Exclusive: Comedy veteran Jeff Astrof (Grounded For Life) has been tapped as executive producer/showrunner of TBS’ new comedy series Ground Floor, from Bill Lawrence’s Doozer and Warner Horizon. Additionally, Astrof has signed a two-script development deal with Warner Bros. TV. Ground Floor, which Cougar Town co-creator Lawrence wrote with Greg Malins, is a workplace comedy with a romantic twist that stars Skylar Astin, Briga Heelan and John C. McGinley. Astrof will serve as executive producer alongside Lawrence and Jeff Ingold. The project, which received a 10-episode series order last month, has been looking for a showrunner as Lawrence also landed two new series on the broadcast networks for next season, Undateable on NBC and Surviving Jack on Fox. Astrof, repped by ICM Partners and Michael Gendler, most recently wrote and executive produced the multi-camera version of John Leguizamo’s family comedy pilot King John, which was shot and...
- 6/5/2013
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
John Leguizamo won't be coming to ABC anytime soon. The network has taken a pass on the pilot "King John," which would have starred Leguizamo. Based on the actor's life "as a husband, father and fish out of water on the upper West Side of New York," the pilot also starred Luke Ganalon and Andrea Savage. Also read: ABC Pilots 2013 ABC has also given the thumbs-down to two other pilots, including an untitled project from "Rude Awakening" producer Andrea Abbate, which would have starred Kelly Preston as Karey, the clean-nosed black sheep...
- 5/9/2013
- by Tim Kenneally
- The Wrap
ABC‘s freshman comedy Malibu Country is facing 50-50 odds to return next season. But if the Reba McEntire-starring sitcom comes back for a second season, it will be with a different showrunner. Nastaran Dibai, who stepped in to run the show in November, following creator/executive producer Kevin Abbot’s stint in rehab, will not return next season. Dibai, who helped stabilize the show after the shakeup, has opted to depart. I hear she wanted to make significant changes to the comedy for Season 2, something ABC brass weren’t willing to commit too. There is speculation that Abbott, who has been very close with McEntire dating back to her WB sitcom Reba, which he ran, may rejoin the series if it makes it to a second season. While its Friday companion, Tim Allen’s Last Man Standing is all but assured a renewal, Malibu Country is heavily on the bubble,...
- 4/23/2013
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
Exclusive: Todd Lieberman and David Hoberman’s Mandeville Films has brought in ABC Studios-based producer Laurie Zaks (Castle) as president of television. Zaks replaces Maria Crenna, who is leaving after a one-year stint. Mandeville, which has been at ABC Studios for more than a decade, has signed a new two-year deal with the studio where the company originally developed its USA hit Monk. Mandeville has a comedy pilot in serious contention at ABC, the John Leguizamo starrer King John. Crenna will remain an executive producer on the pilot but won’t be involved if it goes to series. Zaks has been at ABC Studios since 2006 when she left the network executive ranks to become president of Armyan Bernstein’s Touchstone TV-based Beacon Television. At Beacon, Zaks developed ABC’s Castle, on which she serves as executive producer. Zaks, who is well liked at ABC Studios, signed an overall deal...
- 4/23/2013
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
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