Christmas Comes to Willow Creek
Encyclopedia
Christmas Comes to Willow Creek is a 1987 American film
made for TV and directed by Richard Lang and produced by Billie André and Blue André The screenplay was written by Michael Norell
and Andy Siegel,
The film stars John Schneider
and Tom Wopat
(reunited from The Dukes of Hazzard
, with Kim Delaney
, Zachary Ansley
, Joy Coghill
and Hoyt Axton
.
Pete (played by Tom Wopat
) is trying to figure out what to do with his rebellious son Michael (played by Zachary Ansley
); meantime, he also has to deal with Ray (played by John Schneider
), a troublesome recluse who has problems of his own, including a pregnant spouse.
Ray and Pete are hired by an old friend Al (played by Hoyt Axton
) to bring Christmas presents and a very big surprise from California all the way up to his home town of Willow Creek, Alaska. The brothers do not realize that they will have to rely on one another and along the way, the brothers and Pete's son argue and get stuck in a blizzard; meanwhile Ray's wife goes into labor. As she gives birth, they finally reconcile with each other, and arrive at their destination greeted by a crowd of happy townspeople.
Music for the movie includes songs written and recorded by Billy Milo.
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
made for TV and directed by Richard Lang and produced by Billie André and Blue André The screenplay was written by Michael Norell
Michael Norell
Michael Alden Norell is an American screenwriter/actor, and Executive Producer that starred as Captain Henry "Hank" Stanley in the Jack Webb produced television series Emergency! from 1973 to 1978....
and Andy Siegel,
The film stars John Schneider
John Schneider (television actor)
John Richard Schneider III is an American actor and singer. He is best known for his portrayal of Bo Duke in the 1980s American television series The Dukes of Hazzard, and as Jonathan Kent on Smallville, a 2001 television adaptation of Superman.Alongside his acting career, Schneider performed as a...
and Tom Wopat
Tom Wopat
Tom Wopat is an American actor and singer. He first achieved fame as Luke Duke in the long-running 1979 television series The Dukes of Hazzard, along with John Schneider. He also played Jeff, one of Cybill Shepherd's ex-husbands in the TV series Cybill.-Life and career:Wopat was born in Lodi,...
(reunited from The Dukes of Hazzard
The Dukes of Hazzard
The Dukes of Hazzard is an American television series that aired on the CBS television network from 1979 to 1985.The series was inspired by the 1975 film Moonrunners, which was also created by Gy Waldron and had many identical or similar character names and concepts.- Overview :The Dukes of Hazzard...
, with Kim Delaney
Kim Delaney
Kim Delaney is an American actress best known for her starring role as Detective Diane Russell on the ABC drama television series, NYPD Blue. Early in her career, she played the role of Jenny Gardner in the hugely popular ABC daytime television drama, All My Children...
, Zachary Ansley
Zachary Ansley
Zachary Ansley is a Canadian actor and lawyer born on 21 January 1972 in Vancouver, Canada. He has been acting professionally since he was eleven years old. He was the winner of the first YTV Acting Award...
, Joy Coghill
Joy Coghill
Joy Coghill, O.C., is a Canadian actor, director, and writer.She and Myra Benson founded Canada's first children's theatre company, Holiday Theatre. In 1994, Coghill founded Western Gold, a theatre company for older professional actors. She holds honorary degrees from SFU and UBC...
and Hoyt Axton
Hoyt Axton
Hoyt Wayne Axton was an American country music singer-songwriter, and a film and television actor. He became prominent in the early 1960s, establishing himself on the West Coast as a folk singer with an earthy style and powerful voice. As he matured, some of his songwriting efforts became well...
.
Plot
Willow Creek, Alaska is going through problems because the town's main business, a cannery, has closed and many residents no longer have jobs. Ray and Pete are brothers; although they share the same profession (truck drivers), they are different as day and night.Pete (played by Tom Wopat
Tom Wopat
Tom Wopat is an American actor and singer. He first achieved fame as Luke Duke in the long-running 1979 television series The Dukes of Hazzard, along with John Schneider. He also played Jeff, one of Cybill Shepherd's ex-husbands in the TV series Cybill.-Life and career:Wopat was born in Lodi,...
