Back in the Scene

“There is a prevailing attitude in a lot of television that if you are over 24, your face shouldn’t be on the airwaves,” confesses Chris Thompson, creator and executive producer of two new comedies: CBS’ “Ladies Man” and Fox’s “Action.”

But Thompson is ignoring the “prevailing” attitude. “I’ve got the two oldest stars in Hollywood,” he says referring to the fact he cast veteran sitcom star Betty White in CBS’s “Ladies Man” and the legendary comic Buddy Hackett in Fox’s “Action.” “Both Betty and Buddy are in their 70s, but they are as sharp and quick [as ever],” says Thompson. “The timing is dead-on there. They can no longer give the greatest pratfall in the world, but that’s not what you are looking for.”

In fact, says Thompson, he loves going to a run-through of “Ladies Man,” in which White plays the caustic mother of series star, Alfred Molina. “She’s a laugh magnet,” he says. “It is actually sort of intimidating working with Betty. You know that if the line doesn’t work, it is your fault.”

White and Hackett, who plays the uncle of a high-powered Hollywood producer in “Action,” aren’t the only familiar series faces popping up on TV this fall. In his first series gig since “MASH” went off the air 16 years ago, Alan Alda is returning to doctor’s scrubs as an attending physician in a five-part stint on “ER.”

Dixie Carter, who played Julia Sugarbaker on “Designing Women,” is a regular on CBS’ new legal drama “Family Law,” and a recurring character on “Ladies Man.”

Multiple Emmy winner Tyne Daly plays Amy Brenneman’s mother on the new CBS drama “Judging Amy.” Rue McClanahan, who was the sex-obsessed divorcee on “The Golden Girls,” is playing the mother of widower Gregory Harrison in WB’s new family drama “Safe Harbor.” And Swoosie Kurtz (“Sisters”) and David Ogden Stiers (“MASH”) play a terribly snobby rich couple on the new CBS comedy “Love & Money.”

Considering the new season boasts one too many new youth series, it’s a breath of fresh air to see these pros given the opportunity to strut their stuff. And the producers are thrilled to be able to give these actors a chance to shine. “I am having the time of my life with a cast of veterans,” says Thompson. “People who are so knowledgeable about their craft. It is such a joy to go through a run-through and see people who are not fumbling, or searching for the line. Directing this is the easiest job in Hollywood.”

“I haven’t worked with a lot of young actors, but there is nothing to replace, not just the stage and screen experience, but the life experience these people can bring to a part,” says Barbara Hall (“I’ll Fly Away”), an executive producer of “Judging Amy.”

Hall hadn’t previously worked with Daly, who won Emmys for “Cagney & Lacey” and “Christy.” But when the actress read the part of Brenneman’s mother, Hall says, she completely embodied the role.

“I suddenly even got a better sense of who this person is,” she says. “Tyne can bring wisdom to the part you can’t get anywhere else.”

Hall also hopes casting a popular TV star like Daly helps bring viewers to a new series. “People respond to her,” she says.

Paul Haggis (“Due South”), creator and executive producer of “Family Law” was initially worried about casting Dixie Carter as an outrageous, cutthroat attorney. He was concerned that Julia Sugarbaker was too entrenched in viewers’ minds.

“That’s why I wanted her to read the character,” he explains. “But I forgot completely about Miss Sugarbaker [when she auditioned]. I saw the character as I had written it. She made a truly outrageous character completely believable. She is a woman who exudes power and control. You don’t want to cross her.”

Though “ER” is Alda’s first series in 16 years, he doesn’t believe he is “returning” to series TV. “You have to excuse me, but I don’t think it is coming back,” he points out.

“I know everybody else will talk about it as such. But for me, it is the next interesting thing [to do]. What I thought about was, ‘Would it be fun to do? Would I be able to make a contribution?’ That seemed really exciting to me.”

Though the part wasn’t written for Alda, says executive producer Lydia Woodward, the actor was someone who fit their criteria. “We wanted a really distinguished guy for this character. That is clearly what Alan Alda is. He has had an incredible career.”

Woodward says “ER” was thrilled Alda agreed to do the series. Though Woodward acknowledges the actor’s participation will bring his fans to the series, Alda wasn’t hired to bolster the No. 1 show’s ratings, which slipped somewhat after George Clooney’s departure last season. “It was more that we had this idea for a story arc and a character we thought was interesting.”