Exclusive: John Goodman is set to star in Alpha House, one of Amazon Studios’ first six original comedy pilots. Written by Oscar nominee and Pulitzer-Prize winner Garry Trudeau (Doonesbury), Alpha House follows four senators who live together in a rented house in Washington DC. Goodman will play North Carolina Senator Gil John Biggs, a large man with large appetites. His cranky sense of entitlement comes from years of being revered as a successful basketball coach, but when the Duke basketball coach decides to run against him, he finds his Senate seat in jeopardy. Amazon has been going for a mix of big TV names and up-and-coming young talent for its comedy pilots. Frasier and Cheers alumna Bebe Neuwirth was recently cast in Browsers. Since a story about Democratic politicians Chuck Schumer, Dick Durbin, George Miller and Bill Delahunt sharing a rented house gained popularity several years ago, there have been...
- 2/1/2013
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
Exclusive: Actress Sarah Chalke has signed a development/talent holding deal with 20th Century Fox Television. Under the pact, the studio will develop a half-hour comedy project for her targeted for fall 2012. 20th TV first got in business with Chalke when she recurred on the studio's CBS comedy How I Met Your Mother from 2008-09 and then cast her as a lead in Greg Malins' 2010 ABC pilot Freshmen. After the pilot didn't make the cut to series in May 2010, the studio wanted to sign Chalke in a deal right away, but she was cast in CBS' midseason comedy series Mad Love, so 20th TV brass were "determined to get her this year," studio's chairman Gary Newman said. "She is incredibly talented as a comic force -- she can do physical comedy and has great timing. There is almost a Lucy quality to her," he said, referring to comedy icon Lucille Ball.
- 8/9/2011
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
Will Forte may be leaving NBC evergreen "Saturday Night Live," but three new cast members will join the show, according to reports.
"Scrubs" star Taran Killam and two Chicago comics - Paul Brittain and Vanessa Bayer - are the additions to the show this fall, the New York Post on Monday summarized various reports. It also raised the question if the fact that three young performers are being added may mean more cast departures.
Killam became available when ABC didn't pick up politically-themed comedy "Freshmen," while two cast additions from Chicago shouldn't surprise anyone given that Chicago is known for its improv troupes.
"SNL" launches its 36th season in late September.
"Scrubs" star Taran Killam and two Chicago comics - Paul Brittain and Vanessa Bayer - are the additions to the show this fall, the New York Post on Monday summarized various reports. It also raised the question if the fact that three young performers are being added may mean more cast departures.
Killam became available when ABC didn't pick up politically-themed comedy "Freshmen," while two cast additions from Chicago shouldn't surprise anyone given that Chicago is known for its improv troupes.
"SNL" launches its 36th season in late September.
- 8/30/2010
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
CBS promised at its upfront that it wasn't done picking up shows for next season, and it's looking like that promise is about to be fulfilled.
The network is on the verge of giving the comedy "Mad Love" a midseason order, and it's also talking with former "Scrubs" star Sarah Chalke to join the cast.
Chalke would replace "Friday Night Lights" alum Minka Kelly in the cast, according to Deadline.com. The show revolves around four New Yorkers, two of whom (Chalke and Jason Biggs) are just starting a relationship and two others (Tyler Labine and, for the moment anyway, Lizzy Caplan) who are more jaded.
The show has already gone through some other recasting -- in fact, the only constant has been Biggs ("American Pie," "My Best Friend's Girl"). Labine replaced Dan Fogler just before the pilot was filmed, and Caplan came around then as well, taking over for Ashley Austin Morris.
The network is on the verge of giving the comedy "Mad Love" a midseason order, and it's also talking with former "Scrubs" star Sarah Chalke to join the cast.
Chalke would replace "Friday Night Lights" alum Minka Kelly in the cast, according to Deadline.com. The show revolves around four New Yorkers, two of whom (Chalke and Jason Biggs) are just starting a relationship and two others (Tyler Labine and, for the moment anyway, Lizzy Caplan) who are more jaded.
The show has already gone through some other recasting -- in fact, the only constant has been Biggs ("American Pie," "My Best Friend's Girl"). Labine replaced Dan Fogler just before the pilot was filmed, and Caplan came around then as well, taking over for Ashley Austin Morris.
- 6/5/2010
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
Greg Malins has signed an overall deal with Warner Bros. TV. The rich two-year pact follows Malins’ recent signing as an executive producer/co-showrunner on the studio’s new comedy series for ABC Better Together. Malins was probably the most sought-after showrunner during the upfronts with six pilots reaching out to him. (Malins himself had a pilot this season, Freshmen at ABC, which didn’t go to series.) He ultimately chose to re-team with fellow former Friends executive producer Shana Goldberg-Meehan, creator/executive producer of Better Together, and the two will be sharing showrunner duties on the show. Malins and Goldberg-Meenah are long-time friends [...]...
