Chalke, Busfield team up for ‘Maneater’

Timothy Busfield has signed on to direct Canadian actress Sarah Chalke in the small-screen adaptation of Gigi Levangie Grazer’s novel Maneater, Lifetime said.

The made-for-TV movie is to air on Lifetime Television in 2009.

Beautiful, fashionable and fun, Clarissa Alpert (Chalke) is a shallow socialite whose speed dial is a veritable Rolodex of Hollywood power players, Lifetime said in a news release announcing plans for the movie. Staring her 32nd birthday directly in the eyes (even though she will admit only to being 28,) the spoiled daddy’s girl is in a panic because she is still single. Clarissa, though, always gets what she wants — even if he’s Aaron Mason, the hottest new producer in town.

Lifetime did not say who would be playing the role of Aaron.

Chalke is best known for her work on the TV sit-coms Roseanne and Scrubs.

Busfield has starred in the TV dramas The West Wing, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, thirtysomething and Trapper John, M.D. He began directing episodes of thirtysomething while still acting on the show and has directed episodes of Sports Night, Ed, Joan of Arcadia, Las Vegas and Lipstick Jungle.