Comedian Pete Holmes will star as an aspiring Midwestern professional bowler in an untitled CBS comedy from CBS Television Studios and writer Mark Gross.
One of three new pilots CBS has ordered this year, the untitled multi-camera pilot revolves around Tom Smallwood, a Michigan man who is laid off from a General Motors automotive plant and decides to pursue his dream of becoming a professional bowler.
David Hollander and Brian D’Arcy James (a native of Saginaw, Mich.) will executive produce the untitled CBS Studios series along with Gross. Hollander, who recently was the showrunner on Showtime’s “Ray Donovan,” is currently serving as the writer, director, executive producer, and showrunner on a series adaptation of 1980 hit “American Gigolo” for Paramount Television Studios. James, a Drama Desk Award-winning Broadway star and musician, will next be seen starring in Steven Spielberg’s remake of “West Side Story.” Gross’ notable works include executive producing CBS sitcom starring Matt LeBlanc “Man With A Plan” and co-executive producing CBS sitcom “Mike and Molly,” starring Melissa McCarthy and Billy Gardell. Gross also executive produced the two TV movies “The Sweetest Heart” and “Bothered Up.”
Holmes is repped by WME and Independent Artists Media. The comedian is best known for his late-night talk show on TBS, “The Pete Holmes Show,” and as the creator and star of the Judd Apatow-directed HBO comedy “Crashing.”
Rounding out CBS’ trio of new pilot orders this season are comedy projects from Sarah Cooper (a single-cam project based on her book “How to be Successful Without Hurting Men’s Feelings”) and an adaptation of the 1994 film “True Lies,” starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Arnold, Bill Paxton, Tia Carrere, Art Malik, Eliza Dushku and Grant Heslov.