Carol Burnett Films Guest Appearance on Hallmark Channel's Signed, Sealed, Delivered

Carol Burnett.  Photo Credit: Hallmark Channel

Television's Queen of Comedy Carol Burnett puts a wrap on pal Martha Williamson and Hallmark Channel’s new original dramedy series, Signed, Sealed, Delivered. While fans will have to wait until late June to see the hilarious episode, Hallmark Channel whisked Ms. Burnett back to Los Angeles for a very special occasion: the icon's 81st birthday.

Burnett will guest star as the grandmother of irrepressible Norman Dorman (Geoff Gustafson), a core member of the quartet of untraditional mail detectives.

Season Premiere of 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered' Posts 1.6 Household Rating

Hallmark Channel's newest original scripted series, Signed, Sealed, Delivered, touched audiences on Sunday night, posting a 1.6 household rating with 1.414 million homes. Following the success of Cedar Cove, and When Calls the Heart, Hallmark Channel continues to build an audience for its original scripted episodic programming with the premiere telecast of Signed, Sealed, Delivered reaching over 2.1 million unduplicated viewers. In addition, the series debut ranked among the top 10 in key demo ratings for the Sunday 8-9 pm period, placing #3 in households (1.6 rating) and total viewers (.8 rating).

Carol Burnett to Guest Star on Hallmark Channel's 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered'

Actress Carol Burnett, one of America's most beloved and respected comediennes, has signed on as a special guest star on the highly-anticipated Season One Finale of SIGNED, SEALED DELIVERED, Hallmark Channel's new Original Primetime Series. The series, which premieres Sunday, April 20 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, stars Eric Mabius (UGLY BETTY), Kristin Booth (THE KENNEDYS), Crystal Lowe (SMALLVILLE) and Geoff Gustafson (PRIMEVAL: NEW WOLRD) and is Created and Executive Produced by Martha Williamson, best known as the Executive Producer behind the mega-hit TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL. Williamson and Burnett, who did a star turn on TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL, will be reunited for the first time since the series. In SIGNED, SEALED DELIVERED, Ms. Burnett will guest star as the grandmother of irrepressible #POstable "Norman Dorman (Gustafson)," a core member of the quartet of untraditional mail detectives.

Valerie Harper To Guest Star in SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED

TV legend Valerie Harper is set to guest star in Martha Williamson's
new Harllmark Channel series, SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED.
Photo Credit: Hallmark Channel

Hallmark Channel announces Golden Globe and four-time Emmy winning actress Valerie Harper (THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW, RHODA) has been cast to guest star in the first two episodes of Hallmark Channel’s newest Original Primetime Series, SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED, produced by Muse Entertainment in association with MoonWater Productions, the series is set to premiere Spring 2014. 

Created and Executive Produced by Martha Williamson, best known as the Executive Producer behind the mega-hit TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL, the scripted primetime show features a group of postal detectives, played by Eric Mabius (UGLY BETTY), Kristin Booth (THE KENNEDYS), Crystal Lowe (SMALLVILLE) and Geoff Gustafson (PRIMEVAL: NEW WORLD), who solve mysteries behind undeliverable letters and packages that can transform lives. Harper will portray their Supervisor, a revolving role that will feature other iconic guest stars in upcoming episodes.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Eric Mabius Previews 'SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED'

Eric Mabius as Oliver in SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED.
Photo Credit: Hallmark Channel

Eric Mabius brings a varied background to his work. He is the second of two sons of Craig and Elizabeth Mabius. Of Polish, Irish and Austrian ancestry, he was born in Pennsylvania, but spent much of his life in Massachusetts. He is best known for his role in the hit series UGLY BETTY, playing womanizing executive Daniel Meade.

A graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, he first came to the attention of movie fans with his film debut in Welcome to the Dollhouse. Since then, Mabius has taken on a wide variety of roles, avoiding being typecast. He earned favorable notice for his performance as a high school gang leader in Black Circle Boys, but is known for his role as a blackmailed prep school athlete in the box office smash Cruel Intentions. In 2012, Mabius starred in the Hallmark Channel Original Movies How to Fall in Love and Reading, Writing & Romance.

Mabius also starred in The Crow: Salvation, a sequel to the Brandon Lee film and appeared in the science fiction action film Resident Evil, as well as the BBC's OUTCASTS.

