Jersey Boys Tony Winner Hoff Lands Role in FOX Pilot "Hackett"

By Ernio Hernandez
19 Sep 2007

Christian Hoff
Christian Hoff

Singer-actor Christian Hoff — who continues in his Tony-winning role in Broadway's Jersey Boys — has joined the cast of the new FOX comedy pilot "Hackett."

The actor will star opposite Donal Logue — who plays the title role — for the developing Sony Pictures TV project, according to a representative.  

Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld ("Pushing Daisies," "Men in Black"), "Hackett" centers on an Ivy League professor (Logue) who must move to Ohio and becomes a high school teacher. Hoff will play the school's vice-principal (and frustrated writer) Gary Stankwick, who serves as an antagonist to the lead character. Rachel Boston and Morgan Murphy also star in the series penned by Denise Moss.

Hoff opens the Four Seasons musical Jersey Boys nightly on Broadway at the August Wilson Theatre as Tommy DeVito. The actor, who previously appeared on Broadway in The Who's Tommy, earned a Tony Award for his work in the Tony Award-winning Best Musical of 2006. He will continue in his Broadway role, his rep confirmed. (Hoff was also attached to star in a Broadway-aimed revival of Pal Joey.)

The actor has also been seen on stage in Jesus Christ Superstar, The Rocky Horror Show; The Tin Pan Alley Rag, Violet and Lone Star Love. His previous small-screen credits include "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," "ER," "JAG," "Party of Five" and "All My Children." He provided his voice (to Guiness Book world record status) on Ed Feldman's audiobook memoir "Tell Me How You Love the Picture" as well as two American Express commercials.