ABC Says Bye-Bye to ‘Baby’ for Fall; Casting Snag Cited

Because of delays in recasting the lead of its new sitcom based on the smash movie “Look Who’s Talking,” ABC has replaced “Baby Talk” on its fall schedule with the veteran comedy series “Head of the Class,” Robert Iger, president of ABC Entertainment, announced Friday.

Problems with “Baby Talk” began just as the show was about to begin production two weeks ago when Columbia Pictures Television, which is bankrolling the series, abruptly declared that star Connie Sellecca was off the show. Sellecca subsequently filed a $1.5-million lawsuit against Columbia and Ed. Weinberger, executive producer of the series, claiming she was wrongfully forced off the program.

Columbia initially announced that it intended to recast Sellecca’s part within a week and start production with a new actress in time to make it on the air next month. Though Julia Duffy, formerly of “Newhart,” is reportedly the leading candidate, no deal has been finalized.

“The recasting process on ‘Baby Talk’ is not complete,” Iger said, “and that delay means that the series will not be available for our September schedule as planned.”

“Head of the Class,” which lost its star last spring when Howard Hesseman decided to call it quits after four seasons, had previously been designated by ABC as a mid-season replacement. Billy Connolly, a stand-up comedian from Scotland who has appeared frequently on “Late Night With David Letterman,” will replace Hesseman as the history teacher in charge of a class full of precocious high school honors students.

The series will premiere Tuesday, Sept. 11 at 8:30 p.m., in the middle of ABC’s powerful Tuesday night lineup.