Bob Newhart goes to 'ER'

By Nellie Andreeva, Hollywood Reporter, 8/23/2003

LOS ANGELES -- Comedy great Bob Newhart is embarking on a rare venture into drama with a recurring role on NBC's "ER." He will play Ben Hollander, an architect suffering with macular degeneration. As his progressive loss of sight increasingly affects his ability to work, Hollander also begins to lose interest in the world. He befriends Dr. Susan Lewis (Sherry Stringfield), who develops an odd attachment to him.

The first episode of Newhart's three-episode arc is slated to air Oct. 30.

Newhart won four Emmys -- one for his work on the NBC comedy series "The Bob Newhart Show" and three for his CBS sitcom "Newhart." He also has three Grammys, all from 1961, including the album of the year prize.

Newhart most recently co-starred on the big screen in "Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde" and will next be seen opposite Will Ferrell and Ed Asner in the holiday comedy "Elf," which New Line will release in November.

Macy, Selleck star in Turow's `Errors'

LOS ANGELES -- William H. Macy and Tom Selleck will star in "Reversible Errors," a four-hour CBS miniseries based on author Scott Turow's best-selling legal thriller.

Macy plays Arthur Raven, a corporate lawyer who reluctantly takes a pro bono 10-year-old triple-murder case after being appointed by the court to handle the last-minute appeal of the convicted killer. Raven finds himself in a tightly woven maze of police and small-time crooks, airline executives, scammers, and lawyers.

Selleck will play Larry Starczek, a detective who led the initial investigation and at the time had an affair with the prosecutor on the case.

CBS acquired the rights to the book in January after a heated bidding war. Production is scheduled to begin in early October in Canada.

"It's like a dream come true," said Frank von Zerneck, one of the executive producers. "It's a very, very layered, interesting, full-of-twists-and-turns novel by a very, very smart writer, Scott Turow, and to have two actors of this stature is just perfect."

Macy, currently on the big screen in "Seabiscuit," is up for two Emmys next month for his work on the TNT original movie "Door to Door" -- for his portrayal of a cerebral palsy-ridden salesman and for co-writing the script.

Selleck's title role on the 1980s CBS drama series "Magnum, P.I." earned him five Emmy nominations and a win in 1984. He most recently played the title role in the TNT telefilm "Monte Walsh."

HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

Casting continues for Lynch story

LOS ANGELES -- Benjamin King ("S.W.A.T.") has joined the cast of the NBC TV movie "Saving Jessica Lynch," about the capture and rescue of the 20-year-old US Army private during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

He will play 38-year-old Master Sergeant Robert James Dowdy, who, like Lynch, was with the 507th Ordnance Maintenance Co. based in Fort Bliss, Texas.

Dowdy was one of the soldiers who died when their convoy was ambushed March 23. Lynch, who survived the attack, was taken unconscious to a hospital in the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah, from where she was rescued on April 1.

Canadian actress Laura Regan was tapped to play Lynch, with Nicholas Guilak set to play Mohammed Odeh Al-Rehaief, the Iraqi lawyer who alerted US military officials to Lynch's whereabouts. Also previously cast in the movie are Crystle Lightning and Nina Kaze.

HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

Talk of the dial

10 a.m. WBIX-AM (1060) -- "Stu Taylor on Business." Guests: Mike Nurse, CEO, Site Words, Inc.; Lincoln Anderson, Chief Investment Officer, LPL Financial Services.

6 p.m. WBNW-AM (1120) -- "Pages to People." Guest: Robert Ginna, author, "The Irish Way: A Walk Through Ireland's Past and Present," discusses his book.

Other radio highlights

7 a.m. WGBH-FM (89.7) -- "Classical Weekend." Mozart's Symphony No. 14 in A; Bax's Into the Twilight; Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 23, "Appassionata"; Frankel's Symphony No. 2; Tchaikovsky's Serenade in C for strings. 11 a.m. WUMB-FM (91.9) -- "Mountain Stage." Host: Larry Groce. Two hours of live music recorded in West Virginia, featuring such artists as The Flatlanders, Darrell Scott.8:30 p.m. WCRB-FM (102.5) -- "Boston Symphony Orchestra Live from Tanglewood." Sir Neville Marriner conducts Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1, with Itzhak Perlman, violinist, and Vaughan Williams: A London Symphony.