Grodin Starts Ticking

By Stephen M. Silverman

08/11/1998 at 12:00 AM EDT

Actor and TV host Charles Grodin has a new gig: as a commentator on CBS's "60 Minutes II." The onetime CNBC and MSNBC talk show host is scheduled to begin commenting on the news magazine program as of the new season's opener on Oct. 3, the network announced Monday. He is assuming a slot on the show that was previously filled by commentator Jimmy Tingle, who reportedly was informed of the shift last week. Calling his new star "a man of many talents," the newsmagazine's executive producer Jeff Fager told Reuters that Grodin, 65, "is a prolific writer whose books and essays display a rare ability to comment on current events and our daily lives." Grodin, whose movies included everything from the sublime comedy "The Heartbreak Kid" to the kiddie pic "Beethoven," recently completed an about-to-be published memoir, "So You Want to be a Talk Show Host." His four previous books include "Freddy the Fly."