Posted: Thu., Feb. 23, 2006, 9:00pm PT

Pilot sets its 'Sisters'

Flockhart, Griffiths set for ABC drama

By Michael Schneider

Griffiths

Orman

Livingston

Calista Flockhart, who made "Ally McBeal" a late-1990s cultural icon, is looking to make a TV return.

Flockhart and Rachel Griffiths ("Six Feet Under") are set to star in the ABC drama "Brothers and Sisters," a sudser about siblings who wind up running the family business after their father dies.

Also, CBS has greenlit the Warner Bros. TV pilot "Waterfront," from writer/exec producer Jack Orman ("ER"). Drama stars Joe Pantoliano as the quirky mayor of Providence, R.I. And Ron Livingston ("Office Space") has taken the lead in Fox's "Primary," while Peter Dinklage ("The Station Agent") has been added to the cast of CBS' "Ultra."

"Brothers and Sisters" would rep Flockhart's first regular TV gig since "Ally" ended its run in 2002. She'll play Kitty March in the pilot, which comes from Touchstone TV. Flockhart will next be seen in the feature "Fragile."

It's also a return to the small screen for Griffiths, last seen as Brenda Chenowith on "Six Feet Under," which wrapped its run last year. Griffiths and Flockhart join previously announced cast members Balthazar Getty and Ron Rifkin.

Over on "Waterfront," pilot reps a reunion for Orman and Pantoliano, who also worked together two years ago on CBS' short-lived skein "Dr. Vegas."

Pantoliano, whose recent TV credits also include "The Handler" and "The Sopranos," will play Jimmy Centrella on the show.

On the helmer front, Dennie Gordon ("The Office") is set to direct two half-hour pilots: ABC's "Our Thirties" and Fox's "Big Handsome Guy and His Little Friend."

Gordon has also recently directed segs of "Everybody Hates Chris," "Kitchen Confidential" and "The Loop." She directed the pilot of ABC Family's "Beautiful People," and also helmed the features "What a Girl Wants" and "New York Minute."

Meanwhile, in casting news:

• Livingston will play one-half of a hostage negotiating team in "Primary." His character's partner and potential love interest has not yet been cast. 20th Century Fox TV is behind the show.

Livingston's TV credits include "House," "Sex and the City," "Band of Brothers" and the telepic "44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out."

• Dinklage, who starred this season in CBS' "Threshold," will play "The Scientist" in "Ultra." Drama, from CBS Paramount Network TV, is based on the comic book about a single city girl who's also a superhero.

• John Allen Nelson, recently offed on "24," has been cast in another Fox project, the drama pilot "Vanished." He'll play Senator Collins on the 20th Century Fox TV pilot, which follows the disappearance of his character's wife.

• Eric Stonestreet ("CSI") will play Andrew in the Fox pilot "13 Graves." Thriller from 20th Century Fox TV revolves around a man's search for his missing brother and his discovery of Francisco Pizzaro's Incan treasures.

• Rachael Stirling ("Five Little Pigs") will play Guilaen, and Jonah Lotan ("24") is set as Matt on Fox's "Beyond." Pilot, from 20th Century Fox TV and Imagine, is set at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Chris Gardner contributed to this report.