‘THE MYSTERY CRUISE’
PRODUCTION BIOS
HOWARD BURKONS (Executive Producer/Writer) – Howard Burkons has been a Producer and Writers Guild of America member for over 25 years, having written, produced and executive produced movies for television, hour drama and half hour comedy pilots, documentaries and feature films.
Among Howard’s latest projects are two backdoor pilots he is currently adapting from books by bestselling authors Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark; films that Howard will be executive producing in 2013 with his longtime producing partner, Brenda Friend, under their banner, “Beantown Ranch Entertainment,” in association with eOne Entertainment Television.
These projects follow two very successful films Howard also executive produced with Brenda Friend: “Deck the Halls,” which Howard adapted from the Higgins Clarks for Turner Network Television in 2011 and “Smooch,” an original story and teleplay that he co-wrote with Terry Spencer that premiered on the Hallmark Channel in 2010.
Howard (also with Friend) executive produced the award winning “Ron Clark Story,” which premiered on Turner Network Television in 2006. “The Ron Clark Story,” one of the highest rated movies the year, was nominated for two Emmy® Awards: one for Outstanding Made for Television Movie and one for Matthew Perry as Best Actor in a Movie or Miniseries. The film also garnered top honors as a nominee for the Critic’s Choice Award and was recognized by the Golden Globes, the SAG, DGA and WGA Awards, as well receiving the Family Friendly Award for Best TV Movie of 2006 and the prestigious Christopher and Gabriel Awards in 2007.
Other films written and/or produced by Howard are “John Q” for New Line Cinema starring Denzel Washington, “Advice Wars, The Ann and Abby Movie” for Lifetime Television and “Highway Heartbreaker,” which, when it aired on CBS, was the top-rated television movie of the year.
Howard has collaborated for the past fifteen years with award winning filmmaker, David Mickey Evans (“The Sandlot,” “Radio Flyer,” “First Kid”) and has sold several feature films with Evans as his co-writer and producer; and is actively developing a television series with screenwriter Warren Lewis (“Black Rain,” “13th Warrior”).
Howard, an early adapter/WGA writer of interactive entertainment and computer games, spent several years in that market as a “Blue Sky” consultant for Electronic Arts, and is currently advising a select group of advertising agencies and media companies in the field of Transmedia Content via his latest venture, “Planet Ranch Consulting, Inc.”
As an actor, Howard appeared in several films and performed as a standup and improvisational comedian early in his career. He has guest-lectured in Screenwriting and Film and Television
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Production at UCLA, ASU and the Philadelphia Conservatory of the Arts and recently taught a Graduate Level Course in Television Production at LMU. The father of two and a proud grandfather, he is married to Studio Executive and Producer Donna Burkons.
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BRENDA FRIEND (Executive Producer) – Brenda Friend and her company, Old Beantown Films, has been developing and producing projects for television and feature films for the past ten years. Friend’s most recent telefilm “She Made Them Do It,” which she executive produced with Greg Klein, premiered as a Lifetime Original Movie in 2012 starring Jenna Dewan Tatum and Mackenzie Phillips. Friend and her frequent writer/producer partner Howard Burkons (“The Ron Clark Story”) produced “Deck the Halls,” a Christmas movie for TNT based on the New York Times bestseller by Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark, which aired in 2011. Friend and Burkons also teamed up for the romantic comedy “Smooch” for the Hallmark Channel starring Kellie Martin and Kiernan Shipka. “Smooch” premiered in 2011 as the Hallmark Channel’s tent pole Valentine’s Day movie and was ranked as the #1 rated ad-supported cable movie of the day.
In 2011, Friend established production services company Fort Hill Productions. Fort Hill’s first production, the Walmart/Procter & Gamble family movie two-hour back door pilot entitled “Game Time: Tackling the Past,” aired in 2011 on NBC and starred Beau Bridges and Ryan McPartlin. Friend also served as an executive producer on the film.
Other recent development Friend is preparing for production includes “Carry Me Home,” based on the 2001 Pulitzer Prize winning book by Diane McWhorter.
Old Beantown Film’s telefilm, “What If God Were the Sun?” based in part on the novel by John Edward, starred Lacey Chabert and Gena Rowlands and premiered on Lifetime Television in 2007. Gena Rowlands received a Best Actress in a Movie or Miniseries Emmy nomination, as well as a Screen Actors Guild nomination for her role as Melissa Eisenbloom. Friend also served as a producer on the Lifetime telefilm “Christmas in Paradise” which shot in Puerto Rico during the summer and in 2007.
