opens in theaters, texas-wide, february 17, 2012

TWENTY8 Entertainment presents….
THE INSPIRATIONAL TRUE STORY OF RICHARD WALLRATH
THAT PROVES…
FAITH BRINGS SECOND CHANCES
STARRING- JON GRIES, ELAINE HENDRIX, DB SWEENEY & VAL KILMER
OPENS IN THEATERS, TEXAS-WIDE, FEBRUARY 17, 2012
Running Time: 113 min.
Rated: PG-13 – for some thematic elements which may be too
intense for children under 13-yrs. of age
MEDIA/MARKETING contacts:
-Bob Angelotti
angelcom media group
972.529.5130
[email protected]
- Lori Lenz
Biscuit Media
714.553.5181
[email protected]
-David Weeks
-Suzannne Erickson
Weeks & Company
512.413.6655 - David
[email protected]
512.751.7235 - Suzanne
[email protected]
www.deepintheheartmovie.com
SYNOPSIS
DEEP IN THE HEART is the true Texas story of Richard
Wallrath, whose personal demons caused him to hit rock
bottom.
Deep In The Heart stars Jon Gries (Napoleon Dynamite,
Taken), Elaine Hendrix (The Parent Trap, Inspector Gadget 2),
DB Sweeney (The Cutting Edge, Fire In The Sky) and Val Kilmer
(Top Gun, Tombstone, Batman Forever, The Saint) star in this
touching true story from writers, Brian A. Hoffman (corked!) &
Josh Fasulo and director Christopher Cain (Young Guns, Pure
Country 1&2).
After losing everything – job, family, and hope – Dick found the
strength through faith that made him realize a strong family
and the love of his children were the measure of a man's
success.
With his sons, he went on to build a successful business and
used his success to become the highest all-time individual donor
to Texas 4-H and FFA (Future Farmers of America) providing
educational scholarships.
This is a story of finding lost faith, love of family, and ultimately
redemption.
Faith brings second chances along with the opportunity to do
great things. Wallrath had his second chance and made the most
of it.
Wallrath’s story proves hope is found DEEP IN THE HEART.
Deep In The Heart is produced by Brian A. Hoffman (corked!)
and Scott Duthie (Rivers End, Pure Country 2) and is executive
produced by Jay Hoffman (September Dawn, Pure Country 2).
Director of photography is Ian Ellis (TV’s Friday Night Lights).
Editor is Cary Gries (Humble Pie). Production designer is
Rodney Becker (A Scanner Darkly). Costume designer is
LeeAnn Radeka (The Hitcher).
Dick’s story
The story of Richard “Dick” Wallrath’s life is one of inspirational
proportions, not because he has overcome the depths of severe
alcoholism or because he lost his family, business, faith, and
reason for living due to his uncontrollable drinking, or that he
was at the precipice of suicide, or that he suffered the tragic
death of his youngest child to cancer, but rather because of all
this, and much more.
Dick Wallrath has had, in many ways, a very American life. He
overcame extreme circumstances, largely of his own making, to
become a great American success story. He has dedicated his
life of sobriety (44 years and counting…) to helping others by
way of providing hundreds of scholarships to Texas 4H and FFA
high school students to attend college. He has spent everyday of
sobriety trying to mend his broken family and overcome years
of separation in order to reunite with his children and
grandchildren.
Wallrath established the Richard Wallrath Educational
Foundation in 2006. He has a passion for investing in the lives
of 4H and FFA students, which he believes will be the “future
leaders” of our nation. Through Dick’s generosity, this
Foundation funds 142 $10,000.00 scholarships annually to
High School students who are enrolled in Texas Universities.
Dick currently lives on his 6,000-acre ranch located in
Centerville, Texas. Wallrath has five children, eleven
grandchildren, and eleven great grandchildren. His two sons,
Mike and Dan, who also live on the ranch, run the day-to-day
operations. Dick’s daughter, Pamela, who lives in Arlington,
Texas, manages the Educational Foundation. His other
daughter, Joni, lives in Mason, Texas and Dina, passed away
from cancer in 1992.
His life can truly happen “only in America” and his patriotism,
love of country, faith in God, and undying Texas spirit is at the
core of his comeback from a knock down drunk who lost
everything to a very successful Texas businessman who prides
himself on treating everyone with fairness and respect in which
he demands in return.
Deep In The Heart is the story of his journey, “whisky bumps”
and all.
About the Cast
Jon Gries (Dick) - A native of Glendale, CA, veteran actor Jon
Gries has appeared in a number of feature films including Real
Genius, Running Scared, Get Shorty, Jackpot, and The
Astronaut Farmer. Gries is perhaps best known for his role of
Uncle Rico in Napoleon Dynamite, in which he was nominated
for an Independent Spirit Award. In television, he played Broots
in NBC’s The Pretender for four seasons. He recurred on ABC’s
Lost, playing Roger Linus. He also recently directed the
independent feature Pickin’ & Grinnin’.
