Post by ADH7901 on Oct 16, 2003 22:34:45 GMT -5
story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=638&ncid=762&e=3&u=/nm/20031016/en_nm/leisure_garner_dc
James Garner to Play '8 Simple Rules' Grandfather
Thu Oct 16, 1:36 PM ET Add Entertainment - Reuters to My Yahoo!
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The producers of ABC's "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter" have recruited one of television's most enduring stars, James Garner (news), to help shore up the series after the death of its lead actor, John Ritter (news), a network source said on Thursday.
Reuters Photo
AP Photo
Slideshow: Actor John Ritter Dies at 54
Vowing to continue the series despite Ritter's shock death in September, ABC has asked Garner -- the former star of such hit series as "Maverick" and "The Rockford Files" -- to step in as father of newly widowed Cate Hennessy (played By Katey Sagal (news)) and grandfather to her teenage children.
Ritter played sports writer Paul Hennessy, whose death will set off the new turn in the show.
The series will return to production next week and plans to return in an hour-long show introducing Garner on Nov. 4. Millions tuned in for the final episodes that Ritter filmed which were shown after his death.
ABC, owned by Walt Disney Co., decided to continue the show without Ritter after the actor's sudden death at 54 of arterial failure while filming the series.
Garner's character will come to comfort his daughter and remain in the house.
The family comedy "8 Simple Rules" has been one of the networks best-watched shows as it tries to recover from its No. 4 position in the ratings battle with rivals.
Garner has been in scores of television shows and movies such as 1963 classic "The Great Escape."
He also starred in the 1950s television series "Maverick" and as private investigator Jim Rockford in the 1970s television series "The Rockford Files."
^doodle by john ritter
James Garner to Play '8 Simple Rules' Grandfather
Thu Oct 16, 1:36 PM ET Add Entertainment - Reuters to My Yahoo!
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The producers of ABC's "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter" have recruited one of television's most enduring stars, James Garner (news), to help shore up the series after the death of its lead actor, John Ritter (news), a network source said on Thursday.
Reuters Photo
AP Photo
Slideshow: Actor John Ritter Dies at 54
Vowing to continue the series despite Ritter's shock death in September, ABC has asked Garner -- the former star of such hit series as "Maverick" and "The Rockford Files" -- to step in as father of newly widowed Cate Hennessy (played By Katey Sagal (news)) and grandfather to her teenage children.
Ritter played sports writer Paul Hennessy, whose death will set off the new turn in the show.
The series will return to production next week and plans to return in an hour-long show introducing Garner on Nov. 4. Millions tuned in for the final episodes that Ritter filmed which were shown after his death.
ABC, owned by Walt Disney Co., decided to continue the show without Ritter after the actor's sudden death at 54 of arterial failure while filming the series.
Garner's character will come to comfort his daughter and remain in the house.
The family comedy "8 Simple Rules" has been one of the networks best-watched shows as it tries to recover from its No. 4 position in the ratings battle with rivals.
Garner has been in scores of television shows and movies such as 1963 classic "The Great Escape."
He also starred in the 1950s television series "Maverick" and as private investigator Jim Rockford in the 1970s television series "The Rockford Files."
^doodle by john ritter