) is trying to figure out what to do with his rebellious son Michael (played by Zachary Ansley
Zachary Ansley
Zachary Ansley is a Canadian actor and lawyer born on 21 January 1972 in Vancouver, Canada. He has been acting professionally since he was eleven years old. He was the winner of the first YTV Acting Award...
); meantime, he also has to deal with Ray (played by John Schneider
John Schneider (television actor)
John Richard Schneider III is an American actor and singer. He is best known for his portrayal of Bo Duke in the 1980s American television series The Dukes of Hazzard, and as Jonathan Kent on Smallville, a 2001 television adaptation of Superman.Alongside his acting career, Schneider performed as a...
), a troublesome recluse who has problems of his own, including a pregnant spouse.
Ray and Pete are hired by an old friend Al (played by Hoyt Axton
Hoyt Axton
Hoyt Wayne Axton was an American country music singer-songwriter, and a film and television actor. He became prominent in the early 1960s, establishing himself on the West Coast as a folk singer with an earthy style and powerful voice. As he matured, some of his songwriting efforts became well...
) to bring Christmas presents and a very big surprise from California all the way up to his home town of Willow Creek, Alaska. The brothers do not realize that they will have to rely on one another and along the way, the brothers and Pete's son argue and get stuck in a blizzard; meanwhile Ray's wife goes into labor. As she gives birth, they finally reconcile with each other, and arrive at their destination greeted by a crowd of happy townspeople.
Cast
- John SchneiderJohn Schneider (television actor)John Richard Schneider III is an American actor and singer. He is best known for his portrayal of Bo Duke in the 1980s American television series The Dukes of Hazzard, and as Jonathan Kent on Smallville, a 2001 television adaptation of Superman.Alongside his acting career, Schneider performed as a...
- Ray - Tom WopatTom WopatTom Wopat is an American actor and singer. He first achieved fame as Luke Duke in the long-running 1979 television series The Dukes of Hazzard, along with John Schneider. He also played Jeff, one of Cybill Shepherd's ex-husbands in the TV series Cybill.-Life and career:Wopat was born in Lodi,...
- Pete - Kim DelaneyKim DelaneyKim Delaney is an American actress best known for her starring role as Detective Diane Russell on the ABC drama television series, NYPD Blue. Early in her career, she played the role of Jenny Gardner in the hugely popular ABC daytime television drama, All My Children...
- Jessie - Zachary AnsleyZachary AnsleyZachary Ansley is a Canadian actor and lawyer born on 21 January 1972 in Vancouver, Canada. He has been acting professionally since he was eleven years old. He was the winner of the first YTV Acting Award...
- Michael - Joy CoghillJoy CoghillJoy Coghill, O.C., is a Canadian actor, director, and writer.She and Myra Benson founded Canada's first children's theatre company, Holiday Theatre. In 1994, Coghill founded Western Gold, a theatre company for older professional actors. She holds honorary degrees from SFU and UBC...
- Charlotte - Hoyt AxtonHoyt AxtonHoyt Wayne Axton was an American country music singer-songwriter, and a film and television actor. He became prominent in the early 1960s, establishing himself on the West Coast as a folk singer with an earthy style and powerful voice. As he matured, some of his songwriting efforts became well...
- Al Bensinger - Brian MacDonaldBrian MacdonaldBrian Macdonald, CC is a Canadian dancer, choreographer, director of opera, theatre and musical theatre.Born in Montreal, Macdonald was an original member of the National Ballet of Canada...
- Dwayne - Dwight Koss - Mayor Newman
- Barbara RussellBarbara RussellBarbra Russell is an American stage actor, singer, and Broadway producer. She is a classically trained vocalist majoring in Music Performance at the College of Saint Elizabeth at Covent Station, New Jersey where she won first place in the prestigious Florence Boughton Young Artist Competition...
- Edna Mae - Ted Stidder - Doc
- Robert Forsythe - Chief Cobb
- Charissa Reeves - Sabrina
- Geordie Needham - Thurgood
- Robin Mossley - Cecil
Music for the movie includes songs written and recorded by Billy Milo.