After earning his first Emmy nomination in 15 years for his sinister role as Arthur Frobisher on Damages, since Cheers, Ted Danson is staying on cable as he gets cast in a lead role in HBO's comedy, Bored to Death.

According to The Hollywood, the pilot is written by Jonathan Ames and directed by Alan Taylor.  It stars Jason Schwartzman as a struggling Brooklyn writer with a drinking problem who pretends to be a private detective in the vein of his heroes from Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett novels.  On the show, Danson plays his mentor-friend and pompous yet but articulate magazine editor.

As of this moment, there's no word yet on the premiere and no production schedule was given for Bored to Death.  Meanwhile, Danson is set to reprise his role on Damages for at least three episodes next season to tie up loose ends after getting shot in the first season finale.  You can read more about Danson's return on the legal thriller in this previous spoiler article.

Prior to Damages, Danson was noted for his role as Sam Malone, a character he played in the classic sitcom Cheers, and as Dr. John Becker on the series Becker.  The Emmy Award and Golden Globe-winning actor last headlined a comedy series in 2006 when he was cast on Help Me, Help You as Dr. Bill Hoffman.  He also had a recurring part of HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Most Recently, Danson has been cast in Jada Pinkett Smith's The Human Contract, a drama about a successful businessman, who harbors a dark secret from the rest of the world, and his life-altering encounter with a free-spirited stranger.  The movie, which is for release this year, also stars Jason Clarke, Paz Vega, Idris Elba, and Jada Pinkett Smith, just to name a few.


-Kris De Leon, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
(Image courtesy of Wire Image)