Pam & Jim's baby due on 2-part 'Office'

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., Jan. 11 (UPI) -- Characters Pam and Jim Halpert will experience the birth of their first child on a special two-part episode of the U.S. comedy series "The Office," NBC said.

The installments are to air March 4 and 11.

Pam and Jim, played by Jenna Fischer and John Krasinski, married earlier this season after a sweet, but prolonged office romance.

NBC announced Monday that Oscar winner Kathy Bates will appear in several episodes of the show later this season. Bates will play the chief executive officer of Sabre, the mysterious company that buys Dunder Mifflin, Jim and Pam's employers.

Also lined up for guest spots on the network's hit series are Jack Black and Katharine McPhee, who will appear on "Community," Debra Winger on "Law & Order," Elizabeth Banks, James Franco and Jon Hamm on "30 Rock," Mischa Barton on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," Michael Imperioli on "Mercy" and Jason Ritter on "Parenthood."

The announcements were made by Angela Bromstad, president of prime-time entertainment at NBC and Universal Media Studios.