Brian Doyle-Murray praises 'Sullivan & Son' co-stars

NEW YORK, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- TBS says it has ordered a 13-episode third season of its Pittsburgh bar-set sitcom "Sullivan & Son" to air next summer.

Executive-produced by Vince Vaughn, Peter Billingsley and show-runner Rob Long, the series is about the family that owns and runs a neighborhood tavern frequented by quirky regulars.

Co-starring Steve Byrne, Dan Lauria, Jodi Long and Brian Doyle-Murray, the comedy's second season wrapped up last Thursday.

"I think a lot of people have experience in local bars that they probably relate to [the show,]" Doyle-Murray told United Press International in a recent phone interview when asked about what makes the hit show so appealing to viewers. "A bar is a comfortable place to be."

The 67-year-old native Chicagoan said the stellar cast -- including fellow "Saturday Night Live" alum Christine Ebersole -- was one of the elements that attracted him to "Sullivan & Son."

"We did 'Weekend Update' on 'Saturday Night Live' at the same time years ago," Doyle-Murray said of Ebersole. "So, it's great to reconnect with her. She's just hilarious. She's such a classy chanteuse. She does the Sondheim stuff and she does Cafe Carlyle [in New York] during the holidays. To see her play the character she plays in this is just a hoot. She's very, very talented."

The actor, whose dozens of credits include "Sixteen Candles," "Caddyshack," "Groundhog Day," "JFK" and "Scrooged," said he loves going to work every day and playing outspoken barfly Hank on "Sullivan & Son."

"There's not a bad apple in the bunch," Doyle-Murray said of his co-stars. "Everybody gets along. Everybody likes each other. Everybody likes the way everybody works. We all make each other laugh. It's a unique situation."

Bill Murray's big brother, who is also a popular animated voice actor and television guest star, said the shortened "Sullivan" shooting schedule enables him to participate in other projects.

Up soon will be a quick return to his old ABC sitcom "The Middle."

"My character fired the star, which isn't a good move, so I'm not on that much any more," he laughed, referring to series lead Patricia Heaton, whose character Frankie Heck used to work at the car dealership owned by Doyle-Murray's Don Ehlert.

"But they've asked me if I want to come back for their 100th episode, so I'll do that."