Nathan Lane cast in USA Network pilot

NEW YORK, Sept. 13 (UPI) -- Broadway icon Nathan Lane has signed on to star in a pilot for a half-hour comedy series, USA Network said Tuesday.

Lane is best known for his work in the stage shows "The Addams Family," "The Odd Couple" and "The Producers," as well as the films "The Birdcage" and "The Lion King."

Next up, he is to star on the small screen in "Untitled Douglas McGrath Project," which is about an unlucky actor whose Broadway aspirations must be put on hold when he returns to his Texas hometown when his father becomes ill, USA Network said.

McGrath will write and produce the pilot. Among his films are "Bullets Over Broadway," "Emma" and "I Don't Know How She Does It."

The pilot was announced along with a second first-episode for a possible series called "Paging Dr. Freed," which is about two brothers who take over their father's medical practice after his untimely death. Michael Feldman, whose credits include "That's So Raven" and "Everybody Loves Raymond," will write and executive produce that pilot.

The projects were announced Tuesday by USA Co-Presidents Chris McCumber and Jeff Wachtel.

"The pick-up of these half-hour comedy pilots underscores our commitment to broadening the appeal of USA's entertainment brand," McCumber and Wachtel said in a statement. "We're excited to be collaborating with some of the most distinct voices in the business as we open up to new genres."