- 5/24/2010
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
Ethel Merman insisted "there's no business like show business." Well, I'm about to find out firsthand -- and I'd love you to join me at the start of the journey. I am one of the executive producers of a new sitcom being developed for ABC. It's called Freshmen, and is about three newly-elected members of Congress who end up rooming together. The show was created and written by Greg Malins, who has been an executive producer on Friends, Will and Grace, and How I Met Your Mother. It will star Sarah Chalke from Scrubs. Here's where you come in: we are shooting the pilot episode next Friday, March 12, and I'd love for you Los Angeles HuffPosters to come to the taping. The show is being taped on the 20th Century Fox lot in Century City. To be part of the...
- 3/4/2010
- by Arianna Huffington
- Huffington Post
"Past Life" co-star Ravi Patel has been tapped as the lead in Fox's comedy pilot "Nirvana."
Additionally, Tommy Dewey is set to star opposite Sarah Chalke in ABC's "Freshmen," with Suzy Nakamura also cast in the comedy pilot; "Better Off Ted" co-star Malcolm Barrett has landed a lead in Fox's comedy pilot "Most Likely to Succeed"; veteran Patti LuPone has joined CBS' comedy pilot "Open Books"; and Eloise Mumford has landed a major role on Fox's Marc Webb-directed drama pilot "Midland."
"Nirvana" centers on an assimilated Indian-American (Patel) who lives with a white girlfriend (Rachael Leigh Cook) and clashes with his tyrannical immigrant parents.
Patel, repped by TalentWorks and Seven Summits, recently co-directed with sister Geeta Patel the documentary "One in a Billion," about love and marriage in Indian America, which will air on PBS. Patel is the second "Past Life" cast member to land a pilot this season,...
Additionally, Tommy Dewey is set to star opposite Sarah Chalke in ABC's "Freshmen," with Suzy Nakamura also cast in the comedy pilot; "Better Off Ted" co-star Malcolm Barrett has landed a lead in Fox's comedy pilot "Most Likely to Succeed"; veteran Patti LuPone has joined CBS' comedy pilot "Open Books"; and Eloise Mumford has landed a major role on Fox's Marc Webb-directed drama pilot "Midland."
"Nirvana" centers on an assimilated Indian-American (Patel) who lives with a white girlfriend (Rachael Leigh Cook) and clashes with his tyrannical immigrant parents.
Patel, repped by TalentWorks and Seven Summits, recently co-directed with sister Geeta Patel the documentary "One in a Billion," about love and marriage in Indian America, which will air on PBS. Patel is the second "Past Life" cast member to land a pilot this season,...
- 2/25/2010
- by By Nellie Andreeva
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Megan Boone has landed the central role in the CW's untitled Amy Holden James drama pilot, with Sarah Jones and Tasso Feldman also set for lead roles.
Additionally, Ben Lawson is in talks to star opposite Sarah Chalke in ABC comedy pilot "Freshmen"; Sarah Roemer and Scott Patterson have been added to NBC drama pilot "The Event"; "The Office" alum David Denman will co-star opposite Nelson Franklin in Fox comedy pilot "Traffic Light"; Kelly Hu has boarded CBS' drama pilot "The Odds"; and John Carroll Lynch, Windell Middlebrooks and Geoffrey Arend have been cast in ABC's drama pilot "Body of Evidence."
CW's untitled Holden James drama, co-exec produced by Hayden Panettiere, revolves around the freshmen class at Harvard Medical School and centers on Nell (Boone), a first-year Hms student intimidated by her new surroundings. Jones ("Sons of Anarchy"), repped by Greene & Associates and Luber/Rocklin, will play another freshman, a super-rich aspiring surgeon.
Additionally, Ben Lawson is in talks to star opposite Sarah Chalke in ABC comedy pilot "Freshmen"; Sarah Roemer and Scott Patterson have been added to NBC drama pilot "The Event"; "The Office" alum David Denman will co-star opposite Nelson Franklin in Fox comedy pilot "Traffic Light"; Kelly Hu has boarded CBS' drama pilot "The Odds"; and John Carroll Lynch, Windell Middlebrooks and Geoffrey Arend have been cast in ABC's drama pilot "Body of Evidence."
CW's untitled Holden James drama, co-exec produced by Hayden Panettiere, revolves around the freshmen class at Harvard Medical School and centers on Nell (Boone), a first-year Hms student intimidated by her new surroundings. Jones ("Sons of Anarchy"), repped by Greene & Associates and Luber/Rocklin, will play another freshman, a super-rich aspiring surgeon.
