LA, Oct 17: The producers of ABC's "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter" have recruited one of television's most enduring stars, James Garner, to help shore up the series after the death of its lead actor, John Ritter, a network source said on Thursday. Vowing to continue the series despite Ritter's shock death in September, ABC has asked Garner -- the former star of such hit series as "Maverick" and "The Rockford Files" -- to step in as father of newly widowed Cate Hennessy (played By Katey Sagal) and grandfather to her teenage children.
Ritter played sports writer Paul Hennessy, whose death will set off the new turn in the show.

The series will return to production next week and plans to return in an hour-long show introducing Garner on Nov. 4. Millions tuned in for the final episodes that Ritter filmed which were shown after his death. Garner's character will come to comfort his daughter and remain in the house.

The family comedy "8 Simple Rules" has been one of the networks best-watched shows as it tries to recover from its No. 4 position in the ratings battle with rivals.
Garner has been in scores of television shows and movies such as 1963 classic "The Great Escape."

He also starred in the 1950s television series "Maverick" and as private investigator Jim Rockford in the 1970s television series "The Rockford Files."
Bureau Report