbott, the former CEO of Hallmark Media.

    Abbott made headlines in June 2021 when he announced he had partnered with Dallas-based Hicks Equity Partners to purchase two networks in a deal Bloomberg estimated at $90 million. Programming on the two channels began in September 2021. One network, which has been renamed Great American Family, ran romantic comedies and TV series including I Dream of Jeannie, Full House, Fuller House, Who’s the Boss, and Bewitched. The other, Great American Living, airs lifestyle programs including First Time Flippers, Aloha Builds, Growing Up Gator, and Kimberly’s Southern Kitchen.

    The company also unveiled a host of original holiday movies starring Hallmark favorites such as Jen Lilley, Danica McKellar, Trevor Donovan, Jesse Metcalfe, and Jessica Lowndes.

    In April 2022, Candace Cameron Bure announced that she was leaving Hallmark to work with Great American Media in an executive role.

    “I am constantly looking for ways that I can inspire people to live life with purpose,” Bure said. “[Great American Media] fits my brand perfectly; we share a vision of creating compelling wholesome content for an audience who wants to watch programming for and with the whole family. Great, quality entertainment with a positive message is what my partnership with [Great American Media] is all about!”

    County Rescue will premiere on PureFlix on February 16. It will premiere on Great American Family on February 17.

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