Real-Life WCTH Loss Devastates Cast: ‘It Doesn’t Feel Real’
He was not on the list.
The When Calls the Heart family is mourning the loss of one of their own. Neill Fearnley, one of the show’s directors, passed away on July 13, 2024, following a long battle with ALS.
Hallmark announced his death on Instagram, writing in a statement: “Hearties, it’s with profound heavy hearts today that we bid farewell to When Calls the Heart director Neill Fearnley, who passed away on July 13 after a long fight with ALS. Neill was vital to making When Calls the Heart the beloved show it is today, and he will be sorely missed by the entire Heartie community and everyone who had the honor of knowing him❤️.”
Tributes to the late director have begun to pour in, including several from the When Calls the Heart cast. Erin Krakow, who stars as Elizabeth Thatcher, shared photos of her and Fearnley dancing on the set of Elizabeth and Jack’s Season 5 wedding. In the caption, she penned a lengthy, emotional message. “Neill loved directing. He loved being on set. And he loved @wcth_tv. He cared so deeply for all of us. He was always so protective of Elizabeth – and of the girl playing her. In fact his very first text message to me encouraged me not to wear a corset for a stunt scene. There he was, quietly looking out for me,” she wrote in part. “I wish we’d had more time together. It doesn’t feel real that he’s gone. But Neill’s memory will remain in my heart. And I’ll care twice as big in his honor.”
Andrea Brooks, who portrays Faith Carter, also dedicated a tribute to Fearnley. “Thank you for the many years of collaboration and guidance. We’ll miss you, Neill. Rest in peace. ������️������,” she captioned a black-and-white photo of her and Fearnley posing with other members of the cast. Loretta Walsh shared the same photo and included a touching tribute in her caption. “Neill – we love you. What a joy to get to know you and work with you for over a decade ❤️,” the actress, who plays Florence Blakeley, wrote. She added: “Thank you for your collaboration, your wit, your kindness and your artistry – You are already deeply missed by many! My deepest condolences to Neill’s family, friends and all those who love him…of which there are many ❤️������.”
For his part, Kevin McGarry, who stars as Elizabeth’s current romantic interest Nathan Grant, shared a video of the cast and crew honoring Fearnley while filming the upcoming Season 12. In the clip, a woman tells the group: “This is dedicated to our North Star, Neill Fearnley … he wanted everyone to have a minute of loudness and ruckus and fun in celebration of him.” She and other crew members then released a gold star balloon into the sky as everyone began to clap and cheer for Fearnley. McGarry captioned the post simply: “Neill❤️.”
Other cast members who paid tribute include Natasha Burnett, Ben Rosenbaum, Pascale Hutton and Kayla Wallace. “An incredible director and wonderful soul. Rest easy. You will be very much missed,” Wallace, who starred as Fiona Miller for seasons 6-10, wrote on her Instagram Story.
Fearnley directed nearly 50 episodes of the hit Hallmark show. The last episode he ever directed was “Tomorrow Never Knows,” which was the second episode of Season 11. In addition to When Calls the Heart, Fearnley directed a handful of Hallmark movies, including A Ruby Herring Mystery, Garage Sale Mysteries, The Wedding March and Autumn Dreams. He also worked on the Andie MacDowell-led series Cedar Cove, which ran from 2013 to 2015.
The Adventure’s of Sinbad, Highlander, 21 Jump Street, The Net and Poltergeist: The Legacy are just some of the many non-Hallmark credits to the industry legend’s name.
When Calls the Heart is available to stream on Peacock.
