ABC clears 6 laffer pilots for takeoff
O'Donnell on CBS laffer 'Westerbergs'
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In addition, Chris O'Donnell has been cast in the lead of the CBS comedy pilot "The Amazing Westerbergs." Fox added another pilot to its comedy slate, and some key parts were filled on WB and Fox skeins.
Here's the latest:
- Fox has given a cast-contingent order to a half-hour comedy from scribe/exec producer Michael Jacobs. Sony Pictures TV/Jersey project is about parents trying to cope with their kids growing up.
Danny DeVito, John Landgraf, Michael Shamberg and Stacey Sher are exec producers.
Meanwhile, on the ABC front:
- Journalist/VH1 talking head Joel Stein ("I Love the '80s") is teaming with Marsh McCall ("Just Shoot Me") to write and exec produce a laffer based on Stein's experience as the youngest-ever columnist at Time magazine. Michael Hanel and Mindy Schultheis are also exec producing the Warner Bros. TV project.
- Jessica Simpson's untitled laffer is moving forward. Pilot will be an ensemble workplace laffer in which Simpson plays a pop culture icon named Jessica Sampson who's hired by a TV newsmag. Simpson's character causes chaos for the producer of the show.
Touchstone TV and Ted Harbert Television are exec producing the pilot from scribe Gayle Abrams. Harbert and Joe Simpson are exec producing.
- Warren Bell is writing and exec producing "Thank God It's Monday," a Touchstone-produced half-hour about how men talk about their family life with their co-workers.
- "Furst Family" is a remake of the Britcom "The Royle Family" that follows the lives of a blue-collar family in Queens. Alan Zweibel ("Curb Your Enthusiasm") is writing and exec producing the pilot from Touchstone and Granada (Daily Variety, Oct. 16, 2003).
- ABC is showing its passion for the Gibson-produced "Savages," officially greenlighting the half-hour about a working-class dad raising five teen boys. Julie Thacker and Mike Scully ("The Simpsons") are writing and exec producing the half-hour, based loosely on Gibson's own experiences (Daily Variety, Nov. 5, 2003.)
Gibson and Bruce Davey are exec producers for the Universal/Icon-produced project, which had been given a put pilot commitment.
- Stamos will star in and exec produce a sort of romantic comedy take on "24": Skein's entire first season will focus entirely on a couple's first date. Project had already been given a put pilot nod (Daily Variety, Feb. 4.)
Austin Winsberg is writing and exec producing the half-hour from 20th Century Fox TV-based Brad Grey TV.
- As for casting, O'Donnell is set to star in "Westerbergs," a half-hour about two brothers who grew up thinking they were special, and must now face the reality that they're just ordinary dudes.
O'Donnell, who had a guest stint this season on "The Practice," inked a talent holding deal with CBS last fall (Daily Variety, Sept. 26, 2003.) Thesp's repped by WMA and Untitled.
- Frog has set "Everwood" fave Mike Erwin-- aka "Coma Boy"-- to play hunky son Don West in "The Robinsons: Lost in Space." Endeavor-repped thesp also appears in the Sundance sensation "Home of Phobia."
- Newcomer Matthew Long will play Jack in the WB's "Jack and Bobby."
- Ella Joyce ("Roc") will play the mom in Fox's laffer pilot starring Method Man and Redman.