Elaine Hendrix (Patsy) - Born in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Elaine
Hendrix spent her early years in nearby Knoxville and
Morristown. At 15 she moved with her divorced mother to
Atlanta, Georgia, where she attended the Northside School of
Performing Arts. She started her professional career as a
dancer and model but gave up dance after she was hit by a car
while bicycling. She officially moved to Los Angeles in 1992 and
had an agent within a month. She worked her way from
commercials to TV guest shots to a starring role on the 1995
Fox revival of "Get Smart" (1995) to features. A member of
Women in Film, Women in Theatre and Women of Los Angeles.
Val Kilmer (The Bearded Man)- Born in Los Angeles, California.
Studied at Hollywood's Professional's School and, in his teens,
entered Julliard’s drama program. His professional acting
career began on stage, and he still participates in theater; he
played Hamlet at the 1988 Colorado Shakespeare Festival. His
film debut was in the 1984 spoof, Top Secret! (1984), wherein
he starred as blond rock idol, Nick Rivers. He was in a number
of films throughout the 1980s, including a co-starring role in the
1986 smash, Top Gun (1986). Despite his obvious talent and
range, it wasn't until his astonishingly believable performance
as Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone's The Doors (1991) that the
world sat up and took notice.
Kilmer again put his good baritone to use in the movie,
performing all of the concert pieces. Since then, he has played
two more American legends to much acclaim, Elvis Presley in
True Romance (1993) and Doc Holliday in Tombstone, as well as
the iconic figures of Batman in Batman Forever (1995), Simon
Templer in The Saint (1997) and the voice of Moses in the 1998
animated classic, The Prince of Egypt.
DB Sweeney (Michael) - DB Sweeney was born November 14,
1961, in Shoreham, New York. Before he thought about acting
he wanted to be a professional baseball player, but a motorcycle
accident ended that dream. He graduated from Tulane
University. He has made four theater appearances on both
Broadway and in L.A. productions. He first started out with
small roles, gradually increasing the size of his parts as he
began appearing in mini-series and TV shows. He has been a
voice for two Disney children movies. His love of baseball did
land him two memorable roles, playing Shoeless Joe Jackson in
Eight Men Out and a baseball coach in Hard Ball. He has
appeared in science-fiction movies including Fire in the Sky
(1993) and he appealed to female fans in the romantic, The
Cutting Edge (1992), in which he played an ex-hockey player
turned figure skater. That role led to his playing hockey in
celebrity games. Recently he has moved from actor to
writer/director with his film Dirt Nap, which has been a big hit
at film festivals. He is married and has two children.
James Haven (Gary) - James Haven is the son of Jon Voight
and Marcheline Bertrand, and his sister is Angelina Jolie. He
studied filmmaking at USC School of Cinema-Television. While
attending USC, he won a George Lucas award for directing a
student film, which included his sister, Angelina.
Rheagan Wallace (Deede)- Rheagan Wallace was born in Dallas,
Texas and had a brief recurring role as Georgia Huffington on
the television series 7th Heaven. Her other television credits
include CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, ER, That's So Raven,
Malcolm in the Middle, NYPD Blue, Judging Amy , and Walker,
Texas Ranger, among other series.
About the Filmmakers
Christopher Cain (Director): Known for directing such films as
Young Guns, The Stone Boy, Pure Country 1&2, and September
Dawn, Christopher Cain has had an illustrious career. He is
married to Sharon Thomas. They have two sons, Roger and
Dean Cain and one daughter, Krisinda Cain Schafer.
Brian A. Hoffman (Writer/Producer), produced and co-wrote
the critically acclaimed wine-country comedy, corked!, in 2008.
A favorite with critics and on the festival circuit, corked!
garnered audience awards at film festivals in France and
California. Brian has a Bachelors Degree in Film Production
from Brooks in Montecito, California and has worked for 20th
Century Fox and on many films including Taken, Sideways, and
Ray.
Jay Hoffman (Executive Producer): In 1986, Mr. Hoffman
established a political strategy and foreign policy issues
consulting firm where he represented clients from Taiwan,
Japan, Russia, Philippines, South Africa, Bangladesh, and the
Middle East. He produced several television documentaries that
provided a balanced analysis of the most controversial foreign
policy matters facing the American public at the time. Mr.
Hoffman also has produced several full-length feature films
including the documentary “Lt. Dan Band: For The Common
Good,” (featuring Gary Sinise). Producing credits include, Pure
Country 2 (George Strait), Mother of Normandy, September
Dawn (Jon Vought, Dean Cain), and corked! (with Brian A.
Hoffman).