Hollywood Exclusive by Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith

It's interesting that Rhea Perlman is playing the mother-in-law of Kirstie Alley's character in ABC's "The Manzanis" pilot, because in real life, Kirstie is 60 and her former "Cheers" cast mate, Rhea, is a little less than three years older. It appears Kirstie is playing younger than herself as Angela Manzani, the opinionated wife and mom who moves with her family into a quiet, WASPy New Jersey neighborhood in the proposed sitcom.

Casting has been going on for the juvenile actors who will play her offspring, including a 12-to-13-year-old son, Peter, who is described as "one of the younger children in the family." Makes you wonder how young they will go. Of course, more and more women are having babies in their late 40s and early 50s, so she's right in step with the times.

Kirstie has been looking great since her 100-pound weight loss and "Dancing With the Stars" stint, so if she wants to play younger, we say go for it! We'll soon see if Kirstie will get a young husband or one closer to her own age on the show.

MARRYING MAN: "NCIS's" Brian Dietzen — that's eccentric Assistant Medical Examiner Jimmy Palmer, to fans — has been notified that Jimmy "will be married by the end of the year. It's yet to be seen whether we'll be in on all the bachelor party-type stuff," says the actor. He admits he has "a lot of questions" about his pending nuptials, which will be toward season's end in the spring.

"He's been talking a lot about his fiancee, Breena, who's an embalmer, in the episodes we've been doing," Dietzen says. What's been on his mind a lot is, "What's going to happen on Jimmy's wedding day? Will it become a crime scene?"

According to Dietzen, Jimmy's days of under-the-autopsy table assignations and such are over with. "Jimmy did have a pretty lascivious affair with a past agent. That got her nowhere," he notes, referring to Liza Lapira's character, who was shot to death in the line of duty by none other than Agent Gibbs (Mark Harmon). "I'm not sure Jimmy is that adventurous anymore. If he thinks enough of this woman to marry her, he's being a little more conscientious."

Dietzen is celebrating his eighth year of playing Jimmy — which is particularly good, considering he initially came in for a one-day-only appearance.

"I still really love, love, love going to work at 'NCIS.' Everyone really does love working together," he says. As for Harmon, "When the number-one guy on the call sheet shows up before you do and leaves after you, it's hard not to take cues from him. He's an executive producer on the show too, you know. Add to that he's just a nice person and we have fun."

Dietzen has his own producing project in post-production right now. It's a film called "Congratulations," in which a young couple (played by Dietzen and Abby Miller, who also co-wrote the screenplay with him) confronts diverging feelings about whether or not to marry.

"People in my generation have different views about marriage than our parents. We're waiting longer and longer to get married, longer and longer to have kids, longer and longer to buy houses and all that stuff," says Dietzen, who is, in fact, married with two young children. "It's a great theme to explore: What does it mean to be married? Is it spending time with the person and loving them or being able to tell family and friends that you're married?"

Debra Jo Rupp ("That '70s Show") and Kevin Rankin ("Unforgettable") are also in "Congratulations," which Dietzen is just about to send out for Sundance Film Festival consideration.

ADVANCE NOTICE: Some additional shooting is being done for "The Secret Lives of Dorks," a Dec. 29-release comedy, in which Jim Belushi and Jennifer Tilly play parents to 22-year-old rising comedic actor Gaelan Connell ("Bandslam," "Chocolat"). The marketing for the movie that shot earlier this year goes way back. The "Secret Lives of Dorks" Facebook fan page got going in spring of 2010, the website was launched last November, and You Tube video clips have been there for the sampling for months. Followers have been answering poll questions about their favorite big and small screen dorks, for instance, and keeping abreast of a "Dorks" music contest.

In "Dorks," Connell plays a sad-sack comic book aficionado who makes one social gaffe after another at school. He's smitten with a gorgeous cheerleader (Riley Voelkel) who finally takes him under wing — to help socialize him enough to get him into the arms of the dorky girl (Vanessa Marano) who has a crush on him.

To find out more about Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith and read their past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2011 MARILYN BECK AND STACY JENEL SMITH

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