Christmas movies filmed in Hamilton
They make Christmas movies all over the place, and that includes Hamilton.
Half a dozen or so filmed in the city this past year alone.
Here is a list of some holiday movies that you might have seen and say to yourself, that looks like ...
The Christmas Parade (2014)
A famous talk show host (Anna Lynne McCord) prepares for the holiday season by working hard on her TV show and finds out her boyfriend (Drew Scott, one of the Property Brothers) is cheating on her. She takes off, has a car accident in a small town and winds up helping a man (Jefferson Brown) build a float for the town's annual Christmas parade. Filmed in Hamilton (The old Spectator building on Frid Street) and in Dundas.
Charming Christmas (2015)
When a young businessperson (Julie Benz) plays Mrs. Claus at her family's department store over Christmas, her life begins to see some changes. Based on the book The Secret Life of Mrs. Claus' (which was its original title). Filmed in Dundas.
Christmas Incorporated (2015)
A young woman (Shenae Grimes-Beech) lands a new job via mistaken identity and her first assignment is to go with her boss on a trip to save a toy factory. Filmed in Hamilton and St. George.
The Christmas Cure (2017)
An ER doctor (Brooke Nevin) returns home at Christmastime to learn her doctor-father (Patrick Duffy of Dallas" fame) is retiring. She has to decide whether she will return to her big hospital job or stay and take over her father's practice. Filmed in Dundas.
The Christmas Chronicles (2018)
A boy and a girl go on an unexpected journey after they attempt to take a photograph of Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. Filmed in downtown Hamilton.
The Santa Squad (2020)
An out-of-work teacher takes a job with the Santa Squad to lift the spirits of a widower and his two daughters. Filmed in east Hamilton and Ancaster. Made for Lifetime.
A Christmas Break (2020)
A school teacher (Cindy Sampson) wants to make Christmas special for her students after the school board announces it has decided to close their school. Filmed in Hamilton and Ancaster. Made for Lifetime.
The Enchanted Christmas (2020)
A young woman (Erica Durance) is trying to figure out her late grandmother's magical recipe for a legendary enchanted Christmas cake, at the same time struggling to run her bakery shop and get back in the Christmas spirit. Filmed in downtown Hamilton and Ancaster. Filmed for Lifetime.
Christmas at Mistletoe Lake (2021)
A story about a girl and a Christmas Festival on the water. The movie was filmed this past October in Hamilton, Caledonia and St. Catharines. Made for Lifetime.
The Hamilton Aviary will appear in an episode of Murdoch Mysteries."
The CBC detective show was filming at the Westdale attraction during the first week of December.
It appeared to be night scenes. A neighbour reported seeing huge lights illuminating the aviary area one evening. A Model T vehicle was parked near the set. The aviary, part of Churchill Park, is Canada's oldest public aviary.
Yannick Bisson, who plays Toronto Detective William Murdoch in the series set at the turn of the 20th Century, said on his Instagram account on Dec. 6, the show had halted filming for the Christmas holidays.
While Hamiltonians may see Murdoch back filming here in the new year, they will not see Frankie Drake Mysteries." The companion show to Murdoch, involving a woman private investigator (Lauren Lee Smith) in 1920s Toronto was not renewed by the CBC this year. The show shot in various Hamilton locales such as Westfield Heritage Village.
The show featured Hamilton actress Sharron Matthews, who played a morgue attendant. The show premiered in 2017.
We've all gone through so many different things during these last four years, and we have all been so there for each other ... this whole job was such a gift," Matthews said in a statement.
Daniel Nolan is a freelance writer who writes about film for The Hamilton Spectator. He can be reached at dannolanwrites@gmail.com