It’s been 21 years since Martha Williamson made history with her critically-acclaimed Touched By An Angel series on CBS. Before she was creating a show that pulled in an audience of over 20 million – an unheard of number in today’s ratings world – Williamson worked with everyone from Carol Burnett to Disney, writing for shows like The Facts of Life and The Family Man. The 25 year showbiz vet has a gift for producing quality entertainment that’s both family-friendly and thought-provoking, uplifting and at times, heart-breaking. She isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
Williamson’s latest project, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Signed Sealed Delivered series, is premiering its next installment, Truth Be Told, on September 13th . The story hits close to home for its talented producer.
Truth Be Told follows the journey of Oliver O’Toole (played by Ugly Betty star Eric Mabius) and his colleagues who take it upon themselves to find the intended recipients of undeliverable mail. In this installment of the series, O’Toole must face his strained relationship with his estranged father (One Tree Hill actor Gregory Harrison). He also sees the postal workers help a little girl discover what happened to her mother who went missing while serving overseas.
“There are two main stories being told in Truth Be Told but they both have the common theme of identity,” Williamson tells Guideposts.org. “What really truly matters when you ask about one’s identity? What do we do when we lose our way? Or when other people decide to tell us who we are?”
For Williamson, those answers came late in life when she discovered the man who raised her wasn’t her biological father. “That became a theme for me in many ways that demanded more of my faith, not just in terms of issues of forgiveness but also issues of identity,” Williamson says.
It also prompted her to begin work on Truth Be Told.
“What are the possibilities that open up to somebody when you have to reevaluate all of these things in your life that make you who you are? In Truth Be Told, there are some identity issues that our hero has to address because he takes so much pride in the history of his family and [he learns] how dangerous it is to hang your self-worth on those who came before you.”
For Williamson, finding her identity has meant forging her own path in the entertainment industry. The Colorado native reminisces on a time when she struggled with who she was and where she fit in.
“I’m this girl who went to school in Colorado. I had a weight problem and I went to a college where I didn’t have as much money as 90% of the kids there,” Williamson says of her early life. “I’m finally in a place where I can use my gift.”
She uses that gift to take on heavy issues, some Williamson even deals with in her personal life, and present them in a medium that’s entertaining and informative, encouraging and sobering.
The producer jokes that making her special brand of television is the best form of therapy.
“Once I started writing television, I didn’t need to see my therapist anymore because I was spilling my soul to millions of people,” Williamson says. “The bottom line is: every show, in one form or another, is an opportunity for me to work out my issues. [Truth Be Told] was no exception. It brought up issues with people, even as we were working on the set. I was so surprised that so many people took this show to heart and how deeply moved they were, not just from the script and the story but also from the utter commitment and craft that Gregory and Eric gave to this. I was so blessed and privileged to be able to hand them words that they raised to a higher level.”
Williamson ultimately hopes that the shows she’s behind can bring inspiration to people who find themselves constantly flipping through channels.
“We’ve spent so much time and energy and money in this industry finding new ways to push the envelope that the envelope has been torn to shreds,” Williamson says. “But the envelope can be reinvented and reclaimed and that’s what we’re trying to do. Remind people that you can have a great time on television with wonderful characters and good people and a great message and it’s not square or corny or dumb. It’s smart and romantic and thought-provoking.”
“My dad always said ‘Why even bother doing it if it’s not going to encourage people or uplift people?’ It’s such a simple thing. I personally don’t know how to do anything else.”
Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Truth Be Told premieres on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries September 13th.
