Ben-Nadav Hafri

Christmas movies always do well. And there was one Stan loved. Christmas in Connecticut.

Christmas movies always do well. And there was one Stan loved. Christmas in Connecticut.

He got a writer to work up the script.

He got a writer to work up the script.

This is Janet Brownell, one of the all-time great bards of TV movies. Writer on Eloise at the Plaza, 12 Dates of Christmas, Days of Our Lives, and the uncredited rewrite of Tim Allen's The Santa Claus. All Brownell. She loved the original Christmas in Connecticut.

This is Janet Brownell, one of the all-time great bards of TV movies. Writer on Eloise at the Plaza, 12 Dates of Christmas, Days of Our Lives, and the uncredited rewrite of Tim Allen's The Santa Claus. All Brownell. She loved the original Christmas in Connecticut.

Janet wrote a draft of the script for Stan's remake.

Janet wrote a draft of the script for Stan's remake.

It's the middle of 1991. In Hollywood, Janet and Stan's low budget television movie remake isn't really the sort of thing to get people talking, but they're making progress. He's got the old school movie star Diane Cannon cast in the lead as the Martha Stewart character and an offer out to a director. And then one day, his phone rings. His assistant says it's a big Hollywood agent named Lou Pitt.

It's the middle of 1991. In Hollywood, Janet and Stan's low budget television movie remake isn't really the sort of thing to get people talking, but they're making progress. He's got the old school movie star Diane Cannon cast in the lead as the Martha Stewart character and an offer out to a director. And then one day, his phone rings. His assistant says it's a big Hollywood agent named Lou Pitt.

Lou Pitt, legendary agent to Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Lou Pitt, legendary agent to Arnold Schwarzenegger.

To be clear, Arnold had just finished shooting James Cameron's epic Terminator 2.

To be clear, Arnold had just finished shooting James Cameron's epic Terminator 2.

Terminator 2 is the one where Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a killer cyborg sent from the future to protect young John Connor from a different killer cyborg also sent from the future to kill him. As you can imagine, such a plot necessitates a lot of elaborate production work. It was moviemaking on a scale that was practically unheard of, especially in Los Angeles.

Terminator 2 is the one where Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a killer cyborg sent from the future to protect young John Connor from a different killer cyborg also sent from the future to kill him. As you can imagine, such a plot necessitates a lot of elaborate production work. It was moviemaking on a scale that was practically unheard of, especially in Los Angeles.

Anyways, back to Stan and Lou, the agent.

Anyways, back to Stan and Lou, the agent.

Arnold Schwarzenegger was 44 years old. He had two kids. Nobody is an action hero forever. Maybe it was time to explore some alternatives.

Arnold Schwarzenegger was 44 years old. He had two kids. Nobody is an action hero forever. Maybe it was time to explore some alternatives.