Gary Yates

Director · WriterActive 2011–2022

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Career at a glance

20Hallmark films

9 at Christmas

Audience rating6.4 / 10

across 20 rated films

Weirdness4.2 / 10

Mostly standard issue

Best reviewed

On the 12th Date of Christmas7.2

Most recent

Twas the Night Before Christmas2022

Gary Yates works behind the camera, and the network keeps handing him its December calendar. Across 23 films directed, written, or produced between 2011 and 2022, almost half are Christmas titles, and 13 land squarely in winter. The setting rarely strays far from a small town where everyone turns up for the tree lighting. He plays it straight rather than chasing anything high-concept, which is exactly the register this kind of movie wants. His best-reviewed picture is On the 12th Date of Christmas from 2020 at 7.2, with Christmas by Starlight close behind at 7.1 from the same year, and Tis the Season to be Merry a step back at 6.8. If you have ever settled in for a snowy December night and let the small town do its work, odds are good Gary Yates helped build it.

Follow & about Gary

From: Montreal

Gary Yates is a Canadian film director, producer, and screenwriter. His films include Seven Times Lucky, High Life, Niagara Motel and Taken in Broad Daylight. The latter, released in 2009, starred Sara Canning as Anne Sluti, James Van Der Beek, LeVar Burton, and was based on true events. The film was described as "another woman-In-peril TV movie".

From Wikipedia

Gary’s signature

Across 20 films, Gary usually leans into Christmas, frequently plays an executive and is usually set in small towns.

Christmas9 films
small towns9 films
an executive4 films
mistaken identity4 films
second-chance romance6 films

13 hours

13 hours of Hallmark Christmas movies, and counting.

Adds up across 9 festive titles.

Known for

A Bride for Christmas6.6

Director · 2012

Weirdness 2/10

Certified weird

A Dream of Christmas6.7

Director, Writer · 2016

Weirdness 8/10

On the 12th Date of Christmas7.2

Director · 2020

Weirdness 2/10

Christmas by Starlight7.1

Director · 2020

Weirdness 5/10

Merry & Bright6.4

Director · 2019

Weirdness 5/10

One Winter Weekend6.6

Director · 2018

Weirdness 4/10

On-screen partners

Frequent co-star

Gary’s most frequent on-screen partner is Paul Essiembre, with 7 films together.

Recurring roles

Gary is a recurring face in One Winter.

One Winter2 films

Where Gary fits in

The corners of the Hallmark universe Gary keeps turning up in. Each one is a full ranked guide.

All 20 movies

Newest first

2020s

6 films

2010s

14 films

Gary’s standouts

In pictures

A quick look at Gary’s Hallmark run — headshot and the posters fans know best.

Gary Yates

Gary’s creative circle

Go-to cast

Who Gary works with

The cast and crew Gary keeps ending up on set with — the regular faces you’ll recognise from one film to the next. Bigger circle, more films together.

Movies by year

Ratings profile

Average 6.4 across 20 rated movies — each dot is one film.