“FAREWELL MR. KRINGLE” CAST BIOS CHRISTINE TAYLOR (Annabelle Wahl)—Christine Taylor is a talented actress who has captured the attention of audiences with her charming and comedic performances in some of the most memorable contemporary comedies of the last decade. Taylor is best known for her hysterical performances in several blockbuster comedies including Paramount Pictures “Zoolander,” a satire of the fashion industry, opposite Ben Stiller, Mila Jovovich, Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell and Jerry Stiller. In 2004, Taylor teamed up with real-life husband Ben Stiller again in the Twentieth Century Fox hit “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story” as Kate, a young attorney who is initially sent to help finalize the foreclosure of a poorly managed gym and finds herself falling for the manager, played by Vince Vaughn. In 2007, Taylor starred in the Warner Brothers film “License to Wed,” directed by Ken Kwapis and also starring Robin Williams, Mandy Moore and John Krasinski. The story revolves around a young couple whose wedding plans are interrupted when their pushy minister orders the pair to complete a marriage preparation course. Taylor played Moore’s older sister. Taylor also starred in Frank Karachi’s “The Wedding Singer” opposite Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore in which she starred as the promiscuous but lovable Holly. She also received much attention for her performance as Marcia Brady in Paramount’s ever-so-popular movie series, “The Brady Brunch Movie” and “A Very Brady Sequel.” In addition to popular feature films, Taylor has also starred in several independent films including “Desperate But Not Serious,” “Kiss Toledo Goodbye” and Adam Rifkin’s “Denial.” Her other notable film credits include “The Craft” and “Overnight Delivery.” On television, she was the star of the popular FOX series “Party Girl” and has also had memorable guest star appearances on “Spin City,” “Friends,” “Seinfeld,” “Ellen” and “Murphy Brown.” Taylor also serves on the board and is extremely involved with Project A.L.S., an organization that raises funds for research toward finding effective treatments and a cure for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, a fatal neuromuscular disease. Taylor was raised in Pennsylvania and resides in Los Angeles. ### CHRISTOPHER WIEHL (Mark Stafford)—Christopher Wiehl graduated from the University (more) HALLMARK CHANNEL/ ‘FAREWELL MR. KRINGLE’ – Cast Bios – Page 2 of Washington with a Bachelor’s degree in dramatic arts, and is most known for his lead roles in ESPN’s series “Playmakers,” CBS’s “First Monday,” TNT’s original series “Bull” and CBS’s “Love Monkey.” He also had recurring roles on “CSI,” “Jericho,” “Private Practice” and “Clubhouse.” His guest-star credits include the shows “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “ER,” “Las Vegas,” “Monk” and “Surface.” Some of his feature credits are “Hollywood Homicide,” starring Harrison Ford and Josh Hartnett, “Broken Hearts Club” and “Can’t Hardly Wait.” Wiehl also starred in the Hallmark Channel Original Movie “Moonlight and Mistletoe,” alongside Tom Arnold and Candace Cameron Bure. Wiehl, also a certified lifeguard, currently resides in Los Angeles and enjoys skydiving, skiing and tennis in his free time. ### VIVICA A. FOX (Zoe)—Vivica A. Fox most recently returned for the latest season of Larry David's HBO hit comedy, “Curb Your Enthusiasm” as the feisty Loretta Black. In April of 2009, Fox starred as an FBI Agent in pursuit of a serial killer in the suspense thriller “Junkyard Dogs,” and co-starred in “Cover,” a film directed by Bill Duke and based on a true story about the effects of HIV and AIDS in the African American community. Fox starred in and co-produced “Three Can Play That Game” for Sony/Screen Gems, co-starring Tony Rock. This romantic comedy is the sequel to the hit feature film, “Two Can Play That Game,” for which she was nominated for an Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture. Fox has co-starred with some of Hollywood’s hottest actors, including Academy Award winners Jamie Fox, Halle Berry and Whoopi Goldberg and Academy Award nominees Will Smith, Uma Thurman and Queen Latifah. Fox’s feature credits include Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill,” “Ella Enchanted,” “Independence Day,” “Soul Food,” “Batman and Robin,” “Kingdom Come,” “Why Do Fools Fall In Love” and “Juwanna Mann.” On the small screen, Fox co-executive produced and starred in the one-hour drama series “Missing” for Lifetime Television, portraying FBI special agent Nicole Scott. Fox is no stranger to the reality world either, appearing on the third season of ABC’s hit ballroom dancing competition, “Dancing With The Stars,” and serving as an expert judge alongside Academy Award winner Faye Dunaway on the WB reality show, “The Starlet.” Fox's television films include Showtime's “Hendrix” about acclaimed musician Jimi Hendrix, and the ABC/Disney movie of the week “A Saintly Switch” opposite David Alan Grier and Rue McClanahan. Fox has also enjoyed success guest starring in numerous television series, including “Alias,” “My Wife & Kids,” “All of Us,” “Eve,” and