Remembering Actor Ed Asner...

image: Hallmark Crown Media

Most of you probably heard the sad news over the weekend that actor Ed Asner passed away on August 29, 2021 at the age of 91. He was born on November 15, 1929 in Kansas City, Missouri to Morris David Asner and Lizzie Seliger. Asner was married twice and had four children: Matthew, Charles, Kate and Liza.

Ed Asner's passing was shared on social media Sunday morning with this message...

"We are sorry to say that our beloved patriarch passed away this morning peacefully. Words cannot express the sadness we feel. With a kiss on your head- Goodnight dad. We love you."

image: Hallmark Crown Media

To a lot of viewers, he is well known from the TV series: Lou Grant and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. However, to a younger generation, he is most well known as Santa Claus in the popular Christmas movie comedy Elf and his Hallmark movies: The Christmas Card (which is a beloved, true Hallmark Classic that pays tribute to our military serving in Afghanistan and the Vietnam War, Asner portrays a Veteran), Generation Gap (like The Christmas Card, this movie is another great tribute to the military), Out of the Woods (he portrays an eccentric Grandpa), Second Chances (Ed plays another heroic character, as retired fireman, Buddy), and Ed Asner has an important role in the All of My Heart trilogy of films, alongside Lacey Chabert and Brennan Elliott. (In fact, I just watched one of the All of My Heart movies last week, and I was thinking how wonderful it was that they were able to have his involvement in all three movies. There's a brief military tribute in this movie, as well. In the first All of My Heart movie, Ed's character shares that his older brother sadly died during the war.)

Actor Brennan Elliott shared this heartfelt tribute on social media...

"This man made everything funny no matter what he said or did! Being able to work with him was a treasured moment for me and everyone on our #aomhmovies. We lost a genius today who will be missed greatly. Keep them all laughing in heaven my friend! Miss you!"

If you take a look at Ed Asner's extensive career at IMDB, then you'll also see that he was planning to do several more projects that were in pre-production. Also, the movie Elf isn't the only time he portrayed Santa; Ed played Kris Kringle in... A StoryBots Christmas, Santa Stole Our Dog: A Merry Doggone Christmas!, Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas, Olive, the Other Reindeer, The Story of Santa Claus, Christmas on the Bayou, Murdoch Mysteries, and in an episode of Highway to Heaven! Asner did the voice work for many various animations, including: the Pixar movie, Up, plus, Daniel, in the lions' den, in the Adventures from the Book of Virtues and Joshua in Joshua and the Battle of Jericho.

Besides Elf and The Christmas Card (my personal favorite!), Ed Asner starred in many other notable Christmas movies that should be aired each year, but typically aren't... The Man Who Saved Christmas, The Christmas Star, The Gathering, Thomas Kinkade's Christmas Cottage, Yes Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus, Home Alone: The Holiday Heist, and Christmas on the Bayou!

We say goodbye now to this iconic TV legend, and we will fondly remember him each time we watch one of his many shows or movies replay on TV. My prayers go out now to his dear family and friends.

God bless, Net

Lacey Chabert and Brennan Elliott star in sequel "All of My Heart: Inn Love" - a Hallmark Channel Original "Fall Harvest" Movie!

MOVIE REVIEW

Movie: All of My Heart: Inn Love

Network: Hallmark Channel

Original Air Date: October 7, 2017

*This is a sequel to the Hallmark Channel original movie "All of My Heart" from 2015 - available on DVD! See where Jenny and Brian's story leads next in the storyline below!

Credit: Copyright 2017 Crown Media

CAST:

Lacey Chabert ... Jenny Fintley
Brennan Elliott ... Brian Howell
Daniel Cudmore ... Tommy
Heather Doerksen ... Casey
Ed Asner ... Vern
Sandy Sidhu ... VP of Operations
Serge Houde ... Mitchell
Gelsea Mae ... Sarah
Erika Walter ... Laura Bailey
Barbara Pollard ... Alice

PLOT:

Storyline via Hallmark: Brian and Jenny are engaged and preparing for the grand opening of their bed and breakfast. But when a big storm hits Bucks County, all their plans end up sopping wet! With funds running low and time running out, Brian agrees to go back to Wall Street to make quick cash, while Jenny scrambles to keep the opening on track.

More... When Jenny and Brian inherited a quaint bed and breakfast called Emily’s Inn the last thing they expected was to fall in love, especially since they are complete opposites. She’s an easygoing, caterer from Connecticut with a touch for conjuring up delicious dishes while he’s a hard-driving, Wall Street type with a knack for wheeling and dealing. Still, their chemistry is undeniable so they move to rural Pennsylvania to remodel their inn and eventually get married. But after a big storm proves the inn’s roof needs repair and their bills start to pile up, Brian jumps at the offer to do a few deals on Wall Street. Soon, he’s spending more time commuting on the train than with Jenny. Although romance is budding everywhere with the guests at Emily’s Inn, it’s fading fast between the inn’s proprietors.

Movie Review:

"Lacey Chabert and Brennan Elliott will win your heart over, once again, in “All of My Heart: Inn Love!” Seeing the next chapter in their love story, as Brian and Jenny’s relationship develops even further, was truly beautiful. I hardly felt, at all, like they were saying lines in a script. Everything seemed so real and natural. It flowed almost as if time had stood still – and here we are months later - watching Jenny and Brian live out their dream of opening the B&B, Emily’s Country Inn!