In Martha Williamson's SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED, premiering October 12 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, Mabius plays Oliver, the idiosyncratic leader of the small, but dedicated Dead Letters Office group. It's the story of a group of postal detectives whose mission is to deliver letters from the past and make sure they miraculously arrive just in the nick of time.

We Love Soaps recently caught up with Mabius to discuss his career and find out more about more SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED. Read our exclusive interview below.

WE LOVE SOAPS: You play Oliver in SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED and I really love this character. How would you describe him?
ERIC MABIUS: I feel like he's the kind of guy that all of us want to be, at least some parts of us. He tends to say the right thing at the right time. He's a bit of Cary Grant, like a nerdy Cary Grant. You get the sense that he's a guy who works because he wants to, and takes pride in what he does, but he doesn't have to. The character says when his superior tries to discipline him that he has "a pay grade higher than she could possibly imagine." I love that line. I think everyone would like to be in a position like that where they don't move up the corporate ladder because they choose not to, and are quite comfortable with where they are and passionate about what they do. It's something I really enjoyed exploring with Oliver. And it becomes infectious, certainly with his team of misfits that he runs.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Martha Williamson on Returning to TV with 'SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED'

Martha Williamson made television history when her CBS series, TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL set a new standard for an inspirational family drama when it grew to a weekly audience of over 20 million viewers and exploded into more than a billion dollar franchise during its initial 9-year run. As Executive Producer and Head Writer of the ground-breaking series, Williamson was the visionary who guided the show into previously uncharted territory with her unique brand of inspirational story telling that produced more than strong ratings; it changed lives. Correspondence from viewers reveals its continued impact as the series plays in syndication and DVD's worldwide. Williamson then sealed her place in history when she went on to become the first woman to solely executive-produce two one-hour dramas simultaneously, after creating and executive-producing PROMISED LAND, which aired for three years on CBS.

Williamson jumps back in to the TV fray as the Creator, Writer and Executive Producer of SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED, a Hallmark Channel Original Movie World Premiere on Saturday, October 12 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.   SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED will serve as the introduction to this inspiring, sometimes whimsical story of a group of postal detectives whose mission is to deliver letters from the past and make sure they miraculously arrive just in the nick of time.

Eric Mabius stars as Oliver, the idiosyncratic leader of the small, but dedicated Dead Letters Office group that also includes Kristin Booth as newcomer Shane, Crystal Loweas free-spirited Rita and Geoff Gustafson as oddly-intuitive Norman. These intrepid folks are like no postal workers you’ve ever seen before in that they are duty-bound to deliver the seemingly undeliverable. Their determination leads them out of the letter-sorting backroom and out into the world, where letters and packages from the past solve crimes, reunite lost loves and alter the futures of people who have no idea their lives are about to radically change. Daphne Zuniga co-stars as postal supervisor Andrea in a tale that leads off with the story of their efforts to clear the name of a wrongfully accused man as they try to reconnect him with his true love. You’ll want to watch Williamson’s unique vision and story concept only she could bring to television.

We Love Soaps recently caught up with Williamson to discuss her career and find out more about more SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED. Read our exclusive interview below.

WE LOVE SOAPS: Before we get to SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED, I have to ask you about working on THE FACTS OF LIFE. What was that experience like?
MARTHA WILLIAMSON: It was amazing coming into it, for a number of reasons. First, it was my very first job as a sitcom writer and my first experience on the staff of a television series. It the most fun I had ever had up until that point. To sit at a table with comedy writers, all I did every day was wake up and say, I get to go sit at a table and laugh all day long.

Second, I fell in love with the girls. They were really funny and interesting. It was amazing to watch them growing up and then spending those last three years with them. It was also when Charlotte Rae left and Cloris Leachman joined the show. Cloris is an Academy Award and Emmy Award-winning actress and is absolutely brilliant. I got to work with one of the best professional actors in the business and she taught all of us a great deal about commitment and detail.

Martha Williamson's SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED Picked Up To Series By Hallmark Channel

Hallmark Channel, the nation’s leading destination for quality family programming, announces today the coming together of two trusted brands of family entertainment with the series pickup of SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED from Executive Producer Martha Williamson. Series debuts in Q2, 2014 with 10 one-hour episodes. The Original Series is Created, Executive Produced and Written by Martha Williamson, acclaimed as Executive Producer of the long-running hit series, TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL and marks Williamson’s return to television.