TV Tidbits: New Hubby for Bette, More

ByABC News
November 30, 2000, 8:15 PM

November 29 -- Producers of the CBS show Bette are shopping for a new husband for the small-screen diva.

Actor Kevin Dunn, who played husband Roy opposite Bette Midler's character, has left the show as of last week, when the series went on a three-week hiatus, the show's publicist said Tuesday. The departure is being described as a "mutual decision" between Dunn and the producers.

Dunn, whose film credits include Stir of Echoes and Godzilla, will continue to be seen on the show through the 10th episode of Bette, which airs Jan. 3.

The series had a promising start when it premiered Oct. 11 but has slipped in the ratings since then.

Cursed Blessed by NBCAnother faltering show, Cursed, is transcending bad reviews, low ratings, and its own seemingly prophetic title. The NBC sitcom which stars ex-Wings guy Steven Weber as a guy who's, ya know, cursed has just been picked up by the network for the remainder of the season.

"Right now, the show is about a B," NBC Entertainment President Garth Ancier tells Variety. "We expect the show will improve over the course of the season." Do we hear the sound of fingers crossing?

More TV DealsCursed's extension puts a new TV deal for Jenny McCarthy in a better light: The ex-Playboy Playmate is developing a comedy for Fox with Ira Ungeleider, the executive producer of the off-the-hook-for-now NBC sitcom.

It's described as an urban ensemble comedy about 20-something singles in Los Angeles, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Last season, McCarthy starred in the never-seen Nancy Pimental comedy pilot Live Girls for Fox. Try, try again, eh, Jenny?

Also inking television development deals is ex-ER regular William H. Macy, who's working on a pilot for CBS that will star his wife, Felicity Huffman, late of ABC's Sports Night.

Hank Azaria, Jim Belushi, and Mary McCormack (Private Parts, The Land Girls) are all working on pilots with Touchstone Television, for NBC, ABC, and Fox, respectively.

Azaria, who just won an Emmy for Tuesdays With Morrie, will star as a sketch comedy writer who uses his life as fodder for material; the Belushi project will be a half-hour family comedy; and the McCormack series is expected to be about a former child star who returns home.