Director
Lori Loughlin, Jack Wagner, Daniel Lissing, and Erin Krakow
in When Calls the Heart (2014)
When Calls the Heart
7.9
TV Series
Director
2014–2024
47 episodes
A Ruby Herring Mystery (2019)
A Ruby Herring Mystery
6.6
TV Series
Director
2020
1 episode
Garage Sale Mysteries (2013)
Garage Sale Mysteries
7.3
TV Series
Director
2017–2020
8 episodes
Josie Bissett and Jack Wagner in The Wedding March (2016)
The Wedding March
6.2
TV Movie
Director
2016
Colin Egglesfield and Jill Wagner in Autumn Dreams (2015)
Autumn Dreams
6.4
TV Movie
Director
2015
Cedar Cove (2013)
Cedar Cove
6.9
TV Series
Director
2013–2015
8 episodes
A Gift of Miracles (2015)
A Gift of Miracles
6.3
TV Movie
Director
2015
R.L. Stine's the Haunting Hour (2010)
R.L. Stine's the Haunting Hour
7.9
TV Series
Director
2010–2014
26 episodes
Katie Douglas, Nick Purcha, and Keean Johnson in Spooksville
(2013)
Spooksville
7.6
TV Series
Director
2013–2014
4 episodes
Adam Beach and Pascale Hutton in Arctic Air (2012)
Arctic Air
6.9
TV Series
Director
2013
2 episodes
Billy Ray Cyrus and Gina Holden in Christmas Comes Home to
Canaan (2011)
Christmas Comes Home to Canaan
5.6
TV Movie
Director
2011
Daphne Zuniga, Dan Payne, and Gina Holden in A Family
Thanksgiving (2010)
A Family Thanksgiving
6.3
TV Movie
Director
2010
Tales of an Urban Indian
7.7
TV Movie
Director
2009
Christmas in Canaan (2009)
Christmas in Canaan
6.9
TV Movie
Director
2009
Encounter with Danger (2009)
Encounter with Danger
4.8
TV Movie
Director (directed by)
2009
Dina Meyer, Christopher Russell, and Marc Menard in The Boy
Next Door (2008)
The Boy Next Door
4.9
TV Movie
Director
2008
Laura Leighton in Daniel's Daughter (2008)
Daniel's Daughter
6.0
TV Movie
Director
2008
Flash Gordon: A Modern Space Opera (2007)
Flash Gordon: A Modern Space Opera
4.8
TV Series
Director (as Neil Fearnley)
2007
1 episode
The Bad Son (2007)
The Bad Son
5.3
TV Movie
Director (as Neil Fearnley)
2007
Gina Philips, Ellie Harvie, and Warren Christie in My Baby
Is Missing (2007)
My Baby Is Missing
5.1
TV Movie
Director (as Neil Fearnley)
2007
A Decent Proposal (2007)
A Decent Proposal
3.9
TV Movie
Director (as Neil Fearnley)
2007
Jolene Blalock in I Dream of Murder (2006)
I Dream of Murder
4.7
TV Movie
Director
2006
Vivica A. Fox, Mark Consuelos, and Caterina Scorsone in
1-800-Missing (2003)
1-800-Missing
6.4
TV Series
Director
2004–2006
6 episodes
Marla Sokoloff in Christmas in Boston (2005)
Christmas in Boston
6.1
TV Movie
Director
2005
Joe Flanigan, David Hewlett, Torri Higginson, Rachel
Luttrell, Paul McGillion, Jason Momoa, and Mitch Pileggi in Stargate: Atlantis
(2004)
Stargate: Atlantis
8.1
TV Series
Director (as Neil Fearnley)
2005
1 episode
Erinn Hayes and Chris Diamantopoulos in Behind the Camera:
The Unauthorized Story of Mork & Mindy (2005)
Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Mork &
Mindy
6.5
TV Movie
Director (as Neil Fearnley)
2005
The Clinic (2004)
The Clinic
5.9
TV Movie
Director
2004
Yancy Butler in Witchblade (2001)
Witchblade
6.4
TV Series
Director
2001–2002
5 episodes
Wendie Malick in Strange Frequency 2 (2002)
Strange Frequency 2
5.4
TV Movie
Director
2002
Luke Perry and Malcolm-Jamal Warner in Jeremiah (2002)
Jeremiah
7.0
TV Series
Director
2002
3 episodes
Tracker (2001)
Tracker
6.0
TV Series
Director
2001
1 episode
Strange Frequency (2001)
Strange Frequency
6.5
TV Series
Director
2001
A Nero Wolfe Mystery (2001)
A Nero Wolfe Mystery
8.4
TV Series
Director
2001
2 episodes
Inside the Osmonds (2001)
Inside the Osmonds
5.9
TV Movie
Director
2001
L.B. Fisher, Jeff Geddis, Aaron Lohr, and George Stanchev in
Daydream Believers: The Monkees Story (2000)
Daydream Believers: The Monkees Story
6.1
TV Movie
Director
2000
Cameron Daddo, Suki Kaiser, and Max Peters in Hope Island
(1999)
Hope Island
7.8
TV Series
Director
1999–2000
4 episodes
The Outer Limits (1995)
The Outer Limits
7.7
TV Series
Director
1995–2000
9 episodes
Ted Atherton, Yannick Bisson, and Sarah Chalke in Nothing
Too Good for a Cowboy (1998)
Nothing Too Good for a Cowboy
6.9
TV Series
Director
1999
3 episodes
Poltergeist: The Legacy (1996)
Poltergeist: The Legacy
6.9
TV Series
Director
1996–1999
2 episodes
The Wonderful World of Disney (1997)
The Wonderful World of Disney
7.4
TV Series
Director
1999
1 episode
Peter Outerbridge in Escape from Mars (1999)
Escape from Mars
4.4
TV Movie
Director
1999
Jayne Heitmeyer, Anita La Selva, Robert Leeshock, and Leni
Parker in Earth: Final Conflict (1997)
Earth: Final Conflict
6.2
TV Series
Director
1998–1999
5 episodes
The Net (1998)
The Net
6.1
TV Series
Director
1998–1999
Christina Cox, Cameron Daddo, and Jacqueline Torres in F/X:
The Series (1996)
F/X: The Series
6.6
TV Series
Director
1998
2 episodes
Dead Man's Gun (1997)
Dead Man's Gun
6.9
TV Series
Director
1997–1998
3 episodes
Johnny 2.0 (1997)
Johnny 2.0
5.3
TV Movie
Director
1997
Meredith Henderson in The Adventures of Shirley Holmes
(1997)
The Adventures of Shirley Holmes
7.5
TV Series
Director
1997
1 episode
Dead Man's Gun (1997)
Dead Man's Gun
7.1
TV Movie
Director (segment My Brother's Keeper)
1997
George Buza and Zen Gesner in The Adventures of Sinbad
(1996)
The Adventures of Sinbad
7.0
TV Series
Director
1996
3 episodes
Kung Fu: The Legend Continues (1993)
Kung Fu: The Legend Continues
6.5
TV Series
Director
1996
1 episode
My Life as a Dog
7.3
TV Series
Director (7 episodes)
1995–1996
Ben Foster, Theodore Borders, Jewel Staite, and Asia Vieira
in Flash Forward (1995)
Flash Forward
7.8
TV Series
Director
1995–1997
Adrian Paul in Highlander (1992)
Highlander
7.2
TV Series
Director
1995
1 episode
Carl Lumbly in M.A.N.T.I.S. (1994)
M.A.N.T.I.S.