Old Beantown Film’s “The Ron Clark Story,” a Johnson & Johnson Spotlight Presentation starring Matthew Perry, premiered on TNT in 2006 and was one of the highest rated cable movies of that year. It received three Emmy nominations including Outstanding Made for Television Movie and Best Actor in a Movie or Miniseries for Matthew Perry. The film also garnered nominations for Critic’s Choice Award, Golden Globe, SAG, DGA and WGA Awards, as well as being the recipient of the Family Friendly Award for best television movie of 2006. It was recipient of the prestigious Christopher Award in March of 2007 and the Gabriel Award.
Friend served as executive producer on “The Dive From Clausen’s Pier” based on the best- selling novel by Ann Packer. It premiered on Lifetime Television in 2005 and was one of the
(more) HALLMARK MOVIE CHANNEL / ‘THE MYSTERY CRUISE’ – Production Bios – Page 3 network’s highest rated films that year. The film starred Michelle Trachtenberg and was produced with Icon Productions for Fox Television Studios.
From March 1998 thru January 2002, Friend was based at Alliance Atlantis Communications as both an executive and a producer. She was an executive producer on the CBS telefilm “Jenifer,” which aired in 2001. She also served as co-executive producer on the four-hour CBS miniseries “Joan of Arc,” which received 13 Emmy nominations and four Golden Globe nominations and won the coveted Television Critics Association Award for Best Movie or Mini- series. In addition, she contributed to the development of the Alliance Atlantis telefilms “Crossed Over” and “The Salem Witch Trials” for CBS, “When Billie Beat Bobby” and “Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister” for ABC, among others.
Friend spent five years as both an executive and producer at Once Upon A Time Films. Projects during her tenure there included Arnold Schwarzenegger’s directorial debut “Christmas in Connecticut” for TNT, “Survive the Night” for USA Network, “Hostage for a Day” for FOX and “Without Consent” for ABC. She also acted as supervising producer on the television movies “Nothing But the Truth,” “Falling for You” and “A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes: The Annette Funicello Story,” all for CBS. She also served as executive producer on “Murder at My Door” for FOX.
Friend additionally held the post of vice president, movies and miniseries, for Stephen J. Cannell Productions, where she served as co-producer on “I Love You Perfect” for ABC and “Living a Lie” for NBC. She also contributed to the development of such television movies as “Always Remember I Love You” for CBS, “Jonathan: The Boy Nobody Wanted” for NBC and the Emmy Award-nominated Hallmark Hall of Fame Production for ABC, “A Place for Annie.” As Vice President of Gross-Weston Productions, Friend acted as associate producer of “Deep, Dark Secrets” for NBC and co-producer of “Love and Betrayal” for CBS. She also contributed to the development and production of the Emmy Award-nominated NBC mini-series “The Billionaire Boys Club.”
Friend is a member of the Television Academy and served for several years on the Emmy Awards Panel. She has taught screenwriting and production courses for UCLA Writers Extension program and currently teaches at Columbia College Hollywood in addition to guest lecturing at numerous film programs including the American Film Institute, USC’s Peter Stark Program, CalArts, and the Emerson College Los Angeles program.
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IRA PINCUS (Executive Producer) – In September 2005, Ira Pincus entered into an executive producer deal with Blueprint Entertainment for series and movies and oversees the company's slate of numerous telefilms. He executive produced the series “Til Death Do Us Part” with Blueprint for Court TV/TruTV, starring John Waters. With Blueprint, he executive produced the following Lifetime television movies: “How I Married My High School Crush” starring Katee Sackhoff (“Battlestar Galactica”), “Absolution” starring Samantha Mathis and “The Road to Christmas” starring Jennifer Grey. (more) HALLMARK MOVIE CHANNEL / ‘THE MYSTERY CRUISE’ – Production Bios – Page 4
Before joining Blueprint, Pincus Films had a producer deal at von Zerneck/Sertner Films, a top supplier of long-form television, where he executive produced several films. Prior to executive producing films, Pincus focused on the business side of Hollywood while an agent at Creative Artists Agency (CAA), representing the agency's top directors, actors and production companies. Prior to that, from 1991 to 1996, Pincus was a development executive at Citadel Entertainment, an HBO owned production company, where he was involved with the sales and development of over 120 hours of network programming and the production of approximately 12 films a year.