- 2/24/2010
- by By Nellie Andreeva
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Pilot season may have had its busiest casting day yet on Monday (Feb. 22), with actors ranging from Emmy winner Jane Kaczmarek to Jim Belushi to Olivia Munn landing roles.
Among the other names on the casting sheets: Adam Arkin, Leah Remini, Zeljko Ivanek, Romany Malco and Wayne Knight. Here's a rundown:
- Former "According to Jim" star Belushi is switching to drama in the CBS pilot "Defenders." He'll play one of a pair of larger-than-life defense attorneys in Las Vegas, the showbiz trade papers report. Niels Mueller and Kevin Kennedy ("The Assassination of Richard Nixon") wrote the script and will executive produce with director Davis Guggenheim, "CSI" exec producer Carol Mendelsohn and Joe and Harry Gantz.
- Kaczmarek ("Raising the Bar," "Malcolm in the Middle") and Arkin, late of "Sons of Anarchy," will star in ABC's comedy "Who Gets the Parents?," according to The Hollywood Reporter. They'll play a long-married couple who decide to split,...
Among the other names on the casting sheets: Adam Arkin, Leah Remini, Zeljko Ivanek, Romany Malco and Wayne Knight. Here's a rundown:
- Former "According to Jim" star Belushi is switching to drama in the CBS pilot "Defenders." He'll play one of a pair of larger-than-life defense attorneys in Las Vegas, the showbiz trade papers report. Niels Mueller and Kevin Kennedy ("The Assassination of Richard Nixon") wrote the script and will executive produce with director Davis Guggenheim, "CSI" exec producer Carol Mendelsohn and Joe and Harry Gantz.
- Kaczmarek ("Raising the Bar," "Malcolm in the Middle") and Arkin, late of "Sons of Anarchy," will star in ABC's comedy "Who Gets the Parents?," according to The Hollywood Reporter. They'll play a long-married couple who decide to split,...
- 2/23/2010
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
Jane Kaczmarek and Adam Arkin will lead the cast of ABC's comedy pilot "Who Gets the Parents?" Andrew West and Derek Richardson also have been cast in the multicamera project.
Comedy veteran Leah Remini also is returning to TV as a lead in ABC's comedy pilot "It Takes a Village."
Meanwhile, Emmy winner Zeljko Ivanek and Ian Anthony Dale have been cast in NBC's drama pilot "The Event"; Ben Koldyke has landed the lead in NBC's comedy pilot "This Little Piggy"; Romany Malco has boarded the ABC drama pilot "No Ordinary Family"; Wayne Knight has joined Ant Hines' comedy presentation for CBS; Olivia Munn has been tapped for NBC's comedy pilot "Perfect Couples"; D.J. Cotrona has landed ABC's drama pilot "187 Detroit"; and Julian Morris, Daniella Alonso and Kelli Garner have been added to ABC's drama pilot "Generation Y."
In other pilot castings, Kaitlin Doubleday has landed a lead in...
Comedy veteran Leah Remini also is returning to TV as a lead in ABC's comedy pilot "It Takes a Village."
Meanwhile, Emmy winner Zeljko Ivanek and Ian Anthony Dale have been cast in NBC's drama pilot "The Event"; Ben Koldyke has landed the lead in NBC's comedy pilot "This Little Piggy"; Romany Malco has boarded the ABC drama pilot "No Ordinary Family"; Wayne Knight has joined Ant Hines' comedy presentation for CBS; Olivia Munn has been tapped for NBC's comedy pilot "Perfect Couples"; D.J. Cotrona has landed ABC's drama pilot "187 Detroit"; and Julian Morris, Daniella Alonso and Kelli Garner have been added to ABC's drama pilot "Generation Y."
In other pilot castings, Kaitlin Doubleday has landed a lead in...
- 2/22/2010
- by By Nellie Andreeva
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It’s no secret we love TV. We watch it, talk about it, review it and generally spend a lot of time with it. So, it should come as no surprise we’re very interested in what new shows may potentially be coming to the networks in the near future.
Fortunately, we don’t have to do a lot of work to find out, and you have to do even less, because the guys and gals at EW have gathered together lists of all of the 2010-2011 season pilot orders for ABC, CBS and NBC. Wasn’t that nice of them? Yes, yes it was.
Just between these three networks (we’ll bring you Fox and the others, including cable, later), 31 dramas and 29 comedies are being considered. What shows will make it to the Fall schedule is still anyone’s guess, and we’ll have to wait until May to find out,...
Fortunately, we don’t have to do a lot of work to find out, and you have to do even less, because the guys and gals at EW have gathered together lists of all of the 2010-2011 season pilot orders for ABC, CBS and NBC. Wasn’t that nice of them? Yes, yes it was.
