George Wendt, Judd Hirsch and Joe Morton will be the next cast members of Broadway's Art starting Dec. 22. The new cast of Americans replace the all-British cast of Brian Cox, David Haig and Henry Goodman, who joined the production Aug. 30.

Morton has had a twenty year career in TV and movies, appearing recently in "Apt Pupil," "Brother From Another Planet," "Blues Brothers" and "Speed," and on the tube in "A Different World," "Homicide" and "Prince Street."

Wendt comes to Broadway from London's Art where he starred opposite fellow Americans David Dukes and Stacy Keach. A television star best known as Norm on "Cheers," Wendt will make his Broadway debut in Art.

A stage veteran, Hirsch won two Tony awards for his performances in I'm Not Rappaport and Conversations With My Father, as well as numerous other awards including a Drama Desk Award, an OBIE, two Emmy Awards (for "Taxi") and a Golden Globe (for "Dear John").

Art concerns the friendship of three men: Serge, who buys a modern art painting, which looks like a white canvas, Marc, who can hardly believe his friend would waste money on such a lack of talent and taste and Yvan who finds himself caught between the two. Hirsch will star as Marc, Morton as Serge and Wendt as Yvan.

Art began Broadway previews Feb. 12 with Victor Garber, Alan Alda and Alfred Molina . The show opened Mar. 1, 1998 at the Royale, winning critical approval as well as a Tony and New York Critics Circle Awards for Best Play.

-- By Christine Ehren