There are lots of new shows on the air — and many of your favorite stars from old shows are popping up!

Former Golden Girl Betty White will be making an appearance on ABC’s Ugly Betty in December. The 85-year old actress will be playing herself. Wilhelmina (Vanessa Williams) is trying to change her image but has a setback when she steals White’s cab. Interestingly, White took part in a parody of the show called “Ugly Betty White” for the TV Land Awards earlier this year. That’s great but when is she coming back to Boston Legal?

Jason Priestley (Beverly Hills, 90210) is directing the second season of CMT Canada’s The Road Hammers. It’s a documentary series that tracks the ups and downs of the band as they work on breaking into the American country music business. The band’s leading man, Jason McCoy, described Priestley’s directing style as “rock ‘n’ roll” and both hope the series will eventually be seen on CMT in the U.S.

Debra Messing will soon be returning to a familiar role. No, not Grace Adler from Will & Grace. The Starter Wife mini-series is being turned into a regular series and Messing will once again play Hollywood divorcee Molly Kagan. The USA network has ordered 10 episodes and filming will begin in March with an expected Summer 2008 debut.

Look for Angel’s Amy Acker on the Halloween episode of CBS’ Ghost Whisperer. She’ll be playing a character named Tessa on the October 26th episode in which Gabriel returns to Grandview to make Melinda’s life miserable.

Traveler’s Logan Marshall-Green has been cast in an NBC pilot. Blue Blood will follow a group of NYC rookie cops and is based on a memoir by Edward Conlon. Marshall-Green will play one of the officers who is a Harvard graduate. NBC has ordered two additional scripts which looks like a good sign that the pilot may be picked up.

Paul Blackthorne (The Dresden Files) has signed on as a series regular for NBC’s mid-season series Lipstick Jungle. He’ll be playing the husband of Brooke Shields (That ’70s Show, Suddenly Susan), taking over the role from Chris Wiehl (Love Monkey, Jericho) who was in the series’ pilot. Jungle is based on a Candace Bushnell novel and stars Shields, Kim Raver (24, The Nine) and Lindsay Price (Pepper Dennis) as best friends with high-profile careers in the big apple. Blackthorne is currently playing a recurring role on ABC’s Big Shots.

Reba’s Melissa Peterman and The Guardian’s Charles Malik Whitfield have been tapped to join the cast of Cedric the Entertainer’s comedy pilot. The ABC pilot will feature Cedric as a husband and father who must adjust to the idea of his wife (Ally McBeal’s Regina Hall) making more money than he does. Peterman will play a neighbor while Whitfield will play Cedric’s best friend.

Seth Green (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Four Kings) is a big fan of Grey’s Anatomy and will be guest-starring on the series at some point this season. No word on the exact airdate or what kind of role he’ll be playing.

Sofia Vergara (The Knights of Prosperity) has been cast for multiple episodes of ABC’s Dirty Sexy Money. She’ll be playing a potential love interest for Seth Gabel’s Jeremy Darling character.

The upcoming indie film Play the Game will feature a number of favorites including Paul Campbell (Battlestar Galactica), Andy Griffith (The Andy Griffith Show), Doris Roberts (Everybody Loves Raymond), and Marla Sokoloff (Big Day). Game has begun filming in Los Angeles and tells the story of a young single guy who teaches his widowed grandfather how to hit on girls. Stay tuned!

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