CBS Announces "The Valley of Light" to be Broadcast January 28th  12/30/06

"THE VALLEY OF LIGHT," A NEW "HALLMARK HALL OF FAME" PRESENTATION STARRING CHRIS KLEIN AND GRETCHEN MOL, TO BE BROADCAST SUNDAY, JAN. 28, 9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK

THE VALLEY OF LIGHT, a new "Hallmark Hall of Fame" presentation starring Chris Klein ("American Pie," "We Were Soldiers") and Gretchen Mol ("Picnic," "Calm at Sunset"), will be broadcast Sunday, Jan. 28 (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Based on the novel by Terry Kay, the drama tells the story of a young World War II veteran haunted by his war experience who meets a mysterious stranger who sends him on a journey of self-discovery.

Noah Locke (Klein) returns home from the war to find that his parents have died, their farm has been sold and his younger brother is in jail. Saddened and alone with no place to go, he begins to wander the back roads of North Carolina and meets a mysterious older man, Hoke Moore (Robert Prosky), who suggests he go to a small mountain community surrounded by lakes in the Valley of Light.

Noah begins to settle down in the small community where he befriends Matthew (Zach Mills), a mute boy who has lost his father, and Eleanor (Mol), a young widow whose husband committed suicide upon his own return from battle. Noah possesses an extraordinary gift for fishing and makes money selling his catch to the town's residents.

Matthew warms up to Noah and spends as much time as possible with him which eases the loneliness Noah has. Eleanor also begins to change as their friendship blossoms. Finally, Noah's life is taking a new direction until tragedy strikes the small community and he must decide if he really belongs there or should move on.

Chris Klein makes his television movie debut in this "Hallmark Hall of Fame" presentation. He made his acting debut in the feature film "Election," for which he received the Chicago Film Critics nomination as Most Promising Newcomer in 1999. The film also received a nomination for Best Picture at the Independent Spirit Awards. His additional film credits include "American Pie 2," "The United States of Leland," "Just Friends," "American Dreamz," "Say It Isn't So" and "Here on Earth." His upcoming projects include the independent films "The Good Life," which has been accepted into the 2007 Sundance Film Festival, "Day Zero" and "New York City Serenade." He starred on the stage in "This Is Our Youth" in London's West End.

Gretchen Mol's television credits include the series "Girls Club," the mini-series "Dead Man's Walk," and the television movie "Freshening Up." She made her feature film debut in the film "The Funeral." Her additional feature film credits include "Donnie Brasco," "The Last Time I Committed Suicide," "Celebrity," "Rounders," "Cradle Will Rock," "Sweet and Lowdown," "Forever Mine," "Puccini for Beginners" and "The Notorious Bettie Page." She played Roxie Hart in a Broadway production of "Chicago," and appeared on the stage in London and New York in productions of "The Shape of Things.

THE VALLEY OF LIGHT is a "Hallmark Hall of Fame" Production. Richard Welsh ("Back When We Were Grownups") is the executive producer. Andrew Gottlieb ("In Love and War") is the producer. Brent Shields ("The Magic of Ordinary Days") produced and directed from a script by Camille Thomasson ("The Magic of Ordinary Days").

Source: CBS Press Release