All the sweet giggles (mostly from Lacey!) and special little looks between them- was all such a joy to watch! Seeing Brian doing his best to fix things around the home was, as expected, very sweet and comical, at times. The adorable goats were also back (albeit a different color) playing in the yard or in the barn. I loved when Brian gave them his old spreadsheets to eat… so cute! It exemplified, at that moment in the story, that his stockbroker days were through.

Also returning, was much of the original cast, which was amazing, including: Casey (Heather Doerksen), Jenny’s friend from the coffee shop, Tommy (Daniel Cudmore), Brian’s helpful handyman guide and friend from the General Store, Vern (Edward Asner), the older man who sits outside on the bench of the General Store, Rusty (Drew Tanner), the mechanic, who hangs around the General Store giving Brian sometimes odd, yet good advice, Harry (Patrick Sabongui), Brian’s stock broker friend/co-worker, plus, Alice (Barbara Pollard), who is the dear next door neighbor and friend!

There was, however, one role in the movie that was noticeably quite different, and that was the inn, itself. Unfortunately, the original gorgeous country farmhouse was already booked for another filming project and could not be used. I know many “All of My Heart” fans (myself included), sincerely missed that first stunning grand home, up on the hill, which was specially painted green in the first movie, by Brian and Jenny. The new home was lovely, too, but very blue, and just… well…, it just didn’t have the same unique charm about it. But, I did my best to overlook that, which was (I admit) hard sometimes and other times… easy to do- since Lacey and Brennan were such a delight to watch!

In “All of My Heart: Inn Love” just as Brian and Jenny are about to open the Inn, pouring more and more money into their dream, a storm hits the B&B, and the old roof doesn’t hold off the downpour of rain. Even though Brian obtains help from their friend Tommy, from the General Store, to help fix the roof, restoration isn’t cheap, and a chance encounter with an old colleague at the local fall harvest festival, while serving muffins, is all Brian needs – as he gets a taste of his old life in New York and gets a foot back in the door. Jenny holds down the fort, so to speak, opening the inn alone, as Brian travels back and forth, returning to his job as a Stock Broker in New York, as he’s doing his best to earn the money they so desperately need to keep the B&B afloat.

The long hours of work and separation start to take a big toll on both of them and their relationship. Can Brian and Jenny make this work, after all? They both come to a fork in the road in their relationship and must decide which way to turn. Will their engagement withstand the distance between them?

(***SPOILER ALERT***)

If you know Hallmark movies well enough… then you must know there is, of course, a happy resolution! I think you will love where Brian and Jenny’s story leads. I’m not going to say “ends”! In fact, after Brian proposes to Jenny once again, at the conclusion of “All of My Heart: Inn Love,” he says… “This is just the beginning!”

And, of course, so many of us devoted “All of My Heart” fans are hopeful for another movie in this series… perhaps Brian and Jenny’s wedding!!!"

(***END of SPOILER***)

See or Skip:

Absolutely a must see! Lacey Chabert and Brennan Elliott will win your heart over, once again, in “All of My Heart: Inn Love!” A delightful, family-friendly, romantic comedy movie - for all ages!



DVD / Streaming Video:

The original "All of My Heart" movie is available on DVD!

or Streaming Video - Watch HERE!



The Sequel "All of my Heart: Inn Love" is available on DVD!



*images above via: Hallmark Crown Media Family Networks

Lacey Chabert and Brennan Elliott star in the Hallmark Channel Movie: ALL OF MY HEART

MOVIE REVIEW

Movie: All Of My Heart

Previously Titled: My Better Half

Network: Hallmark Channel

Original Air Date: February 14, 2015

CAST:

Lacey Chabert ... Jenny
Brennan Elliott ... Brian
Greyston Holt ... Daryl
Daniel Cudmore ... Tommy
Ed Asner ... Vern
Heather Doerksen ... Casey

PLOT:

via Hallmark: When a young woman inherits half of a house, she picks up her life and moves to the country to start fresh. The man that owns the other half of the house wants to sell it, but over time, develops a friendship and possibly more with the woman. That's when her ex-boyfriend comes to win her back.

more: A young caterer's life suddenly changes course when she inherits a country home and learns she must share it with a career-obsessed Wall Street trader.

Movie Review:

Coming...


See or Skip:

Coming...

"on set" image

"on set" image

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Christmas on the Bayou - Lifetime Christmas Movie

MOVIE REVIEW

Christmas on the Bayou

Also known as: Papa Noel

Network: Lifetime

Original Air Date: December 14, 2013

CAST:

Hilarie Burton
Tyler Hilton
Markie Post
Randy Travis
Ed Asner
Brody Rose

 

 

PLOT:

“Emotionally scarred by a failed marriage, KATHERINE has plunged into her successful career as a NYC marketing executive, but her workaholic ways are taking a toll on her 7 year old son, ZACK. Concerned over Zack’s increasing disaffection, Katherine decides they will spend Christmas in her home town in Louisiana’s bayou country, where her mother, LILLY, is soon match making with a vengeance. When CALEB, Katherine’s old admirer, tries to convince Katherine to marry him and move home, Katherine is torn between the bright lights of the big city and the quiet, gentler rhythms of her Southern roots. A ravaging storm seems to point the way back to Manhattan, until a Christmas miracle, orchestrated by the mysterious PAPA NOEL, convinces Katherine that her heart belongs back in the bayou where she was raised…”


Movie Review:

Coming...

Just wanted to let you know... this movie is being promoted as a family-oriented Christmas movie.


See or Skip:

Coming...

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*Images via: Lifetime


ON SET pics:

Images via: www.fanpop.com
& https://twitter.com/JeffRoseTV

Images via: www.fanpop.com
& https://twitter.com/JeffRoseTV