ANYA'S BELL. Della Reese plays the title role in ANYA'S BELL, a
touching television movie about a unique friendship between a blind
woman and a dyslexic 12-year-old boy who each take it upon themselves
to teach and encourage the other to overcome their disabilities.
Kelly Rowan and Mason Gamble also star in the movie which was
originally broadcast as the "CBS Sunday Movie," Sunday, 31st October
1999 (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television network.

It's 1949 and Scott Rhymes (Mason Gamble) is caught cheating on a
spelling test in his sixth grade class. When his teacher calls in his
single mother, Jeanne (Rowan), for a conference, she informs her that
Scott will be held back a grade. When Jeanne learns that her son is
seated in what the teacher describes as the "dumb section" of his
class, she allows him to stay home from school for the short
remainder of the year.

Scott, meanwhile, works as a delivery boy for Taft's Drug Store. One
day, he delivers a prescription to an older woman named Anya Herpick
(Reese). He's thrilled when she accidentally pays him with a five
dollar bill rather than a one dollar bill, and walks out the door
without correcting her. But as he departs on his bike, his conscience
kicks in and he returns to tell Anya the truth. Impressed with his
honesty, Anya invites Scott into her home and shows him her
collection of bells -- a variety different sizes and sounds -- from
all over the world. It is then that Scott learns Anya is blind.

Intrigued with Anya's bells, Scott continues to visit his new friend.
He soon learns, however, that Anya's friend, Patrick Birmingham, is
helping her make arrangements to move away to a retirement home for
the blind, since her mother has passed away and
is no longer able to care for her. Unwilling to let her leave, Scott,
takes it upon himself to teach her how to use a rod-cane which will
allow her to get around on her own.

Meanwhile, Anya teaches Scott how to read braille, which he learns
easily. Concerned with Scott's difficulty with reading at school,
she eventually asks him to read a printed book to her. When he
confides that the words seem to be "jumbled around" on the page,
Anya's suspicions are confirmed -- that Scott is not the "retard"
that the kids have labeled him, but may have dyslexia, a then
little-known learning disability that had been diagnosed in her
friend Patrick. Their uncommon bond allows Anya to break through
Scott's fear in effort to find him help.

While never subtle "Anya's Bell" more than succeeds in its mission to
tug at the heartstrings. The filmmakers have done a handsome job of
recreating a Hollywood version of small town America, circa
1949.

Mason Gamble won an award at the 2000 Young Artist Awards for "Best
Performance in a TV Movie or a Pilot - Leading Young Actor" for his
protral of Scott Rhymes in Anya's Bell.

The film also picked up the 2000 Young Artist Awards for "Best Family
TV Movie or Pilot – Network".

While filming "Anya's Bell" in Salt Lake City, Mason Gamble flew back
and forth to Jackson, Miss. for a small role in the upcoming
feature "The Rising Palace."