Pincus also executive produced “Goodnight for Justice,” Hallmark Movie Channel’s highest rated film starring Luke Perry and directed by Jason Priestley, as well as the squeals “Goodnight for Justice: The Measure of a Man” and “Goodnight for Justice: Queen of Hearts.” Most recently, Pincus executive produced the Hallmark Channel Original Movies “Tom Dick & Harriet” starring Steven Weber and “Window Wonderland” starring Chyler Leigh and Naomi Judd.
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JOHN MORAYNISS (Executive Producer) – John Morayniss founded Blueprint Entertainment with Noreen Halpern in 2002. As Chairman and CEO, Morayniss oversees the strategic growth of the company as well as the international production, development, licensing and distribution operations. In addition, Morayniss serves as Executive Producer on all Blueprint productions. Prior to launching Blueprint, Morayniss was head of television for all of Alliance Atlantis' development and production activities, overseeing all primetime programming including movies and mini-series, series, entertainment reality programming, all children's and family programming under the AAC Kids banner, and all comedy programming through the Alliance Atlantis production subsidiary, Salter Street Films.
Morayniss oversaw and/or executive produced an impressive slate of projects, including award winning movies and miniseries such as “Me and My Shadows: The Judy Garland Story,” “When Billie Beat Bobby” and “Haven,” as well television series such as ratings blockbuster “CSI,” the two-hour backdoor pilot “Invincible,”, which he executive produced with Mel Gibson and Jet Li, and most recently, the two-hour pilot “Riverworld” for Syfy Channel. Morayniss also executive produced “Goodnight for Justice,” Hallmark Movie Channel’s highest rated film starring Luke Perry and directed by Jason Priestley as well as the squeals “Goodnight for Justice: The Measure of a Man” and “Goodnight for Justice: Queen of Hearts.” Most recently, Morayniss executive produced the Hallmark Channel Original Movies “It’s Christmas, Carol!” starring Carrie Fisher and Carson Kressley, “Tom Dick & Harriet” starring Steven Weber and “Window Wonderland” starring Chyler Leigh and Naomi Judd.
As head of AAC Kids, Morayniss oversaw the live action series “The Famous Jett Jackson” (Disney Channel) and “Sixth Grade Alien” (Fox Family Channel). As executive producer, he helped to ignite the half-hour comedy series “Kenny vs Spenny” for Comedy Central in the U.S. and on Showcase in Canada. In addition, he spearheaded all of Alliance Atlantis international
(more) HALLMARK MOVIE CHANNEL / ‘THE MYSTERY CRUISE’ – Production Bios – Page 5 co-production initiatives including the movie “No Night is Too Long” (BBC - UK, Showcase Network - Canada) and the AAC Kids/BBC co-production arrangement.
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DOUG BARR (Director) – Writer, director and actor Doug Barr was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He regularly appeared in several TV series, including “The Love Boat,” “Murder, She Wrote,” “Designing Woman” and “The Wizard,” and also appeared in several films before turning to directing. Barr has directed close to 20 television movies, including the recent films “To Be Fat Like Me,” starring Caroline Rhea, “For The Love of a Child,” starring Teri Polo and Peri Gilpin, “Confessions of an American Bride” with Shannon Elizabeth and the Hallmark Channel Original Movies, “The Note II: Taking A Chance on Love” and “Notes from the Heart Healer” both starring Genie Francis and Ted McGinley. Barr and his wife have one child and own a Napa Valley, CA winery.
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MARY HIGGINS CLARK (Author) - #1 New York Times bestselling author, Mary Higgins Clark has written thirty-two suspense novels, three collections of short stories, a historical novel, Mount Vernon Love Story and a memoir, Kitchen Privileges. She is the coauthor with Carol Higgins Clark of five suspense novels: Dashing through the Snow, Deck the Halls, He Sees You When You’re Sleeping, The Christmas Thief and Santa Cruise. Her books are worldwide bestsellers, with over 100 million sold in the United States alone. She lives with her husband, John Conheeney, in Saddle River, New Jersey.
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CAROL HIGGINS CLARK (Author) – Carol Higgins Clark is the author of fourteen previous bestselling Regan Reilly mysteries. She is coauthor, along with her mother, Mary Higgins Clark, of a bestselling holiday mystery series. Also an actress, Carol Higgins Clark studied at the Beverly Hills Playhouse and has recorded several of her mother’s works as well as her own novels. She received AudioFile’s Earphones Award of Excellence for her reading of Jinxed. She lives in New York City. Her website is CarolHigginsClark.com.
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