Executive Producer) – Larry Levinson Has Served As Executive Producer on a Wide Range of Movies, from Miniseries to Feature Films
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‘NOTES FROM DAD’ PRODUCTION BIOS LARRY LEVINSON (Executive Producer) – Larry Levinson has served as executive producer on a wide range of movies, from miniseries to feature films. He has overseen numerous Hallmark Channel Original Movies in every genre, from adventure to drama to romance. Levinson also executive produced the popular Hallmark Channel Mystery Movie franchises “Jane Doe,” “McBride,” “Mystery Woman” and “Murder 101.” His film credits include “Larry McMurtry’s Streets of Laredo” and “Larry McMurtry’s Dead Man’s Walk.” He executive produced Burt Reynolds’ “Hard Times” telefilms featuring detective Logan McQueen. He also executive produced, with actor Dennis Quaid, “Everything that Rises” and “Mark Twain’s Roughing It.” With actor Tom Berenger, Levinson executive produced “Rough Riders.” For the Hallmark Channel, Levinson’s substantial work as executive producer on original films includes “The Last Cowboy,” “Straight From the Heart,” “Love Comes Softly,” “Audrey’s Rain,” "The King and Queen of Moonlight Bay,” “Hard Ground,” “A Time to Remember,” “Just Desserts,” “A Place Called Home,” “The Long Shot (Believe in Courage),” “Life on Liberty Street,” “King Solomon’s Mines,” “La Femme Musketeer,” “The Trail to Hope Rose,” “The Reading Room,” “Our House,” “Where There’s A Will,” “Love’s Enduring Promise,” “Out of the Woods,” “Thicker Than Water,” “Always and Forever,” “The Three Gifts" and “Love Begins.” His most recent credits for the network include “Puppy Love” and “Help for the Holidays.” Levinson also served as executive producer on “The Christmas Card” in 2007. The film stands as the Hallmark Channel’s highest-rated original movie. ### ERIQ LA SALLE (Director) – Eriq La Salle, best known for his portrayal of Dr. Peter Benton on the NBC smash medical drama “ER,” has made a smooth transition into directing and producing with his production company Humble Journey Films. Most recently, he played Lt. Luttrell on the CBS pilot “The Widow Detective.” La Salle had a recurring role as Evan "E-Mo" Morris and directed on the CBS drama “A Gifted Man” opposite Patrick Wilson. Simultaneously, La Salle directed episodes for CW’s “Ringer” starring Sarah Michelle Gellar. La Salle has also delivered powerful and diverse performances in HBO’s “How to Make It in America”, USA’s hit “Covert Affairs” and Fox’s award winning show “24.” LaSalle was raised in Hartford, CT. He studied for two years at The Julliard School, New York’s (more) HALLMARK CHANNEL / ‘NOTES FROM DAD’ – Production Bios – Page 2 prestigious arts academy. He then went on to study at Theater Arts at New York University. One of his first acting jobs was a role for Joseph Papp's Shakespeare in the Park Theater Company. His first feature film role was only weeks after his graduation from New York University in a low budget Italian movie shot in Florida. In 1994 “ER” premiered with La Salle portraying Dr. Benton. He continued his role for eight seasons and later returned as director for one episode. La Salle shares Dr. Benton’s drive and determination. He is very active in developing film projects and in gaining experience on the other side of the camera. He has written, directed and produced several short films, two of which have won awards on the film festival circuit including The Worldfest Houston Film Competition and The USA Film Festival. La Salle won his third NAACP Image Award in 2002. He has received three Emmy® nominations for his work on “ER” in addition to several Golden Globe, SAG and NAACP Image Award nominations. His films have also won numerous awards. La Salle guest-starred in the USA original series "Covert Affairs," in which he played a former spy stationed in East Africa who quits the CIA after suffering a nervous breakdown, and is now reluctant to rejoin the agency despite their numerous attempts to have him back. Additionally, he appeared in two episodes of the hit Fox drama series “24,” where he played the UN secretary. La Salle has guest-starred on several television series including “Without a Trace,” "L.A. Law," "Quantum Leap," "A Different World" as well as HBO’s “Vietnam War Stories." He also had a three- month stint as a regular on the popular daytime drama "One Life to Live." In 1991, La Salle co- starred in "The Human Factor," a short-lived medical series. During his summer 2001 hiatus from "ER," La Salle made his feature film directorial debut with “Crazy as Hell,” which he produced and starred in along with Michael Beach (“Waiting to Exhale”), Ronny Cox (“Robocop”), John C. McGinley (“Platoon”) and comedian Sinbad. In February 2002, “Crazy As Hell” made its debut as the opening film of the Pan African Film Festival, which was celebrating its 10th anniversary. In 2008, La Salle continued his directorial efforts by directing an episode of the hit NBC show “Law & Order: SVU” (his second episode he directed for SVU). In December of 1997, La Salle formed Humble Journey Films with partners Butch Robinson and D.J. Caruso, a film and television production company. The first project made under the Humble Journey banner was “Mind Prey,” which La Salle starred in as well as produced. “Mind Prey” aired on ABC-TV in March of 1999. In it, La Salle starred as Lucas Davenport, a rebellious police detective searching for a family being held prisoner by a psychopath. The mystery-thriller was based on a book in the series of hugely popular novels by author John Sandford. In 2000, he directed the pilot for Showtime’s television series, “Soul Food,” based on the successful film of the same name. (more) HALLMARK CHANNEL / ‘NOTES FROM DAD’ – Production Bios – Page 3 LaSalle also starred in The Hallmark Channel’s “Relative Stranger.” The film, which follows a man who reunites with his estranged family after his father’s death, debuted in March of 2009. Under Humble Journey Films, La Salle produced the Castle Rock Pictures film “The Salton Sea,” directed by Humble Journey partner D.J. Caruso and starring Val Kilmer. La Salle also directed the acclaimed short, "Psalms from the Underground," which is a story of the struggle faced by the daughter of a slain black civil rights activist as she tries to fill her father's role in his organization. In 2002, La Salle was seen in the thriller “One Hour Photo” alongside Robin Williams for Fox Searchlight Pictures. In November of 1996, he directed and also appeared in "Rebound" for HBO Pictures. The project is the true story of Earl Manigault, a legendary Harlem athlete whose basketball career was destroyed through drug addiction. La Salle's other feature film credits include Gramercy Pictures' "D.R.O.P. Squad" (1994), directed by David Johnson and executive produced by Spike Lee. LaSalle portrays Buford Jamieson, Jr. an advertising executive who has seemingly lost touch with his cultural identity until the D.R.O.P. Squad is brought in to re-affirm his roots. La Salle also appeared in "Jacob's Ladder," "Coming To America" and "Five Corners." ### WAYNE LEMON (Writer) – Wayne Lemon began his career as a music and theater critic for the Austin Chronicle while attending film school at the University of Texas, where he earned a Master’s Degree in Film Production with a minor in Shakespeare. Lemon has developed screenplays for various studios as well as pilots for all the major networks. He has written for such critically acclaimed shows as “Grace Under Fire” and the Emmy® winning “The Famous Teddy Z,” as well as cult favorite “The Torkelsons.” He is an award-winning playwright whose work has been staged by the Denver Center Theatre Company and South Coast Repertory Theater, among others. Lemon is also a lover and owner of several horses named Coco, Quixote and Glo Doc. --HALLMARK CHANNEL-- .