July 28, 2003

JAMI GERTZ, TYNE DALY AND SHAWN CHRISTIAN STAR IN "UNDERCOVER CHRISTMAS," A NEW TELEVISION MOVIE THAT HAS COMPLETED PRODUCTION IN CALGARY, FOR BROADCAST ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK

UNDERCOVER CHRISTMAS, a new holiday movie starring Jami Gertz ("Still Standing") and multiple Emmy Award-winner Tyne Daly ("Christie," "Cagney & Lacy"), has completed production in Calgary, for broadcast on the CBS Television Network. The unlikely love story, which takes place at Christmastime, follows an uptight FBI agent who is assigned to protect a colorful cocktail waitress and is forced to take her home with him to join his wealthy family for the holiday.

Shawn Christian ("Crossing Jordan") also stars.

Jake Cunningham (Christian) is a workaholic FBI agent who meets Brandi O'Neill (Gertz), a free-spirited cocktail waitress, when he is assigned to protect her. He initially plans to take her to an isolated location but an emergency call from his mother, Anne (Daly), forces him to go home at Christmas with Brandi in tow. Brandi is truly overwhelmed when she sees Jake's parents' palatial home that has been transformed into a Christmas wonderland.

Once there, in order to keep her identity a secret, Jake and Brandi pose as a couple, which sends his ultra-conservative family into shock. His father, a very controlling, retired judge from whom Jake has never gotten any approval, is particularly disdainful of the situation.

Anne tries desperately to transform Brandi into a girl who will be more acceptable to her husband and their snooty neighbors. Meanwhile, Brandi begins to win other family members' affection and admiration. Jake, meanwhile, is caught between his obligation to his job, pressure from his family and the realization that his feelings for Brandi are beginning to change.

UNDERCOVER CHRISTMAS is being produced by Jaffe/Braunstein Films, Ltd. in association with Voice Pictures. Howard Braunstein, Michael Jaffe ("Surviving Love") Darrah Cloud ("The Sons of Mistletoe") and Wendy Hill-Tout ("Surviving Love") are the executive producers. Eda Lishman ("A Father's Choice") is the producer. Nadia Tass ("Amy") is directing the movie from a script by Darrah Cloud.

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