Chevy Chase Stars in Ion’s ‘A Vermont Christmas Vacation’

Ion Television has scheduled five new original Christmas season movies for the holiday season. Chevy Chase kicks things off with A Vermont Christmas Vacation Nov. 27, in which he stars alongside Howard Hesseman, Morgan Fairchild and others. Hybrid Films produces the movie, about a woman sent to shut down a small company in Vermont, only to find it’s the lifeblood of its town.

Chase of course starred in the Vacation film franchise.

A Firehouse Christmas airs Dec. 3 and features Anna Hutchison. An ex-Olympic hockey star and his firefighter girlfriend see their Christmas plans upended by his soon to be ex, who is selling a book on relationship tips. Odyssey Media produces and Reel One Entertainment distributes.

A Cinderella Christmas airs Dec. 4 and sees an event planner and a wealthy playboy fall in love. MarVista Entertainment produces that one.

Christmas with the Andersons premieres Dec. 10 and sees a couple reassess their annual Christmas bash when both partners face economic hardship. MarVista also produces that film.

On Dec. 11, it’s A Husband For Christmas, with Vivica A. Fox, Dominique Swain and Eric Roberts in the cast. Two graphic designers in a soon-to-be-merged company help one another by agreeing to a loveless marriage of convenience. A spark of love may, in fact, ensure. Hybrid Films produces.

“Our original holiday programming has become an important seasonal destination for both viewers and advertisers,” said Brandon Burgess, chairman and CEO of ION Media Networks. “It’s also a key piece of our overall Ion Television strategy, as we constantly look for the most effective ways to reach and engage our target audience.”

Last year’s A Christmas Mystery was the network’s highest rated original movie of the year with 1.5 million total viewers, according to Ion.

Michael Malone

Michael Malone, senior content producer at B+C/Multichannel News, covers network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television. He hosts the podcasts Busted Pilot, about what’s new in television, and Series Business, a chat with the creator of a new program, and writes the column “The Watchman.” He joined B+C in 2005. His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Playboy and New York magazine.