Judd Hirsch cast on ‘Superior Donuts’ pilot for CBS

Sitcom veteran Judd Hirsch is the new lead of “Superior Donuts” as CBS presses on in trying to make a series out of the acclaimed Tracy Letts play set in Chicago’s Uptown.

Deadline reports that a pilot will star Hirsch as a donut shop owner adjusting to the modern ways of his new employee, played by Jermaine Fowler.

Fowler starred in an earlier “Donuts” pilot that featured Broadway star Brian d’Arcy James in the lead role of Arthur.

Letts’ play had its world premiere at Steppenwolf in 2008 with Michael McKean as Arthur. It was playwright Tracy Letts’ follow-up to his Pulitzer Prize-winning “August: Osage County” and went on to a Broadway run in 2009.

Hirsch, 81, won two Emmys for playing cabbie Alex Rieger on “Taxi” (1978–1983) and went on to star on the series “Dear John” and “Numb3rs.”

Joining him on “Superior Donuts” are three actors seen in the earlier pilot: Chicago-trained improv actor David Koechner (“The Office,” “Anchorman”), Iran-born stand-up Maz Jobrani (“Better Off Ted”) and comedian Rell Battle.