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Fimmel, Roberts set to star in Fox drama 'Southern' By MICHAEL SCHNEIDER – Variety – March 6, 2006 Conan O'Brien has reunited with old "Late Night" sidekick Andy Richter, who's set to star in O'Brien's new NBC pilot "Andy Barker, P.I." O'Brien and former "Late Night" scribe Jonathan Groff penned "Andy Barker," which stars Richter as an accountant who sets up shop in a mini-mall and fails to conjure up any business -- until a woman mistakes him for the private eye who used to inhabit his office. After that, Richter's character stumbles his way into the world of detective cases. NBC Universal TV Studio and O'Brien's Conaco shingle are behind the single-camera comedy pilot. Project will also star Amy Farrington ("Yes, Dear") as Andy's wife, Ruth Barker. Jason Ensler will direct. Groff said O'Brien had been kicking around the idea for years, and that the two of them spent much of last summer and early fall writing the script. The show was originally set in suburban Connecticut but moved to Los Angeles to tap into the city's noir roots. In finding someone to play the show's bright-eyed innocent, O'Brien and Groff quickly homed in on Richter. "The character has a solid, almost-Bob Newhart-style decency," Groff said. "It's someone who's comfortable in his own skin. It's the first time I've written a script with the lead actor already in mind. It's nice writing with the voice of a guy whose voice I already get." Richter lent a voice to Groff's short-lived animated skein "Father of the Pride," and most recently played a version of himself on "Arrested Development." He next will be seen on an episode of "The New Adventures of Old Christine." Richter also starred on Fox's "Quintuplets," as well as that net's short-lived but much-hailed laffer "Andy Richter Controls the Universe." Richter's film credits include "Seeing Other People," "Elf" and "Pootie Tang." Beyond "Late Night" and "Father of the Pride," Groff's credits include "Ed." He'll exec produce through his Red Pulley Prods. label, along with Conaco's O'Brien, Jeff Ross and David Kissinger. |