Jerry O'Connell Cast as Herman Munster in NBC Reboot

Deadline.com reports that Jerry O'Connell has been cast in the role of Herman Munster on NBC's upcoming reboot of the 1960's series 'The Munsters.' The actor will join previously announced cast members Eddie Izzard and Charity Wakefield in the pilot titlEd MockINGBIRD LANE.

The project's pilot episode was written by 'Pushing Daisies' Bryan Fuller and will be directed by Bryan Singer. It is described as "a reinvention of the 1960s sitcom about The Munsters, a family of "monsters" - vampires, werewolves and Frankenstein, and their "plain" cousin (Wakefield)."

O'Connell is set to portray family head Herman Munster in the project, described as "a great dad and devoted husband. He is married to Lily, a vampire, with whom he has fathered a 10-year-old boy, Eddie (Mason Cook). Strong but sentimental, Herman works at a funeral home, and worries that Eddie's transformation into a werewolf and burgeoning awareness of his family's origins will crush the boy's spirit." O'Connell will step into the very large shoes of originAl Herman Munster, actor Fred Gwynne. Izzard will portray Grandpa.

Jerry O'Connell is perhaps best known to film audiences for his acclaimed performances as Quarterback Frank Cushman in the hit Jerry Maguire and his debut as Vern Tessio in the classic Stand By Me. On television, recent series starring roles include Pete Kaczmarek on the CBS comedic drama The Defenders and Detective Woody Hoyt on both the NBC hit drama Crossing Jordan. His many other film and television credits include Scream 2; Obsessed; Can't Hardly Wait; Mission to Mars; Yours, Mine and Ours; Man About Town; Kangaroo Jack; Sliders and The '60s. He recently made his Broadway debut in the play SEMINAR.