the NBC comedy “Out All Night,” playing Patti Labelle's feisty fashion designer daughter. (more) HALLMARK CHANNEL/ ‘FAREWELL MR. KRINGLE’ – Cast Bios – Page 3 In 2008, Fox was honored at the NAACP Theater Awards where she received the prestigious Spirit Award for starring in and producing the stage play Whatever She Wants alongside Boris Kodjoe and Richard Roundtree. In 2005 and 2006, Fox won the NAACP Image Award and the Prism Award for Best Actress in a Television Series—Drama. In 2003 she was honored with the Lady of Soul Lena Horne Career Achievement Award. She and Will Smith won the MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss for “Independence Day.” Fox has also been voted one of People Magazine’s fifty most beautiful people. ### W. MORGAN SHEPPARD (Kris Kringle)—W. Morgan Sheppard has worked with many acclaimed directors, including Sir Trevor Nunn, Sir Peter Hall, Chris Nolan, Peter Brook, Ron Maxwell, Sir Richard Attenborough, Michael Mann, JJ Abrams, David Lynch and Michael Bay, directing him in such films as “Transformers,” “Star Trek,” (2009) plus “The Prestige,” "Gettysburg," "Star Trek VI," "Wild at Heart," "Needful Things," "The Elephant Man," "The Keep," "Cry Freedom," "Elvira," "Marat-Sade," among many others. An Anglo-Irishman who moved to the United States after graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he is known for his television work which includes more than a dozen movies-of- the-week, plus guest star appearances on “NCIS,” “Criminal Minds,” “Babylon 5,” “Cold Case,” “Alias,” “Star Trek: Voyager,” “Tracey Takes On,” “Frasier,” “Quantum Leap,” “JAG,” “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and “Max Headroom.” Sheppard’s theater career spans 30 years in England, and 23 years in the States. He was an Associate Artist (senior member) of the Royal Shakespeare Company for more than a decade. On Broadway, he originated the role of Mad Animal in Marat-Sade in the 1960’s, and later appeared in Sherlock Holmes in 1975. Sheppard won both the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award and a Drama Logue Award for his 1995 performance in Harold Pinter's The Homecoming at the Matrix Theater. Recently, Sheppard was awarded The Lifetime Achievement Award by the The Action on Film International Film Festival in 2009. ### LIN SHAYE (Zelda)—Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Lin Shaye knew that she was destined to act for as long as she could remember. She performed in plays in college at the University of Michigan and then was accepted into Columbia University’s Master of Fine Arts program in acting. After graduation, she honed her skills by acting in plays with the best and brightest in New York theater, including directors like the infamous Joseph Papp and Des Macanuff. Some of the highlights include Tartuffe at the New York Shakespeare Festival, The Tempest and The Taking (more) HALLMARK CHANNEL/ ‘FAREWELL MR. KRINGLE’ – Cast Bios – Page 4 of Miss Janie at Lincoln Center, which won the Drama Critics Award. Shaye made her film debut in New York in “Hester Street” where she portrayed a Polish prostitute, much to her mother’s chagrin. Shortly after, she flew to Los Angeles where Jack Nicholson immediately cast her in his film “Goin’ South.” Upon her move to Los Angeles, her love of theater inspired her and 12 other actors to put together a theater company called the Los Angeles Theater Unit in 1982, which lasted for a decade and earned many awards. Her most memorable performance was in Better Days which earned her a Drama-Logue Award for Best Actress. The talented and versatile actress continued to work regularly as one of the industry’s greatest chameleons. The Farrelly brothers gave Shaye her first in a series of memorable characters in their 1994 hit comedy “Dumb and Dumber.” They went on to cast her as the infamous landlady in “Kingpin” opposite Woody Harrelson, and then as Magda, the sun-withered neighbor of Cameron Diaz, in their 1998 hit “There’s Something About Mary.” She was also unforgettable as the KISS-hating mom in “Detroit Rock City” and as Sonia, the tough German/Swedish coach in “Boat Trip” with Cuba Gooding, Jr. In a dramatic change of pace, she received critical acclaim in “The Hillside Strangler” as the alcoholic mother opposite Nick Turturro and C. Thomas Howell. Shaye has also amassed a plethora of horror films, which has made her a cult favorite with such credits as “2001 Maniacs” and its sequel, “2001 Maniacs: Field of Screams,” “Hood of Horror,” “Dead End,” and “Killer By Nature.” Shaye also starred in the thriller “Snakes on a Plane” opposite Samuel L. Jackson and Julianna Margulies. Other recent films include the acclaimed Nick Cassavetes’ film “My Sister’s Keeper,” "Chronic Town," "Kush,” "Asylum" and "American Cowslip." Upcoming films include: “Small Town Saturday Night” starring Chris Pine, “The Land Of The Astronauts” starring David Arquette, “Penthouse,” “Dark Moon Rising” and “Losing Control.” Shaye also has a solid resume in television as well, with guest appearances on “Crossing Jordan,” “My Name is Earl,” “Frasier,” “Becker,” “Arliss,” "Dirty Sexy Money" and most recently “ER.” She resides in Los Angeles.