Just between these three networks (we’ll bring you Fox and the others, including cable, later), 31 dramas and 29 comedies are being considered. What shows will make it to the Fall schedule is still anyone’s guess, and we’ll have to wait until May to find out,...
- 2/19/2010
- by Chris Ullrich
- The Flickcast
The good folks over at EW.com have gathered together lists of all of the 2010-2011 season pilot orders for ABC, CBS and NBC. Just between these three networks, 31 dramas and 29 comedies will be given a shot to make the schedule this fall. There is a great mix of shows among the orders: from traditional multi-camera comedies to big-name-producer dramas. Remember, not all of these will be picked up, so you'll have to tune in to the networks' announcements in May to see which of these make the final cut. Take a look below at what each of the networks will be possibly serving up for your viewing pleasure, and let us know in the comments section what tickles your fancy.
Update: The pilots ordered by Fox and The CW have been added to the end of this article.
First up, the American Broadcasting Corporation:
Dramas
187 Detroit (writer Jason Richman...
Update: The pilots ordered by Fox and The CW have been added to the end of this article.
First up, the American Broadcasting Corporation:
Dramas
187 Detroit (writer Jason Richman...
- 2/19/2010
- by Michael Salerno
- TVovermind.com
The jury's still out on the future of some ABC series (we're looking at you, FlashForward and V), but the network is already hard at work on a contingency plan: It's developing 11 new dramas for fall, including fresh projects from uber-producer Jerry Bruckheimer and Grey's Anatomy honcho Shonda Rhimes. And there's good news coming out of the network's laugh department: the success of Wednesday night series Cougar Town, The Middle, and Modern Family has prompted ABC to continue spending big bucks on more comedies -- thus its decision to order 12 half-hour pilots this year. Here are the network's fall pilots,...
- 2/19/2010
- by Lynette Rice
- EW - Inside Movies
I had no idea that Arianna Huffington was also producing TV shows along with being in charge of a giant blogging empire. But she's one of the people behind the new ABC series 'Freshman,' along with Greg Malins ('How I Met Your Mother'). The comedy will be set in Washington, D.C. and will be about three young politicians. I guess Huffington is going to produce a show about something she's familiar with, politics and Washington, D.C.
One of those three young politicians will be Sarah Chalke, formerly of 'Scrubs.' Can I tell you how embarrassed I was when 'Scrubs' started that I didn't realize that Chalke was the girl who took over in the role of Becky Conner (from Lecy Goranson, now called Alicia Goranson) on 'Roseanne' for a few seasons? Looking back now it's insanely obvious but I didn't make...
One of those three young politicians will be Sarah Chalke, formerly of 'Scrubs.' Can I tell you how embarrassed I was when 'Scrubs' started that I didn't realize that Chalke was the girl who took over in the role of Becky Conner (from Lecy Goranson, now called Alicia Goranson) on 'Roseanne' for a few seasons? Looking back now it's insanely obvious but I didn't make...
- 2/5/2010
- by Bob Sassone
- Aol TV.
· Oscar-nominee, talk show queen and fake orgasm virtuoso Mo'Nique has signed on to emcee Shaquille O'Neal Presents: All-Star Comedy Jam for Showtime. The star-packed comedy special will be taped in Dallas the night before the Feb. 14 NBA All-Star Game and will co-star fellow comics George Willborn, Mike Epps and Paul Mooney. The event will be produced by Codeblack Entertainment, Shaq Entertainment and Aeg Live. Acknowledged Codeblack CEO Jeff Clanagan, "It's a testament to the strength of the All-Star Comedy Jam franchise that Codeblack and Aeg Live locked in a comedienne as talented as Mo'Nique." Maybe, maybe not; it's not like she'd be doing anything else -- like Oscar campaigning -- that night. [THR]
Arianna Huffington casts her first Freshman, Dancing With the Stars taps Baywatch talent, and more TV Bites after the jump.
Arianna Huffington casts her first Freshman, Dancing With the Stars taps Baywatch talent, and more TV Bites after the jump.
- 2/4/2010
- Movieline - TVline
Sources confirm that Sarah Chalke has landed the female lead in the ABC comedy pilot Freshman. The Scrubs vet will play Jane, a smart and funny freshman congresswoman who excels at pretty much everything except (drumroll... ) relationships! Exec produced by Arianna Huffington and How I Met Your Mother's Greg Malins, Freshman centers on three rookie politicians who live together in Washington D.C. Still to be cast: Chalke's two male co-stars. Photo Credit: Bob Charlotte/PR Photos...
- 2/3/2010
- by Michael Ausiello
- EW - Inside TV
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