Ed Asner will reprise the 'Hawaii Five-0' role he first played more than 30 years ago.
According to CBS, the 'Mary Tyler Moore Show' veteran will once again play August March in an early 2012 episode. Asner first played the role in the 1975 episode of the original 'Hawaii Five-0' titled 'Wooden Model of a Rat.'
"It is thrilling to, for the first time, merge the original 'Hawaii Five-0' and our new show by having the classic, versatile and award-winning actor Ed Asner reprise his role of August March, a character Mr. Asner first played 36 years ago. There is no better way to form a bridge between our reboot and the original series," Peter Lenkov, 'Hawaii Five-0' executive producer, said in a statement.
For the first time, footage from the original series featuring Asner will be used. The archive footage will show his character in his smuggler days. When Asner's character appears in the new series, he'll be a reformed man after serving 30 years in prison for murder. The Five-0 team approach him for help on a smuggling case.
In other casting news ...
'Glee' is casting Rachel Berry's dads. Her fathers will be seen by the end of the season. Rapper Pitbull is also being courted to play Santana's brother. [EW]
Lauren Ambrose, Steven Pasquale, Richard Dreyfuss, Ellen Burstyn, James Woods and Geena Davis will star in 'Coma.' Ambrose and Pasquale will lead the ensemble cast in A&E's reboot of the Michael Crichton medical drama about a doctor who begins to suspect something is wrong when healthy people start to fall into comas. [THR]
'Parks and Recreation' stars Aziz Ansari and Nick Offerman will visit 'Bob's Burgers.' The NBC stars will lend voices to two different episodes. Ansari will voice a geeky teen who helps Bob in an online game and Offerman will voice a character alongside real-life wife Megan Mullally as aging hippie farmers. [EW]
Kevin Pollak will guest on 'Law & Order: SVU.' Pollak will play a judge who ends up on the wrong side of the law. Fisher Stevens and Grant Shaud will also appear in the episode set to air Jan. 11. [TV Guide]
Robin Givens is moving to 'Suburgatory.' Givens will play the longtime rival of Cheryl Hines' character Dallas. [EW]
Mindy Kaling, one of the only reasons to watch 'The Office' this season, is at work on a new animated series with 'The Office' and 'King of the Hill' executive producer Greg Daniels.
According to Deadline, she'll write, executive produce and voice a character on the series about a girls high school volleyball team.
'Parks and Recreation' producer Alan Yang is also working on a new animated project with Daniels. Yang's series is about a group of Los Angeles twentysomething guys who share a house in Hancock Park.
'Modern Family' is introducing Fizbo's former partner. Bobby Cannavale will play Louis, Cam's ex-sidekick, in an early 2012 episode. [TVLine]
Ellen Barkin is coming for Phil Dunphy. Barkin will guest star on 'Modern Family' as Vera, Phil's real estate nemesis. [TVLine]
Roger Bart is heading to 'CSI.' The 'Desperate Housewives' actor will play a wig maker who makes hair pieces for women. [EW]'
'All My Children' veteran Cameron Mathison will guest star on 'Desperate Housewives.' Mathison will play Bree's lover. [TVLine]
'Lost' and 'Dexter' veteran Mark Pellegrino is traveling back in time with 'Castle.' Pellegrino will guest star in the noir-themed episode. [TVLine]
