Every day is opening night.

Press Contact:
Rick Miramontez / Molly Barnett / Scott Braun
rick@oandmco.com / molly@oandmco.com / scott@oandmco.com
212-695-7400

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RICHARD GERE, CYNDI LAUPER,
CHAZZ PALMINTERI, PAUL SIMON, LUCIE ARNAZ,
AND NEW YORK YANKEES PAST & PRESENT
LEND THEIR VOICES TO THE
NEW ANIMATED BASEBALL FEATURE
“ H E N R Y   &   M E ”

NYC PREMIERE SET FOR AUGUST 18, 2014
DVD & DIGITAL LAUNCH ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2014

PROCEEDS FROM THE FILM TO BENEFIT
A COLLECTION OF CHARITIES

New York, NY (July 30, 2014) – Producer Joseph Avallone announced today the upcoming release of the animated feature film Henry & Me, a baseball-themed tale of a young cancer-stricken boy’s magical and life-changing experience with New York Yankees old and new.  The film, which features an all-star line-up of voices including Richard Gere, Cyndi Lauper, Chazz Palminteri, Lucie Arnaz, and Paul Simon, also includes Yankee greats Mariano Rivera, Reggie Jackson, Hideki Matsui, Yogi Berra, Jorge Posada, CC Sabathia, and Mark Teixeira, among others, and current Yankees manager Joe Girardi and co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner.  For more information, please visit www.HenryAndMeMovie.com.  

Henry & Me, inspired by the best-selling children’s books by Ray Negron, was written by David I. Stern, screenwriter of such animated features as Open Season 2 & 3 and the Annie Award-nominated Free Birds.  Barrett Esposito, winner of the Best Directorial Debut prize at the New York International Independent Film & Video Festival for his 2001 feature Mourning Glory, directs. 

Henry & Me will have its world premiere at the Ziegfeld Theater (141 W 54th St.) in New York City on August 18, 2014, as well as a limited theatrical engagement in partnership with Bow Tie Cinemas in New York City prior to its worldwide DVD and digital launch (Video On Demand, Amazon, iTunes, etc.) on September 9, 2014.  In an exclusive deal with the New York Yankees, it will be also sold at Yankee Stadium during all home games following the launch. 

A portion of the proceeds from the DVD and digital sales of Henry & Me will benefit a collection of participating charities including: Cyndi Lauper's True Colors Fund, St. Jude's, Lou Gehrig Society, Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center, Yankees Foundation, Jason Mraz Foundation, International Campaign for Tibet, Children’s Health Fund, NIMBY, The Max Cure Foundation, CC Sabathia’s Pitcch In Foundation, Joe Girardi’s Catch 25 Foundation, Harlem RBI, Leukemia Society,  Curtis Granderson’s Grand Kids Foundation, Sarah McLachlan’s Sarah School of Music, Pitch for a Cure, American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge, and many more.

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Henry & Me tells the heart-warming story of Jack, an 11 year-old baseball fan who finds himself magically transported from his hospital bed to an amazing world where he meets Yankee legends old and new (including , Babe Ruth, Lefty Gomez, Thurman Munson, and Mickey Mantle), and learns valuable lessons about baseball and the curveballs that life throws you.

The film stars Richard Gere in the title role of “Henry” with Chazz Palminteri as “Babe Ruth” and Austin Williams as “Jack.”  The film also stars Cyndi Lauper, Danny Aiello, Paul Simon, Lucie Arnaz, Joseph Gian, and Luis Guzman.  Hank Steinbrenner, the co-chairman of the Yankees organization, voices the role of his father, George Steinbrenner.  Present and former Yankees figures portray themselves in the film:  Hideki Matsui, CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada, Curtis Granderson, Nick Swisher, Reggie Jackson, Yogi Berra, Bernie Williams, Goose Gossage, Willie Randolph, John Sterling, Michael Kay, Joe Girardi, and Brian Cashman.

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