6.1
TV Series
Director
1994–1995
2 episodes
Northwood (1991)
Northwood
8.0
TV Series
Director
1991–1994
22 episodes
Hawkeye (1994)
Hawkeye
7.9
TV Series
Director
1994
1 episode
Cobra (1993)
Cobra
6.4
TV Series
Director
1993
2 episodes
African Skies (1992)
African Skies
7.1
TV Series
Director
1992–1993
5 episodes
Michael Ironside, Joanna Pacula, and Michael Nouri in Black
Ice (1992)
Black Ice
4.7
Director
1992
Neon Rider (1989)
Neon Rider
6.1
TV Series
Director
1990–1991
6 episodes
The Girl from Mars (1991)
The Girl from Mars
6.5
TV Movie
Director
1991
Bordertown (1989)
Bordertown
7.1
TV Series
Director
1990–1991
6 episodes
The Beachcombers (1972)
The Beachcombers
7.1
TV Series
Director
1986–1990
5 episodes
The New Adventures of the Black Stallion (1990)
The New Adventures of the Black Stallion
7.1
TV Series
Director
1990
2 episodes
Alex Cord in War of the Worlds (1988)
War of the Worlds
6.5
TV Series
Director
1988–1989
4 episodes
Johnny Depp, Holly Robinson Peete, Peter DeLuise, Dustin
Nguyen, and Steven Williams in 21 Jump Street (1987)
21 Jump Street
7.2
TV Series
Director
1987–1988
4 episodes
Friday the 13th: The Series (1987)
Friday the 13th: The Series
7.6
TV Series
Director
1988
2 episodes
Dale Robertson and Ben Vereen in J.J. Starbuck (1987)
J.J. Starbuck
7.2
TV Series
Director
1988
1 episode
Kevin Spacey, Jonathan Banks, and Ken Wahl in Wiseguy (1987)
Wiseguy
7.8
TV Series
Director
1988
1 episode
Hamilton's Quest
TV Series
Director
1987
1 episode
Donnelly Rhodes in Danger Bay (1983)
Danger Bay
7.5
TV Series
Director
1987
1 episode
Producer
Lori Loughlin, Jack Wagner, Daniel Lissing, and Erin Krakow
in When Calls the Heart (2014)
When Calls the Heart
7.9
TV Series
executive producer
co-executive producer
2014–2024
96 episodes
Garage Sale Mysteries (2013)
Garage Sale Mysteries
7.3
TV Series
executive producer
2018
2 episodes
Billy Ray Cyrus and Gina Holden in Christmas Comes Home to
Canaan (2011)
Christmas Comes Home to Canaan
5.6
TV Movie
executive producer
2011
Daphne Zuniga, Dan Payne, and Gina Holden in A Family
Thanksgiving (2010)
A Family Thanksgiving
6.3
TV Movie
associate producer
2010
Christmas in Canaan (2009)
Christmas in Canaan
6.9
TV Movie
associate producer
2009
Actor
Garage Sale Mysteries (2013)
Garage Sale Mysteries
7.3
TV Series
Attorney
Beach Man
2017
2 episodes
Josie Bissett and Jack Wagner in The Wedding March (2016)
The Wedding March
6.2
TV Movie
Bruce
2016
Colin Egglesfield and Jill Wagner in Autumn Dreams (2015)
Autumn Dreams
6.4
TV Movie
Minister
2015
A Gift of Miracles (2015)
A Gift of Miracles
6.3
TV Movie
Gift Shop Worker
2015
Billy Ray Cyrus and Gina Holden in Christmas Comes Home to
Canaan (2011)
Christmas Comes Home to Canaan
5.6
TV Movie
Clark
2011
Daphne Zuniga, Dan Payne, and Gina Holden in A Family
Thanksgiving (2010)
A Family Thanksgiving
6.3
TV Movie
John Skinton
2010
R.L. Stine's the Haunting Hour (2010)
R.L. Stine's the Haunting Hour
7.9
TV Series
Security Guard (uncredited)
2010
1 episode
Christmas in Canaan (2009)
Christmas in Canaan
6.9
TV Movie
Clark
2009
Encounter with Danger (2009)
Encounter with Danger
4.8
TV Movie
David
2009
Dina Meyer, Christopher Russell, and Marc Menard in The Boy
Next Door (2008)
The Boy Next Door
4.9
TV Movie
Bruce
2008
Laura Leighton in Daniel's Daughter (2008)
Daniel's Daughter
6.0
TV Movie
Stan
2008
Jolene Blalock in I Dream of Murder (2006)
I Dream of Murder
4.7
TV Movie
Captain (as Neil Fearnley)
2006
Marla Sokoloff in Christmas in Boston (2005)
Christmas in Boston
6.1
TV Movie
Sullivan (as Neil Fearnley)
2005
Erinn Hayes and Chris Diamantopoulos in Behind the Camera:
The Unauthorized Story of Mork & Mindy (2005)
Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Mork &
Mindy
6.5
TV Movie
Loud Guy
2005
Yancy Butler in Witchblade (2001)
Witchblade
6.4
TV Series
Confessional Priest
2001
1 episode
Inside the Osmonds (2001)
Inside the Osmonds
5.9
TV Movie
Network Executive
2001
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